I was (I’m) lucky in my pregnancies to never suffer any of the common ailments of late pregnancy, to have had straightforward births and to have recovered relatively quickly postpartum.
However, morning sickness got me every single time, and it was a doozy. From about 5 or 6 weeks into the pregnancy to the 12 or 14-week mark, I felt what I can only describe (and believe me, I’ve TRIED several times to describe it to my husband to give him a sense of how it feels!) as a combination of motion sickness and a bad hangover. Blehh!
In my first pregnancy with David, the pregnancy sickness set in straight away. At first, I thought I had the flu – I felt nauseous and dizzy and tired ALL DAY LONG (wasn’t ‘morning sickness’ only something you felt in the morning?). Even typing about it now makes me recall the feeling. Bleh again!
The same happened now, with my 3rd pregnancy when I found myself HAVING an afternoon nap (I’m not a person who takes nap normally), every single day and I would sleep for 1 to 2 hours (!) every day in these first weeks of my pregnancy. Otherwise, I would not be able to go through the afternoon, I felt so much tired.
Apparently, morning sickness (or nausea) affects two-thirds of pregnant women. While there is not much you can do to stop it, on the next pages are a few things that helped me get through it:
1.TIPS ON BATTLING MORNING SICKNESS:
Eat smaller meals more regularly. Don’t let yourself get too hungry or too full.
Don’t wait too long to eat in the morning and avoid drinking tea or coffee on an empty stomach.
Try to eat protein and fat-rich foods like nuts, avocados, cheeses, etc. If these foods don’t appeal, try just a little on crackers or corn chips.
Drink lots of water and don’t wait until you’re thirsty. Get into the habit of drinking water throughout the day. I craved ice cold water and fresh juice.
Indulge your cravings. I never really liked pickled cucumbers (a typical polish food), until I became pregnant with David and now with my 3rd pregnancy, I craved it! I suddenly found myself drawn to the supermarket to find some more pickles for dinner! If there’s something you’re craving just go for it (it’s better than eating nothing at all). I also observed, that in the second trimester my cravings for sour food stopped and I enjoy the sweets more.
2.TIPS ON BATTLING MORNING SICKNESS:
Encourage others to cook for you. I found food tasted better if I didn’t cook it myself. I had a hard time smelling spices and herbs – even garlic with olive oil – which made it tricky to cook. If this isn’t possible, perhaps try preparing your food at the times of the day when you feel best. Don’t wait until dinner time when you might be more prone to feel sick and tired.
Vitamin B6 is known to help relieve nausea and vomiting. Ask at your local health food store for a supplement. I have no idea if it actually helped me, but I liked knowing I was taking something to help!
Eat ginger. Dried ginger, ginger tea, ginger beer, ginger cookies. Even powdered ginger in capsule form can be helpful.
Know that morning sickness is a sign of a healthy pregnancy. As the first 12 weeks can be a time of uncertainty in pregnancy, I found it reassuring (albeit annoying) to feel the symptoms of morning sickness.
Also, it’s a helpful reminder to take it easy, drink more and eat more regularly – all good habits to start from the beginning.
I found that the ginger & lemon drink (or some variation of it) has been our go-to cold and sickness remedy. I usually pour ½ cup of the lemon/ginger mixture into a cup and then fill the rest up with cold, sparkling water. It helped me a lot with my pregnancy sickness!
I would love to hear what are your remedies for nausea in pregnancy?
I will be back with some other recourses and tips very soon.
Till then, all the best!
Joanna
Ps. Please, always remember that I am not a doctor, dietician, or specialist in pregnancy. All my suggestions come from my own experience, the specialists I’ve visited, and my interests in the subject. If you have any health problems, keep in mind to contact your doctor first!
