It is estimated that between 50 to 80% of women suffer from morning sickness. Some may have milder symptoms then others, which could interfere with their ability to work and carry out normal every day activities.
Nausea is the most common symptom of “morning sickness” and is most noticeable in the morning, but can also last throughout the day for many women. Even if there is no nausea, women may develop aversions to certain foods. Morning sickness generally improves by the 13th or 14th week of pregnancy, but some women continue to notice nausea into their second trimester.
Morning sickness can be the toughest part of a woman’s pregnancy, but there are many things a woman can do to control, and/or in many cases completely end morning sickness. A few popular morning sickness remedies are:
1. Avoid greasy fried foods
Fried foods take a lot longer to digest, therefore, they will sit in the stomach longer, which triggers nausea and vomiting. In addition to causing nausea, fried and greasy foods are also known to cause heartburn during pregnancy.
2. Eating small meals throughout the day
Eating smaller meals and not skipping meals, is key to keeping your morning sickness to a minimum. Stick to simple foods such as fruit, vegetable's and chicken soup are easy to digest - drink plenty of water in between meals to prevent dehydration and to make sure your stomach stays full.
3. Consuming Ginger
Ginger is one of the oldest best known morning sickness remedy effective in treating nausea and vomiting. Ginger aids in digestion and seems to work on the intestinal system to block the bowel/brain communication that triggers nausea.
For those who don’t like ginger ale you can take it ass a capsule or use grated ginger in your cooking or grated into cereal. You can also make a pot of herbal tea by putting a little ginger in boiling water and sipping it throughout the day.
4. Acupuncture & Acupressure
Acupuncture is another ancient morning sickness remedy that was practiced mostly by the Chinese medicine men. It involves the application of pressure at precise location found between the two tendons in the middle of the wrist.
One study looked at 88 pregnant women with severe forms of morning sickness. Women received either an anti-nausea drug or twice weekly acupuncture sessions for two weeks, plus acupressure. Both treatments were found to reduce nausea and vomiting intensity. Acupuncture was more effective than the drug in improving psychosocial functioning.
5. Avoid warm environments
Being in warm places and feeling hot can worsen feelings of nausea. Stick to cooler environments, use air conditioning in the summer and take a brisk step outdoors in the winter to help keep the nausea at bay.
6. Speak with you Doctor
Sometimes morning sickness will require medical intervention for a woman to feel relief. There are some motion sickness pills that can help as well as some other medications. Do not take anything without discussing it with a doctor first. Many medications and herbs can have a negative effect on the developing baby or could cause a miscarriage.
