Pregnant women sometimes go through morning sickness, food aversion, or a strong reaction to specific smells or tastes. A few women experience periodic queasiness that especially becomes rampant in the morning and usually goes away during lunch. However, for the other few, the feeling can be slightly overwhelming and can impact their waking hours and sometimes affect their sleep.
Experiencing nausea while you are pregnant is very common. Some women may experience vomiting during the pregnancy. In some cases, it may even lead to hospitalization. Nausea can affect a woman in the fifth or sixth week of pregnancy, and it may continue to affect her till the beginning of the third month.
However, most women get relief in the second trimester, for a very few though the symptoms may persist. Some natural remedies may help you overcome this feeling. You may not always have to visit a health care practitioner for that. However, if things go overwhelming, you may need to visit your doctor to get it checked.
Incorporate Small Meals Throughout the Day
The feeling of nausea may stop you from eating, but actually, it can make things worse. Try and eat smaller and more frequent meals, and you may choose six to seven meals a day instead of three large meals.
To address the feeling of nausea in the morning, you can nibble on plain crackers, dry bread, or cereal and have it as soon as you wake up. Keep it right beside the bed so that you can have it right in the morning as soon as you wake up, after a prolonged time frame of fasting.
Ginger To Your Rescue
Nothing soothes the stomach, as well as ginger. There are various ways to have ginger tea, ginger preserves, ginger chews, or ginger ale, which contains ginger. A few health care practitioners can even ask you to take some supplements that contain 250 mg of ginger and take it at least four times a day.
Say No to Fatty Foods
Fatty and greasy foods, too many spicy foods or sweet foods, and foods that can cause excessive bloating or flatulence can upset your tummy. Take a good look at the kind of foods that are cause digestive distress. For a few, high protein, carbohydrate-heavy, salty, low-fat foods ( such as nuts, crackers, toast, and cereal) can lead to nausea. Also, sometimes it is important to keep eating and drinking separately. Do not blend both.
Avoid Strong Smells
Always try and avoid environmental triggers or strong smells. Eliminate or stay away from the usual suspects such as cigarette smoke, perfumes, or nauseating smells that may affect you.
For some people cooking in the first trimester can prove to be taxing, so get help from someone who can help you prepare the food. If you have to cook, then open the windows to reduce the odors.
Try An Alternative Therapy Like Aromatherapy
In some cases, women can get help from smelling mint, lemon, or orange to help treat nausea. You can place the cotton ball or tissue infused in scented oil and place them under your nose.
However, it may be a tricky proposition for most, as most women abhor even fruit or other fragrance, especially if it is too strong. You can spray a mild perfume on the cotton ball and keep it near you so that if the smell gets too much, you can get rid of the cotton.
Eat Your Prenatal Vitamins at the Right Time
Sometimes women have to take vitamins during pregnancy, and it may aggravate the condition. Sometimes the iron supplements can cause nausea. Avoid taking prenatal vitamins in the morning and take them right before you hit the bed.
If symptoms persist, you may have to ask your doctor to change the vitamins or have them in different compositions. If you cannot digest the iron, then perhaps you can skip them altogether. Of course, your doctor has the last word on this. In such a case, your doctor will continue to check your iron levels.
Try these hacks and see if you can sail through the first trimester without getting bogged down by morning sickness. Keep your doctor in the loop, who may suggest you proper medication to curb it down if it gets too much.