Want to know the most helpful tips on how to cope with morning sickness that every pregnant mom should know? These are some of the most important things to remember when you’re dealing with morning sickness during pregnancy.
I’ll be the first pregnant mom to shout “nothing works!” in regards to remedies for morning sickness. If you’re one of those lucky moms that feels “a little queasy” and says things like, “Oh just try a ginger chew! It cured my morning sickness!”, then keep on walkin’ Sally because we’re NOT ridin’ in the same boat! Okay, reeling it in, and no offense to any Sally’s out there, but if you’re one of the unlucky pregnant moms that get severe morning sickness or ALL DAY morning sickness during pregnancy like me, “remedies” for morning sickness can feel, well, a bit hopeless.
Now that I’m finally out of the woods, at 22 weeks pregnant, I can calmly take a deep breath of relief, eat a yogurt without making some look of disgust, and reflect back on what helped my morning sickness (even if it was only a smidge, or temporary- I’ll take what I can get!). And for those of you who are not having luck with “cures” for morning sickness, I’m sure you’re wondering how to cope with morning sickness, at the very least.
This was my longest stretch of morning sickness yet, out of seven pregnancies! So I’ve had my practice when it comes to dealing with morning sickness and all day nausea. Every pregnancy was just as severe when it comes to how nauseous I felt, and the only thing that truly changed was the week when morning sickness ended. I’ll spare you the details of how sick I’d get, or what my long list of nausea triggers were, because let’s be honest, if you’re ready this blog post about morning sickness odds are you are in the pits right now and everything is making you nauseous as well.
So let’s take a look at the most helpful tips on how to cope with morning sickness:
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How To Cope With Morning Sickness (Or All Day Morning Sickness)
1.) Remind Yourself: “This Is Temporary”
First and foremost, give yourself some positive talk. Be your own cheerleader and remind yourself that “this is temporary” and “you’ll get through this!”. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of feeling like morning sickness will never end. Or constantly googling “what week does morning sickness end?”. Because in reality, every pregnancy is unique, and the bottom line is MORNING SICKNESS WILL END. The peak weeks of morning sickness, where nausea is at its worst, tend to fall somewhere between weeks 7-10. So start with that hurdle, and tell yourself that things will get easier. You’ll get through this.
2.) Avoid Triggers
Easier said than done, but by now I’m sure you’ve figured out what has set off your morning sickness the worst. Okay, I said I wouldn’t give too many personal details, but I’ll share one. Bacon. Almost killed me. I remember being so nauseous at the thought of bacon that it was enough to make me feel like I needed to hug a toilet, then cry, then ban bacon from the house. So I did. I told my BLT-loving kids that bacon was no longer invited into our house until mommy was over feeling sick.
The smell of coffee? Tell your spouse to either make it before you wake up, or try an alternative such as making it in a French press where the scent is more contained.
Be creative. Pass on going out to restaurants. Get triggers out of the house. Ask your spouse for help. Get OUT of the house… which leads me to my next suggestion on how to cope with morning sickness…
3.) Get Outside
There is something about being inside the house where all of a sudden, as your sense of smell is heightened and your nausea triggers on a dime, you quickly think “when did our house start to STINK?!”. There are so many smells, especially if you already have kids, pets, a spouse, etc. Not to say that your spouse stinks, or your kids, but just living the day-to-day has so many smells that you’re much more aware of now that you’re pregnant. Kids use the bathroom. Husband cooks breakfast. Dog got wet. Getting outside and into the fresh air is one of the best ways to cope with morning sickness. No matter the season, go for walks, take your kids to the park, get that fresh air, and limit the time spent inside as much as you can.
4.) Figure Out How To Stay Hydrated
Of course I’m not simply saying “stay hydrated” because that’s something you tell a normal, not pregnant person to do, and they can do it with ease. Staying hydrated is a bit of a puzzle when you’re nauseous during pregnancy.
My first pregnancy I could only handle “pamplemousse-flavored” La Croix (so random). Something about the carbonation was all I could stomach. Some pregnancies were citrus or cherry sparkling water. But this last pregnancy, I barely wanted any sparkling water and needed cold water FILLED with crushed ice. I lived off chewing pieces of crushed ice. One thing stayed the same throughout my 7 pregnancies- I couldn’t drink just “plain water” without feeling sick.
So figure out what works best for you: sparkling water, water with a squeeze of lemon or lime, crushed ice, water with a bit of orange juice mixed in, ice water with mint leaves? Whatever it is, it’s so important for you to stay hydrated, and especially so if you’re getting physically sick.
