Morning Sickness

A friend’s wife, during her third trimester, did not have to deal with morning sickness. I tell her this is a sure sign of the unconditional love of a worthy husband, an explanation that sometimes leaves her nauseated and suffering similar symptoms of morning sickness. It may be because she was taking a multi-vitamin and folic acid around the time of conception, which some studies have shown to prevent morning sickness. Perhaps she’s just one of the lucky ones. Most women – around 70% – will experience some degree of morning sickness. There are many theories as to what causes morning sickness – certain hormones, genetics, diet…but these explanations are often as murky as your toilet water post vomit.

But you didn’t come here for theories. You came here to feel better. You came here to learn how to get rid of morning sickness. I’ve been told that morning sickness symptoms are something akin to sea sickness (to which I am prone); you can become dizzy and nauseated, and throwing up rarely helps. Though I have a Y chromosome, I can empathize. I’ve visited medical websites, read the journals, and talked to moms (but not soccer moms). I’ve done my research. What you’ll find here are popular, proven ways to deal with morning sickness. As all midwives and doctors will attest, there is no cure-all here. What works for one woman may not work for another. What worked for your first pregnancy may not work for your present one. Stay strong! Morning sickness is usually gone by the end of the first trimester. Making a life is difficult work!

Dehydration and Morning Sickness

Vomiting often can lead to dehydration, which is far more dangerous than losing that egg salad sandwich. You’ll want those lost electrolytes back, so try drinking a sports drink if you’ve had a few multi-colored yawns.

Best Morning Sickness Remedies

Eat Small Meals and Snacks

Eating smaller, more frequent meals and snacking may get rid of morning sickness. This is the most popular, most effective way to deal with morning sickness. An empty stomach will literally start to digest itself. Hunger makes anyone a little bit queasy, but for pregnant women it can lead to extended bouts of nausea. Being too full doesn’t help either. Eat six smaller meals rather than three large ones. Also, keep nutritious snacks in key locations – in your purse, near your bed, in the car, under the floorboards…wherever hunger strikes. Beyond getting rid of morning sickness, researchers have shown smaller, more frequent meals to be better for your baby’s development by keeping the flow of nutrients constant.

Take Ginger

Try ginger for an all-natural morning sickness remedy.Though often thought of as a folk remedy, recent studies have given this herb medical credibility. If you want supplements, the recommended dose of ginger root is 250mg 4 times daily (1 gram), but you’ll want to talk this over with your doctor. Look for a ginger root supplement with a seal of approval from the U.S. Pharmacopoeia or NSF International for safety. Rather than pills, some women prefer sipping on all-natural ginger ale or ginger teas, eating ginger candies, murdering gingerbread men, or just nibbling on a piece of ginger. If you want to go the supplement route, you can get Nature’s Way Ginger Root at Amazon.

Relax in the Morning

Take it easy in the mornings to get rid of morning sickness. Morning sickness is by no means just a morning problem; however, for many women, that’s when it starts and is at its worst. Before getting out of bed, sit up and get something in your stomach. Have crackers by your bed or have your man make you some whole-wheat toast. Let that digest for 10-20 minutes before getting up. Give yourself enough time to leisurely get ready for the day. Stress worsens morning sickness. Of course, mornings are rife with responsibility. This is where your man (or partner) needs to earn his nookie, your love…etc.

Trust Your Stomach

Expecting mothers are supposed to eat a balanced diet that draws from all the food groups. Morning sickness may make this difficult. You can strive for nutritional excellence, but don’t force it. If all you can choke down is chicken fingers and soda for the first trimester, so be it. Bland foods and room temperature foods are often recommended. Greasy, fatty foods are cast as villains. Some research suggests that high protein foods and complex carbohydrates can calm or lessen morning sickness; however, there is no hard and fast rule. In the end, if you crave a food, it will probably make you feel better. If a food smells funny (even one you previously loved) walk away.

