10 Ways to Cope with Morning Sickness Contact us: Miami Obstetrics and Gynecology (305) 270-2331 appointment@miami-obgyn.com | http://www.miami-obgyn.com

Pregnancy side effect: Morning Sickness Morning sickness is the common name for the nausea that hits in early pregnancy and can happen at any time of the day. These 12-14 weeks of unpleasant nausea and vomiting can turn normally-routine tasks into challenging activities. We’ve compiled a list of 10 main ways that our patients have successfully combatted morning sickness.

1. Eat small amounts, often Some women find that their nausea is triggered by hunger, even if you don’t feel it, you need to eat a bit more in order to support the growing baby. Try eating small amounts of food throughout the day to keep your morning sickness at bay. Even eating at night is not off-limits; in fact, it may help stabilize your blood sugar, which can then help you feel better in the morning.

2. Drink healthy fluids Lack of fluid intake can sometimes lead to nausea, which will only make your morning sickness worse. In general, staying hydrated is extremely important during pregnancy.

3. Eat before you get out of bed in the morning Keep a stash of crackers near your bed so you can munch on something before you get up. This helps ease morning nausea for some women.

4. Raw ginger Studies have shown that ingesting ginger can successfully ward off morning sickness. If you don’t like the taste of ginger, try adding it to tea, spreading ground ginger on a cracker with honey, sucking on the candied version, or capsules.

5. Vitamin B6 Some women find relief from morning sickness by taking a Vitamin B6 supplement – but be careful not to take more than 25 mg per day.

6. Be selective about your foods Every woman has different foods that work for her. Some find that crackers and toast are the only things that will stay down. Others find that avoiding fatty or spicy foods help ease their morning sickness. Others say that yogurt helps calm their stomachs. Find out which foods work best for you, and stick with those as much as you can.

7. Avoid computer use as much as possible We’re all so used to looking at our computers and smartphones that we don’t realize that it’s actually not so easy on our eyes. Some women find that the less they look at their computers, the more under-control their nausea is. If you work in front of a computer, try making the fonts bold and larger and changing the background to a soft tan or pink to reduce eye strain.

8. Keep a morning sickness log By keeping track of when nausea rears its ugly head, you may be able to identify certain triggers – i.e.., a certain smell, a certain time of day, etc. Once you identify the triggers, you can do your best to avoid them or minimize them.

9. Lemon Some women report that simply smelling a fresh lemon reduces their nausea. So, carry a few slices of fresh lemon with you – you will not only be prepared to make tea, but you will also be prepared to chase nausea away.

10. Medication If all else fails, there is no shame is asking your doctor about taking medication to combat nausea. Today there are a number of options available, all of which are safe for babies. The better you feel, the happier you’ll be – and that’s good for both you and baby. One last thing, Hyperemesis Gravidarum is NOT Regular Morning Sickness. So if you experience severe nausea or vomiting get to your doctor immediately.

10 Ways to Cope with Morning Sickness Contact us: Miami Obstetrics and Gynecology (305) 270-2331 appointment@miami-obgyn.com | http://www.miami-obgyn.com