5.) Give Morning Sickness “Remedies” A Try
Even if you don’t have luck, there’s no harm in trying suggested morning sickness “remedies”. You may get lucky and one thing may work for you for a short while, another might juuust take the edge off, or one may lessen your nausea severity when you’re at your absolute worst weeks of morning sickness. Here are some of the most common morning sickness remedies for pregnant moms that are worth trying:
Acupressure wrist bands
Acupressure has been used for thousands of years in China to help promote wellness and relaxation as well as provide relief for different ailments. Sea-Bands work by providing pressure on a specific acupressure point on the wrists called the Nei-Kuan, or P6, which helps prevent and treat nausea. Sea-Bands are safe to wear at all times on the wrists, and are definitely worth giving them a try to help with morning sickness.
Acupuncture
For thousands of years, doctors of Chinese medicine have been practicing the art of acupuncture on pregnant women to promote healthy pregnancies. Not only can acupuncture help lessen morning sickness, but it can help with fatigue and other health ailments in the first trimester as well.
Pregnancy Candies
Natural pregnancy candies such as the popular Preggie Pop Drops are helpful when all food sounds, well, gross. There is something about sucking on a sour candy that provides temporary relief when you’re feeling your worst.
Diffuse Lavender Essential Oil
Not only is diffusing lavender essential oils calming for the senses and promotes relaxation and better sleep, but it also can help alleviate nausea. With all of the strong “smells” in the home that are more noticeable when pregnancy hormones heighten a mom’s sense of smell, using lavender in an essential oil diffuser can help mask some of the trigger smells that make you feel nauseous. Try a lemon essential oil as well, as citrus smells can also help during times of morning sickness. Peppermint essential oils and orange essential oils are also helpful as aromatherapy scents that can help ease morning sickness.
Mint Tea and other teas
Mint has been known to help curb nausea and provide relief for an upset stomach. If you can stomach a mint tea, it can be soothing and help with morning sickness. Citrus teas and ginger peach are worth a shot as well.
Citrus Fruits
Lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit, and clementines are all great choices of citrus fruits to try when morning sickness has you feeling like you can’t stomach much else. You can try squeezing lemons and limes in your water, or simply keeping them on hand to smell when nausea strikes. The refreshing citrus smell may be enough to take the edge off of your morning sickness.
Crackers
Good old fashioned crackers. Keep some by your nightstand and try taking small bites before getting out of bed in the morning. As much as you may not want to eat, having an empty stomach can make morning sickness worse, so snacking on a few plain crackers can help ease you out of bed when you’re feeling too nauseous to get up in the morning.
Ginger Ale
Ginger ale, alongside crackers, can also help provide relief for morning sickness, just like it did when you were a kid staying home from school with a tummy ache. Check ingredients, and get an all-natural version of ginger ale. I prefer the 365 brand ginger ale from Whole Foods.
Popsicles
There’s something about the fruity, icy, sweetness of a cold popsicle that can provide instant relief for morning sickness when it’s at its worst. Check ingredients, and opt for an organic or all-natural option.
Magnesium
Magnesium is an important mineral during pregnancy, and being deficient in magnesium can worsen morning sickness. Giving your body a healthy dose of magnesium during pregnancy can help alleviate some morning sickness severity. It is said that magnesium is best absorbed through the skin, so a topical magnesium oil is a great option. You could also use magnesium bath flakes by adding a scoop to your bath or a magnesium powder to mix into a drink (I drink this daily, pregnant or not!).
Breathing Exercises
When all else fails, know you can always take deep breaths in and out. Taking slow deep breaths by inhaling through the nose for 3 seconds, and exhaling for 3 seconds is a breath work exercise that can promote relaxation, reduce stress, and help you “breathe through the nausea”.
Rest
Easier said than done when you’re pregnant (especially if you already have kids), but try to rest when you can. For my pregnancies, I never had time to rest during the day chasing so many kids around, but I went to bed EARLY. My morning sickness was worse at night, so by the time I got the kids to bed, I’d send myself to bed too. Plus, first trimester fatigue made going to bed early very easy. The last thing I wanted to think about in the evening was how nauseous I was, so going to bed early just ended the day sooner, and the sooner time could go by (especially week to week) the sooner morning sickness would end! Your body is going through a lot while pregnant, so try to give it the rest it needs.
Good Luck!
These have been some of the most helpful tips on how to cope with morning sickness that I can share after being pregnant seven times. Every woman is different and you may have luck with something that I didn’t (hopefully you do!). Just remember that you’re doing this for a “good cause”- a sweet baby will be joining you at the end of this rough ride. You’re doing great, and remember: morning sickness is temporary, it WILL end. Best of luck! And congrats!!
Other Posts You May Like:
Pregnancy Must-Haves (From A Mom Of Soon-To-Be 6!)
Honest Pregnancy: Pregnancy Is Hard
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