Nausea tips during pregnancy

10 Tips To Help Survive Nausea During Pregnancy

By
Micah Dorfner

April 13, 2015

Positive pink line on pregnancy test? Check. Small flutter on early ultrasound? Check. Nausea and vomiting? Double-check.

Often the constant feeling of nausea, which is accompanied by vomiting, soon overshadows the excitement of early pregnancy. Approximately 50-90 percent of women experience nausea and vomiting in their pregnancy, and 5 percent of women have the same symptoms throughout the entire pregnancy, per The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

"The term 'morning sickness' is misleading; nausea can occur any time of the day," says Emily Linklater, D.O., Mayo Clinic Health System OB/GYN physician. "For most women, the nausea ends sometime in the late stages of the first trimester. Nausea may also be worse — or better — in one pregnancy versus another."

Unfortunately, science hasn’t proven the exact cause of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. The elevated pregnancy hormone, BHCG, and elevated estrogen have both been hypothesized as contributing to symptoms.

What can an expectant mother do? Here are some tips for surviving nausea and vomiting:

Eat several small meals a day, and don’t skip breakfast. Many women need to have a few saltine crackers before getting out of bed in the morning.
Avoid triggers. If the smell of chicken makes you nauseous, avoid the smell when possible.
Don’t lie down after eating.
Plan small snacks throughout your day to avoid long periods of time without eating.
Avoid spicy and fatty foods.
Consider using anti-nausea wrist bands. These bands are placed on your wrist to trigger pressure points that may alleviate nausea.
Think about consuming ginger — either ginger ale, ginger candies or ginger tea.
Increase your intake of vitamin B6, which has been shown to help decrease nausea.
Change the time of day you take your prenatal vitamins. Take your prenatal vitamins in the morning, afternoon or night. Consider gummy vitamins if the traditional large pills trigger nausea.
Try to get plenty of rest.

If over-the-counter options do not improve nausea and vomiting, then it’s wise to speak with your health care provider about anti-nausea prescription medications. Many prescription medications are safe in pregnancy and can relieve severe symptoms.

Can nausea and vomiting cause a miscarriage or hurt your baby? The answer is no. However, it’s important to monitor yourself for signs of dehydration. If you’re losing weight, have decreased urination, or are unable to eat or drink for more than a day, you should see your health care provider.

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Easing Nausea during Pregnancy: 6 Tips | Methodist Health System

Morning sickness can happen any time

The name is a lie. The term “morning sickness” really is misleading. It’s one of the first pregnancy truths experienced by new moms as they learn what to expect while expecting.

In reality, that nauseous, queasy feeling which sometimes leads to vomiting can happen any time of day. It’s just one of the many changes nearly 90 percent of women – including many of my patients – experience during pregnancy, and there’s not much that health care providers can do to predict or prevent it.

Who is likely to develop nausea?

The women most likely to experience nausea during pregnancy are younger and having their first babies. Their mothers also likely had a rough time with morning sickness. It generally starts when women are five to six weeks pregnant and lasts about six weeks, although some lucky women feel nauseous through their entire pregnancy.

As for what causes the nausea, no one really knows for sure. It could be the body’s response to stress or hormone fluctuations due to pregnancy, the stretching of abdominal walls or the increase in progesterone which slows down gastric motility. There’s a heightened sense of smell which adds to the equation, and it’s also safe to say that women who already suffer from acid reflux are more likely to have severe nausea, vomiting and heartburn.

So what can you do about it?

While there is no tell-tale cure, I do have a list of recommendations:

Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day. Many of us are used to three big meals and some snacks in between, but that is not the game when you are pregnant. Instead, eat tiny meals all day long. I often tell my patients with morning sickness to eat some crackers or raisins before they even get out of bed or into the shower.
Avoid food or smell triggers. If you can’t tolerate a certain taste or smell, get rid of it, and avoid strong smells or spices for a little while. Bland foods – crackers, toast, etc. – are generally best. If you feel like all you can eat is popcorn and string cheese, then eat popcorn and string cheese. Being on a specific diet for a few weeks will not harm your baby.
Separate drinking from eating. Drink something either 30 minutes before or after eating to avoid that really full feeling. When it comes to beverages, clear and carbonated liquids tend to be best.
Try an acupressure band. Worn approximately 3 finger-widths above the wrist, acupressure bands have been known to alleviate nausea. These small bands can be purchased over the counter at many local pharmacies.
Eat foods rich in ginger. Many scientific studies have shown that eating ginger can reduce nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. Try things such as ginger ale, ginger tea, ginger snaps or other foods made with ginger.
Take prenatal vitamins at night and add B6. Prenatal vitamins can upset your stomach, so take them in the evenings until you feel better. Consider a brand that is coated or chewable and take them with a meal. Some studies link Vitamin B6 to stress reduction and nausea relief, so it won’t hurt to add a little to your vitamin routine. A tip for those who are still trying to become pregnant: Starting a prenatal vitamin before conceiving may make you less likely to have nausea from the vitamin once you are pregnant.

If you can’t tolerate food or water for 24 to 48 hours, or if you lose the ability to urinate, you need to immediately contact your OB/GYN or one of the health care professionals at Methodist Physicians Clinic.

About the Author

Dr. Emily Lange says the thrill of delivering babies never gets old, and neither does helping women with their most intimate care needs.

"So many women relate their health care needs to their family and community needs," said Dr. Lange, "and I enjoy having that conversation with them as well as providing their medical care."

You can begin your conversation with Dr. Lange today at Methodist Physicians Clinic located within Methodist Jennie Edmundson Medical Plaza.

See more articles from Emily Lange, MD

We fight against toxicosis - articles from the specialists of the clinic "Mother and Child"

Alexandrova Anna Evgenievna

Embryologist

Clinic "Mother and Child" South-West

rest more

Very often in the first trimester, the expectant mother feels weak, drowsy, she wants to lie down to rest, and sometimes she simply does not even have the strength to move. This, of course, is not toxicosis, but if such sensations arise, then they must be indulged so as not to inadvertently provoke another attack of nausea. Get plenty of rest and do not make any sudden movements, because even if you just fail to get up from a chair, you can provoke an attack of nausea.

Sleep with the windows open: the air in the bedroom should be fresh and cool. Go to bed on time, do not sit at midnight in front of the TV or at the computer, eliminate all irritating factors: an uncomfortable mattress, blanket, pillow, hard bedding - lack of sleep can respond with morning sickness.

eat right

Eat small meals, 5-6 times a day, or even more often. When you wake up, don't get out of bed right away. One of the most effective methods against toxicosis is breakfast in bed. In the evening, put crackers, yogurt, or any product that you can tolerate well next to your bed. Eat it before you get up, and then lie down for a while. Most likely, morning sickness will either not appear at all, or will be very weak.

Usually, in case of toxicosis, it is not recommended to eat fatty, smoked, salty, pickled, drink soda (the usual set of food hazards). But it is likely that some not very healthy product will now be well tolerated, and something from healthy food, on the contrary, will cause nausea. "Pregnant whims" - a cake with herring or pineapples at night - these are the requests of the body that it needs one or another component in food. For example, the desire to chew chalk is a sign of calcium deficiency. So eat what you like and what you want, within reason, of course. And if you don’t feel like something, even if this product is extremely useful and necessary, don’t eat it. If you feel sick from some dish, it means that the body signals you: I don’t need this now!

drink more often

Toxicosis may not be limited to nausea, some may also vomit. This means fluid is lost. Therefore, between meals, drink more often: a sip or two of mineral water or tea with lemon will help to cope with nausea and replenish lost fluids. But drink in small sips. Also, you should not drink food and you should give up soups for a while - a large amount of food drunk and eaten, on the contrary, only provokes nausea and vomiting.

breathe fresh air

Outdoor walks are good for everyone, but especially for toxicosis. Firstly, when walking, the blood of the expectant mother and baby is saturated with oxygen, which is very important for health, and secondly, walking calms the nervous system. Together, this helps to reduce the unpleasant symptoms of toxicosis. You need to walk at least two hours a day - but not just along the street, but in the place where the air is really fresh: in the forest, park, square, and best of all outside the city. Before you go out, think over the route: go away from gas-polluted highways, street cafes, food stalls and other "fragrant" places.

eliminate fragrances

Taste and smell preferences change during the first trimester. Now even your favorite perfumes can cause nausea, headaches and allergic reactions. Therefore, put away all fragrant cosmetics that irritate you: perfumes, deodorants, creams, and so on. You will have to stop using your favorite perfume for both your husband and loved ones. Explain to others that this is not a whim, but a temporary measure, very soon everything will return to normal.

