This post was written by Dietician – Rosemary.
One thing that no future mom is looking forward to when she becomes pregnant is the morning sickness. But yet it affects 80% of pregnancies!
It is something that you just can’t take a rain check on. And because you can’t, I am going to give you 10 practical hacks, which you can implement today, to help with your morning sickness.
1. Eat small amounts as often as you can
Eating large amounts of food in one go is just going to make you feel ill. Rather break your meals into smaller portions and eat 6 times a day rather than 3. This will allow your body to still get all the nutrients you need but without that nauseated feeling.
2. Eat ‘neutral’ foods
Try to avoid foods which are hot – try to stick to foods which are at room temperature or cold. Cold foods let off fewer odours. Eat your meals in a well-ventilated area so that food odours can dissipate. Try to avoid foods which have a strong odour to them or that are loaded with spices. Also, very sweet or fatty foods can trigger many to feel queasy.
3. Keep your fluids separate
Keep your meals small and your fluids separate. Do not drink your fluids with your meal. This is just going to overload your stomach. Sip on a small amount of lemony water thought-out the day to make sure you are receiving all your required fluids.
4. Stay sitting
After a meal stay upright and don’t lie down. Lying down will decrease the rate of absorption of the food. If you are having reflux lying down will also worsen it.
5. Don’t skip meals
It is very important that you don’t go for a long period of time without something in your tummy. Snack on crackers, nuts, fruit or yoghurt thought out the day. Try to have well-balanced meals every day. But if you feel unable to eat a whole meal snack on something healthy to keep you going. Skipping meals will cause your blood sugar to plummet, increasing your feeling of nausea.
6. Snack on high protein foods
It has been shown that by making sure you get enough protein you will help decrease your nausea. Snack on high protein foods throughout the day. This can include nuts and seeds, cheese, yoghurt and lean meats.
7. Be kind to yourself
It might sound silly but eat and drink slowly. As well as relax after meals. This will help you digest the food without feeling nauseous. Relaxation techniques can also help with decreasing nausea. Some people even look at wearing an ‘anti-nausea’ wristband to press on that pressure point to help decrease morning sickness.
8. Ginger
Ginger has been shown to lessen morning sickness and nausea in general. You might want to look into having a ginger tea is the morning or trying to fit it into your meals throughout the day. Ginger biscuits and ginger ale normally do not have enough ginger to help reduce nausea. Ask your doctor if there are any capsulated ginger pills which are save for you to take.
9. Eat something before getting out of bed
Getting up out of bed can be the worst thing if you have morning sickness. To avoid this have crackers on your bedside table and have a few of them before you get up out of bed and start your day. This will help to get your blood sugars in place and will put something in your stomach for the day.
10. Look at the supplements you are taking
So we all know how important it is to take your iron and folate supplements when you are pregnant. But could they be increasing your nausea? – Yes, they could be.
Different brands affect different people in different ways. If your current supplements are increasing your nausea then try another brand. Also, take your supplements at night as they are best absorbed then – your body will have a good amount of time to process them.
Different brands affect different people in different ways. If your current supplements are increasing your nausea then try another brand. Also, take your supplements at night as they are best absorbed then – your body will have a good amount of time to process them.
Let me know what other hacks have helped you decrease your morning sickness?
Rosemary is a dietitian who loves everything related to food and nutrition. Want to learn more about nutrition? Visit her website: Slim and Trim Meals.
Hi, I’m Shan. I’m a wife, mom to 3 kids and a businesswoman who works from home and gets very little sleep at night. My days are filled with dirty diapers and toddler tantrums, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything else. I am in the Forbes 30 under 30 list for Forbes Africa 2019 and just recently launched my start-up – MomSays.
Not sure if it’s healthy or not but it’s works like a charm
I chew on minty gum after my meals
I thank god all the time that I never had this with either of my pregnancies. I can’t imagine how rough this is.
These are great tips! I am blessed to say that I did not have morning sickness, but my sister-in-law I had it so bad she had to eat crackers before she could even get up.
OMG, morning sickness just about killed me every time I was pregnant. It was the worst!
Oh my God, where was this post two years ago?! I suffered so badly in my second pregnancy, I wish I had read this then.
I’ve been doing some of these when I am pregnant. These tips are helpful and I’d like to share it.
Ginger helped me. I also had those lollipops that made the morning sickness less crazy.
I used to chew mint gum with my kids. I also ate small meals. Food aversions are a pain too.
I love your preggo belly with the bowl balancing on top. Thats adorable! I also use ginger now on my period and I been reading its great for pregnancy (and even future contraction pain) so good to know for my future pregnancy keep ginger!