Morning Sickness: Getting Relief

Here are some things you can do to get relief?

If you have a mild case of nausea and vomiting, some relatively simple measures may be enough to help. (If not, there are safe and effective medications you can take.) Many of the following suggestions are not supported by hard evidence, but obstetricians and midwives commonly recommend them, and they have worked for many women.

*Eat small, frequent meals and snacks throughout the day so your stomach is never empty. Some women find that carbohydrates are most appealing when they feel nauseated, but one small study found that high-protein foods were more likely to ease symptoms. Whatever you eat, eat it slowly.
*Avoid lying down after eating (especially on your left side), as this can slow digestion.
*Keep simple snacks, such as crackers, by your bed. When you first wake up, nibble a few crackers and then rest for 20 to 30 minutes before getting up. Snacking on crackers may also help you feel better if you wake up nauseated in the middle of the night.

By the way, getting up slowly in the morning—sitting on the bed for a few minutes rather than jumping right up—may also be helpful.
*Try to avoid foods and smells that trigger your nausea. If that seems like almost everything, it's okay to eat the few things that do appeal to you for this part of your pregnancy, even if they don't add up to a perfectly balanced diet.
*Try to eat food cold or at room temperature, because food tends to have a stronger aroma when it's hot.
*Avoid fatty foods, which take longer to digest. Also steer clear of spicy, acidic, and fried foods, which can irritate your digestive system. It might help to stick to bland foods.
*Brush your teeth and rinse out your mouth after eating.
*Try drinking fluids mostly between meals. You might find cold, carbonated beverages easiest to keep down. (Some women also find sour drinks, such as lemonade, easier to handle.)
*Don't drink so much at one time that your stomach feels full, as that will make you less hungry for food. A good strategy is to sip fluids throughout the day. Try using a straw if sipping isn't going well.
*Aim to drink about a quart and a half each day. If you've been vomiting a lot, try a sports drink that contains glucose, salt, and potassium to replace lost electrolytes.
*Watch for non-food triggers, too. A warm or stuffy room, the smell of heavy perfume, a car ride, or even certain visual stimuli, like flickering lights, might trigger your nausea. So might changing positions too quickly. Avoidance of triggers can become an important part of your treatment.
*Get fresh air. A walk or an open window might ease your nausea.
*Nausea can become worse if you're tired, so give yourself time to relax and take naps when you can. Watching a movie (preferably not one about food!) or visiting with a friend can help relieve stress and take your mind off your discomfort.
*Try taking your prenatal vitamins with food or just before bed. You might also want to ask your healthcare provider whether you can switch to a prenatal vitamin with a low dose of iron or no iron for the first trimester, since this mineral can be hard on your digestive system. If the prenatal vitamin still makes you nauseated, ask if you can stop taking it until your nausea gets better.
Try ginger, an alternative remedy thought to settle the stomach and help quell queasiness. See if you can find ginger ale made with real ginger. (Most supermarket ginger ales aren't.) Grate some fresh ginger into hot water to make ginger tea, or see if ginger candies or crystallized ginger helps.
Research shows that taking powdered ginger root in capsules may provide some relief. Unfortunately, there's no way to be sure how much of the active ingredient you're getting in these ginger supplements, so talk to your provider before taking them. (As with many other things that are helpful in small amounts, the effects of megadoses are unknown.)

Some women find similar relief from sipping peppermint tea or from sucking peppermint candies, especially after eating.
*Experiment with aromatherapy. Some women find scents such as lemon, mint, or orange useful. You can use a diffuser to dispense an essential oil, or you can carry a drop or two of an essential oil on a hanky to smell when you start to feel queasy. (Essential oils are very strong, so use only one or two drops.)

¤What about anti-nausea medications?

If you've been unable to find relief from your nausea, talk with your provider about medication. There's no need to continue to suffer, and waiting too long to take appropriate medication may make your condition more difficult to treat.
By the way, while it won't help you now, if you plan to get pregnant again, make sure to be taking a multivitamin at the time of conception and in early pregnancy. It may help prevent severe morning sickness, though no one knows why.

¤What if I just can't keep anything down?

If your nausea and vomiting are so severe that you can't keep anything down, including water, juice, food, prenatal vitamins, or medications, you probably have a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum. If your situation is that severe, your doctor will most likely want to check you into the hospital and treat you with intravenous (IV) fluids and medications.

In any case, count it all joy when you are faced with diverse symptoms. Fix your eyes on the joy in the making. The joy of The Lord is your strength!

Ref: Baby Center