Morning sickness – or “all-day sickness” – is experienced by some but not all pregnant women.
Because the exact causes are unknown morning sickness remedies vary and have different degrees of effectiveness for everyone. The good news though, is that there are things you can do!
It follows that a healthy lifestyle supports a healthy pregnancy. If you are healthy before pregnancy and then continue to “honour” and listen to your body during pregnancy you put yourself in a much stronger position and at a much lower risk of morning sickness. The best approach is to tune into your body as best you can and listen to it and what it wants. (This may take practice!)
It might help you to understand that there are several changes that go on in your body that can affect your digestive system and those pathways that may contribute to nausea and vomiting.
- Changes in your hormones
- Changes in your metabolism
- Changes in your body’s internal environment
- Changes in your blood sugar
- Emotional stress or worry and anxiety
- Increased sensitivity to the environment and toxins, this may include certain smells or taste triggers
17 natural remedies for morning sickness
- Listen to your body and eat intuitively, rest, move and nurture yourself.
- Eat regularly. An empty stomach will often feel woozy. Don’t go for longer than 3 hours without eating even if it is just a snack that you eat.
- Eat small amounts. If you overeat you may feel sick or bloated, eat small portions regularly.
- Eat simple, home-prepared food. Having rich or highly processed foods can worsen morning sickness in many women. Avoid rich and creamy foods, “heavy” meals, highly processed food, spicy and exotic food, greasy fast food and coffee especially cappuccinos and lattes. Foods that are hard to digest will sit in your gut and make you feel sick. Undigested foods or foods high in toxins, preservatives or artificial additives may increase nausea because your body is more sensitive to the environment during pregnancy. Plain foods like oats, toast, crackers, jacket potatoes, rice, stir fries, minestrone, steamed vegetables, grilled white fish and lemon, fresh fruit, raw veggies and salads are good options.
- Avoid foods you are sensitive, allergic or intolerant to. (Also avoid the list of foods that can be risky when eaten during pregnancy eg. soft cheeses.)
- Aim to eat something soon after waking up even if you don’t feel hungry: a piece of fruit, some toast, some nuts, are fine.
- Lying down and having a little rest when you are feeling ill can help.
- Sipping on ice-cold water, sparkling water with a squeeze of lemon, sweet tea, and ginger tea can sometimes make you feel better.
- Eating one or two crunchy ginger biscuits or sucking on a lollipop can help to ease nausea and keep vomiting at bay.
- Deep breathing, yoga, meditation or relaxation exercises have been found to be beneficial especially if stress is contributing to your nausea.
- Taking vitamin B6 may help ease nausea.
- Soups, smoothies, juices (apple, carrot, celery, beetroot and ginger) or (apple, lime/lemon, celery and mint) are good options if you don’t feel like eating.
- Keep water and small snacks on hand in your handbag like a banana, mandarin, apple or some nuts.
- Try not to focus on your nausea. Keep your mind interested and calm.
- Having a relaxing bath, with some calming essential oils can help.
- Stay away from moldy and damp environments, chemicals or strong smells like diesel and petrol and exhaust fumes.
- Natural remedies such as acupuncture or certain homeopathic remedies can ease nausea and vomiting.
Eating carefully and taking care to nurture yourself and tune into your body’s needs certainly seems to make a difference. It is worth the effort. Enjoy your pregnancy, and enjoy trying out the different morning sickness remedies.
If you are plagued with morning sickness as “all-day sickness” or you are still feeling unwell beyond your first trimester, consider seeing a nutritionist or naturopath, they may be able to help you with your diet and recommend some supplements that might help support you better through your pregnancy.