Feeling Nauseous? | Tips for Nausea During Pregnancy
Nausea and morning sickness is fairly common during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester. This is mainly due to a fluctuation in your hormone levels, slowed digestion, and other causes.
Regardless of the cause, this nausea and morning sickness is very common and usually not a reason to worry. However, it can be a nuisance for moms-to-be, hindering their daily routine. Here are some ways you can try to help you deal with pregnancy nausea:
Tips For Nausea
Avoid Triggers
Since your body is undergoing a myriad of changes during pregnancy, it’s possible that things you loved and enjoyed before pregnancy might not suit your gut as much.
Watch out for foods that are worsening your nausea, oftentimes it can be dairy products such as cheese or milk, or it can be meat products since they take a longer time to be digested. Talk to your healthcare provider before making any major dietary changes, and try to keep track of the foods that don’t agree with you.
Don’t Lie Down After Eating
Lying down on a full stomach can trigger reflux, which can worsen nausea. Try to avoid eating before bed and instead take your meals early in the evening so you have time to digest them by the time you go to bed.
Staying active after your meals can aid digestion as well! You don’t have to sprint or workout hard, but try taking small walks and try to sit up for at least 2 hours following your meal just to help prevent any reflux or nausea.
Plan Small Snacks Throughout Your Day
During pregnancy, there is a rise in a hormone called progesterone, which is important for the maintenance of a healthy pregnancy. This hormone causes slowing of digestion in your gut.
If you eat too much at once, it will ultimately burden your gut causing nausea and bloating. To avoid this, eat small meals or snacks throughout the day so you can digest them in increments. This will help keep you full throughout the day, avoiding any binge-eating sessions, and will also help your gut digest it all with ease.
Avoid Spicy And Fatty Foods
Spicy and fatty foods are often a cause of nausea triggers during pregnancy. Fatty foods in particular take longer to digest, and since your gut is overall slowed down, it takes even longer during pregnancy, which may cause a feeling of nausea.
Spicy foods can cause heartburn and reflux which may further exacerbate the symptoms of nausea. Avoid these two types of foods when you can, or eat them earlier in the day in limited quantities so you can digest them with ease.
Consider Using Anti-Nausea Wristbands
If your nausea symptoms persist without any obvious triggers, try an anti-motion sickness band like the sea band. These bands work by creating pressure on certain points on your wrist with a tiny plastic knob that helps alleviate symptoms of nausea. They are safe to use during pregnancy!
Ask Your Provider For Safe Medications
If none of the other tricks work and your symptoms keep bothering you, just speak to your healthcare provider and ask them for any pregnancy-safe nausea medications to help with your symptoms. Excessive vomiting can cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, so it’s always best to speak to your healthcare provider to be safe.
There are times where the nausea and the sickness can be more than the normal amount. When this happens, it is classified as hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). If you think your symptoms seem to be severe, talk to your healthcare provider to see what they can do to help you!