8 Ways to combat morning sickness
Pregnancy nausea, also known as morning sickness, affects about half of all pregnant women and far from being confined to the morning, can actually occur all day. Here are 8 simple tips to help reduce the symptoms and manage nausea if and when it arises.
Pregnancy nausea, also known as morning sickness, affects about half of all pregnant women and far from being confined to the morning, can actually occur all day. It usually occurs in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and begins to ease after that, but for some women, they experience pregnancy nausea beyond 12 weeks and throughout their pregnancy. The exact cause of morning sickness is unknown but is believed to be due to the hormonal shifts and changes to blood sugar which occur in early pregnancy. A recent study by US and UK scientists have begun to shed some more light on why some women get morning sickness whilst others don’t - they found that a hormone produced by the fetus and a woman's sensitivity to the hormone could be the determining factor.
Here are 8 simple tips to help reduce the symptoms and manage nausea if and when it arises.
1. Keeping your blood sugar balanced
One of the most important steps you can take to reduce your nausea symptoms is to eat little and often. This will help to keep your blood sugar levels stable which will support hormone balance. Eating the right kinds of foods will also help, so include a variety of proteins such as eggs, fish, meat, poultry, beans and legumes and healthy fats such as nuts, seeds, extra virgin olive oil, oily fish or avocado with every meal.
2. Getting enough Vitamin B6
Some studies have found that women experiencing nausea and/or vomiting in pregnancy had significantly lower levels of circulating B6 than those women without symptoms. Vitamin B6 Supports hormonal balance while helping to regulate your blood glucose. Eating foods containing vitamin B6 such as turkey, chicken and beef, avocado, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds can help. You can also consider taking a B6 supplement or a Pregnancy multinutrient containing good levels of vitamin B6.
4. Sipping fresh ginger tea
Ginger can be very useful to reduce the feeling of nausea. Grate fresh ginger into hot water and leave to infuse for 3 minutes before sipping.
5. Taking Apple cider vinegar
A teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in 250ml of hot water can also be very helpful. Ensure you use organic apple cider vinegar with the ‘mother’.
6. Avoiding dehydration
Drinking enough is a challenge when you’re either feeling or being sick. Try your best to maintain your fluids by regularly sipping water, herbal and ginger teas. A useful tip is to consume a variety of seasonal soups as this will help your nutrient intake while increasing your fluids. You can also increase consumption of vegetables and fruits with a high water content, such as watermelon, cucumber, celery and pears.
7. Food sensitivities
If you know you are sensitive to certain foods, this is certainly not the time to be eating them. Remember what worked for you prior to pregnancy and try to implement this if it helps to ease your symptoms.
8. Before your feet hit the floor
Always keep some food by your bed such as some oatcakes, which can be eaten before you get out of bed in the morning. This can help to reduce the morning nausea by supporting your blood sugar.
8. Choosing a full spectrum pregnancy supplement
It can be a challenge to get enough of the necessary nutrients during pregnancy but these nutrients can help to mitigate morning sickness and support your recovery. Always look for a good quality supplements which contain nutrients in their most bioavailable forms, free from fillers and binders and with the required amounts of folate and Vitamin D to support pregnancy.
Study link for cause of morning sickness
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06921-9