Take Vitamin B6

To get rid of severe morning sickness, try taking vitamin B6 (pyridoxine). Pregnant women usually only need around 2 mg of vitamin B6 daily. You can get this through diet (bananas, watermelons, avocados, walnuts, spinach…), and your prenatal vitamins will also have some B6. Many women reduce or get rid of morning sickness by upping the daily dose of 75 mg – though you’ll want to talk dosages with your doctor. Many new morning sickness products containing vitamin B6 have hit the market in recent years, including B-natal Therapops (suckers infused with 25mg B6) and Morning Sickness Magic (supplement with B6 and ginger).

Best Ways to Get Rid of Morning Sickness Naturally

Rest and Relaxation

Fatigue and stress have long been known to exacerbate morning sickness. Sleep, take naps, meditate, practice yoga, laugh, visit friends (not the stressful ones), watch movies. Massage has been shown to alleviate morning sickness in some studies, as has moderate exercise. If you need a day to catch up on sleep or regain sanity, take a day off work. Because of the Family and Medical Leave Act, you do not need a doctor’s note.

Preggie Pops/Preggie Pop Drops

Hard candies are often suggested as a remedy for nausea. Well, here is an all-natural hard candy that is specifically designed to get rid of morning sickness and nausea during labor. The aroma, essential oil flavors, sugars, and the delivery method come together to keep you from yaking up your baby’s un-birthright. I’d prefer the drops to the pops – suckers make me feel silly. Conspicuous even. So, if you don’t want to feel silly, you can get Preggie Pop Drops from Amazon rather than the full lollipop.

Fresh Air

The pregnant nose is too strong for its own good. Even when stuffy, it can detect an astronaut’s fart from the dark side of the moon. Strong smells often lead to nausea and retching. Frequently air out your bedroom and other heavily used rooms. Put baking soda or other less intrusive air fresheners in key locations like the garbage and fridge. Go for walks. Of course, avoid being in the presence of food odors and other stenches that excite your gag reflex.

Acupressure or Acustimulation

Sea Bands and other similar products work via the theory of acupressure. These wrist bands (found at any drugstore) put pressure on a certain point that supposedly interrupts brain signals that are causing nausea and restores balance. ReliefBand is a similar product that uses a gentle electric current. Neither method has much research to warrant use, but I couldn’t ignore them because so many women use them to great effect. It’s worth a shot, right?

Prenatal Vitamins and Morning Sickness

Prenatal vitamins are vitally important for mothers and babies. Try taking them with a snack during a time of day you experience the least nausea. For most women, this is before bedtime. For some, chewing gum or sucking on hard candies after taking the pill keeps it down and decreases nausea. Also, try asking your doctor for prenatal vitamins with a lower dose of iron – a mineral that often causes nausea.

Medication for Morning Sickness

Bendectin (or Pyridoxine Plus Doxylamine)

Bendectin is a combination of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and an antihistamine (doxylamine). It was taken off the shelves during the 80s due to bogus science that led to hugely expensive lawsuits (failed). The FDA conducted massive studies on the drug and found no problems with it. Because of the fiasco and ensuing studies, you can be sure it’s safe. Bendectin can only be found in some places around the US (in Canada it’s called Diclectin). However, doctors often get around the problem with some pharmacy finesse. They prescribe three daily doses of B6 (25mg) to be taken with half a tablet of Unisom, which is actually 12.5mgs of pyridoxine – poof, you’ve got Bendectin. You could do all this without a prescription, but you should talk with your doctor first. This is the first line of defense against morning sickness. Of all the drugs used to get rid of morning sickness, it has the most research to back it up.

Emetrol

Here is the only OTC nausea medication that can be safely used during pregnancy.

Zofran

Zofran is a powerful antiemetic originally designed to combat nausea in chemotherapy patients. It has been very effective at getting rid of severe cases of morning sickness and Hyperemesis Gravidarum – an extreme, dangerous form of morning sickness. Many women swear by it, but it’s expensive and not all insurers will cover the bill.

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About the Author

Julianne Ragland

Julianne Ragland