6 Tips for Ending Morning Sickness

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Erin Brockmeyer, GoLocalProv Natural Health Expert

 

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Congratulations! You’re pregnant!

Wouldn’t it be lovely if you could actually enjoy being pregnant? Some estimates suggest that up to 70% of pregnant women experience nausea and/or vomiting during the course of their pregnancy. They say that misery loves company, but in this case knowing that you are not alone may not make this journey any easier.

The range of what women experience when they have “morning sickness” — which I put in quotations because really, it does not usually just strike in the morning — is quite varied. You may be so ill that you end up in the hospital; it may last throughout your entire pregnancy; you could just occasionally feel nauseous for a couple of weeks. If you are in the latter category, I’d caution you to exercise discretion when trying to empathize with your friends who have much more severe morning sickness or they just might hate you.

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The worst part is that you really want to be able to celebrate your pregnancy, but starting at about day 40, you suddenly couldn’t stand the smell, site or thought of food. You are vomiting every time you attempt to brush your teeth. You are completely exhausted. The only things you are able to eat are foods you know are terrible for you — white bread, scones, pastries, french fries. So now you are not only physically ill, but you feel guilty that in your first months as a mother you are not giving your baby the best nutrients you could be. 

This issue is one of the most common ones that I treat in my acupuncture practice. I see how hard it is for women to live their lives: continuing to work, taking care of another child/children, exercising — all of these tasks become incredibly difficult when you feel so ill. After helping many women get through this and come out the other side enjoying pregnancy, I have cultivated a list of tried and true tips that can help manage morning sickness.

1. Eat all the time. Well, not technically all the time, but it should feel like you are eating all the time. Growing a human being is hard work and uses a lot of calories. While you are likely already hungrier than you were pre-pregnancy, and while you feel like you are already eating all the time, if you are dealing with lots of nausea you probably need to eat more. The most common type of pregnancy-related nausea shows up when you are hungry and/or tired. This is why we have the term “morning sickness” — because when you are hungry in the morning after not eating all night, you feel the most nauseous. 

Eating small protein-packed snacks every couple of hours will often keep your nausea at bay.

Especially in the early months of pregnancy, you may have to eat before you feel hungry — just get in a habit of eating often, and always make sure you have snacks with you.

2. Keep a stash by your bed. This is an extension of the first tip. Are you waking at 3:00 am with ferocious hunger? Honor that. Keep something easy to eat and easy to digest next to your bed, like a granola bar. It can also be a good idea to eat something first thing in the morning before you get out of bed to keep hunger at bay.

3. Stay lemony fresh. The scent and taste of lemon can work for some people to curb nausea. Try drinking water with lemon in it, or keeping some lemon essential oil on hand to sniff anytime nausea strikes. It can be especially helpful while cooking — put a drop of lemon oil under your nose or in a diffuser in the kitchen to cover up the cooking scents that can make you queasy.

4. Become a ginger lover. This is something you’ve likely already tried or had friends recommend. I find that it only helps in some cases, and is certainly not a cure-all. If you have mild nausea, consuming a Ginger Chew or other pure ginger food or beverage could be enough to calm your stomach.

5. Get acupuncture. This is well documented. Acupuncture for morning sickness is even covered by many health insurance plans because their is so much research that supports its beneficial effects in decreasing nausea and vomiting. It is also safe, and does not have the negative side effects that some women experience with prescription medication like Zofran. The bonus is that in addition to treating nausea and vomiting, an acupuncturist can treat all other health issues you may be experiencing simultaneously.

6. Sleep. There is an awful little loop that happens to many women during pregnancy. It includes nausea, anxiety and insomnia. It doesn’t really matter which of these issues comes first, because they all end up feeding into each other to create a seemingly endless cycle of feeling terrible. The more anxiety you have and the less sleep you get the worse your nausea will be. If you are having trouble sleeping due to anxiety or nausea, refer to option 5 for treatment that will encompass all 3 of these issues. If this does not work, or the issue is extreme, your doctor can prescribe a sleep aid to help until things are more under control.

The most important thing you can do during this time is to be easy with yourself. Being pregnant is difficult under the best of circumstances. Every mother with morning sickness, especially those who are sick all the time (not just when they are too hungry) is worried about the amount and quality of nutrients she is getting to her baby. You do your best. You do what you can. If you have a day when broccoli suddenly sounds good, eat it all day. If today you think you can eat chicken, eat it at every meal. Any little pocket you get during which you feel like you can stomach healthy food, take full advantage of it. 

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Erin Brockmeyer, LAc, is owner and acupuncturist at Solstice Natural Health in downtown Portland, Oregon. She creates custom health plans for patients to help them tackle their most complicated health concerns, including infertility, prenatal care, fibromyalgia, thyroid conditions and chronic and acute pain conditions. Visit her website for more information and to download her free e-book 5 Simple Ways to Improve Your Health Today.

 

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