And do not worry that now you will be left without your usual beauty products. Both the cosmetic store and the pharmacy are full of different creams, tonics, shampoos without fragrance or with a minimal smell.

work with yourself

Psychologists believe that the cause of toxicosis is not only in hormonal changes, but also in the psychological state of a woman. The more a woman experiences, the more anxieties and fears she has, the more pronounced toxicosis can be. Ideally, it is better to limit yourself during pregnancy from any stress. Of course, it’s not always possible to eliminate nervous work or crowding in public transport, but watch less TV, don’t read negative news and various pregnant “horror stories” on the Internet, and don’t react to minor or even major everyday troubles everyone can do. Therefore, if you are worried about toxicosis, create your own comfortable world during pregnancy. If you can’t cope on your own, contact a specialist (psychologist). Toxicosis is really well treated with psychotherapy. The main thing is that the expectant mother should want to get rid of her own anxiety.

No matter how unpleasant toxicosis is, it does not last forever. It is necessary to suffer until the beginning or (less often) the middle of the II trimester. And very soon all the unpleasant symptoms of toxicosis will remain in the past!

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TOXICOSIS DURING PREGNANCY: HOW TO HELP YOURSELF

Pregnancy is not only beautiful and an amazing period in the life of every woman, but also a rather large load on the body. Some women carry babies quite easily, without any discomfort and difficulties, while others face minor problems during pregnancy. The most common problem is toxicosis while carrying a baby. Today we will talk about this topic in more detail.

Toxicosis: how to help yourself

In most cases, toxicosis manifests itself in the first months of pregnancy. The most common symptoms of toxicosis: nausea, vomiting, weakness, dizziness, loss of appetite, irritability.

How to relieve the symptoms of toxicosis?

1. Balanced diet. Regular meals in small portions will help alleviate the manifestations of toxicosis. It is advisable to eat often, but little by little. You shouldn't overeat. Try to avoid hot food, it provokes nausea. Give preference to warm or even cold food.

Most often, to relieve the symptoms of morning sickness, your doctor may advise you to follow a diet for pregnant women and avoid smoking, fatty, spicy, sour, salty, canned, flavored foods.

But it often happens that a future mother wants something forbidden. In such a situation, it is advised to eat quite a bit of a harmful product to get sick.

Foods rich in vitamin B are said to be good for the symptoms of toxemia. For example, if everything makes you sick in the morning, try eating rye bread toast, a hard-boiled egg, perhaps such a breakfast will suit you.

2. Proper drinking regimen. Women suffering from toxicosis are advised to drink enough water. It is important to drink exactly clean water without gas, as soon as water will help quench your thirst and cope with nausea. A healthy future mother in the first trimester should drink about 2-2.5 liters of fluid per day, after the 20th week of pregnancy, the amount of fluid should be reduced to 1-1.5 liters per day.

These are approximate numbers. As for how much water you need and can drink for you, it is advisable to consult a doctor.

It is also worth paying attention to the choice of water for drinking during pregnancy. There are many brands of still bottled water on the market. Making a choice is very difficult. But experts are increasingly inclined to believe that the best water for a future mother is bottled baby water, recommended for use during pregnancy and lactation.

This water provides the body of the future mother with the necessary macro- and microelements, speeds up the metabolism, eliminates the imbalance of fluid in the body. A handy bottle can be carried in your purse and sipped whenever you feel like it.

3. Activity. To reduce the symptoms of toxicosis, it is also recommended to walk more in the fresh air, exercise regularly, look at beauty, attend interesting events - all this helps to distract and gain positive emotions!

Combating toxicosis: a few tricks:

- if you feel very bad in the morning, try to have breakfast in bed exactly what you want for breakfast;

- do not worry, control yourself;

- get enough sleep;

- give up perfumes and cosmetics with strong smells

- do not cook those dishes that disgust you;

- avoid cigarette smoke

- ventilate the room you are in;

- Avoid tight clothing.

If you suffer from toxicosis too much, be sure to tell your doctor.