The 10 Best Morning Sickness Remedies
Morning sickness or nausea and vomiting of pregnancy is a spectrum of illness that is experienced differently by everyone, ranging from no symptoms at all to hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). Hyperemesis Gravidarum – literally ‘excessive vomiting of pregnant women’ – is not to be understated – it is a severe disease frequently requiring hospitalisation. Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy is often dismissed as normal, however it can be debilitating for some women. Constant nausea can stop you from enjoying your pregnancy and leave you wondering when that famous ‘pregnancy glow’ will kick in. Morning sickness might be a common symptom of early pregnancy, but that doesn’t mean you need to put up with it!
If you’re struggling with morning sickness, you’re probably desperate to find something to make you feel better. We’ve compiled the 10 best survival tips to get you through:
1. Rest, rest, rest
Morning sickness can be triggered or heightened by being tired. Sleeping more or just resting can help your body recover, or decrease the likelihood of the nausea being triggered. (We know this is wishful thinking if you already have children at home!).
2. Watch what you eat
Strong smells or rich food can be a trigger for morning sickness. Food triggers can be different for everyone. Some of the most common include coffee; spicy food; overly sweet or fatty foods; or, oddly, fruit and vegetables. Try eating dry snacks that are easy to get down, like crackers, toast, nuts and smaller bland snacks more frequently. If you’re worried you’re not getting your daily dose of greens, try having a green smoothie.
3. Vitamin B6
According to the Australian Therapeutic Guidelines, and backed by evidence, Vitamin B6 is the first-line treatment for morning sickness and is an effective vitamin for reducing the frequency and intensity of nausea, vomiting and dry-retching caused by pregnancy. How and why it works is a bit of a mystery, but plenty of women have found Vitamin B6 the difference between thriving and being swamped.
4. Ginger
Ginger is commonly known to be a natural remedy for tackling nausea generally, but it is also shown in studies to be effective in reducing the frequency of vomiting and nausea in pregnancy. The trick is finding a form of ginger that sits well with a sick tummy, fresh ginger works, but can be overpowering and hard to get the optimal dose.
5. Avoid certain vitamins
If you’re taking a pregnancy multivitamin take note of the ingredients, many contain ingredients like iron or fish oils which can cause nausea, there’s several options out there designed with this in mind and only contain essential vitamins for your babies development.
6. Stay hydrated
Being dehydrated can contribute to nausea, and pregnancy sickness can lead to a loss of water and salts in the body, upsetting the balance between the two; electrolytes help to restore the balance and may give you a bounce back in your step. It’s important to avoid getting dehydrated by sipping small amounts of fluid frequently. For many women the taste of plain water can make nausea worse, try soda water or adding a squeeze of lemon.
7. Sip with care
Smells are often triggers for nausea. A pro tip is to drink through a straw, or by using a pop top bottle – then your nose won’t get a chance to trip you up.
8. Try Morning Wellness
Wouldn’t it be great if there was a remedy that combined all of the above? Well Mothers Health has heard you and developed a drink that does just that – Morning Wellness is a brand new morning sickness product specifically for mums-to-be that contains active Vitamin B6, and electrolytes. Morning Wellness PLUS has Vitamins B6, electrolytes plus 400mg of Ginger to really stamp out morning sickness.
The innovative sachets improve the experience of pregnancy for women by providing relief from pregnancy nausea, anytime of day. Designed for mamas-to-be; they contain no preservatives, artificial sweeteners, or artificial colours nor flavours and they’re perfect for sensitive tummies and pregnancy taste buds.
9. Support
The mental health of our mamas-to-be is of number one importance. Seek support from partners, family and friends to help you. There’s also support available from your GP, midwives, mums groups and MotherSafe which is a free service for counseling and advice on managing nausea and vomiting in pregnancy 1800 647 848.
10. Hang in there!
Remember this is temporary. For some, pregnancy nausea can last the whole pregnancy, however this is a small portion of women; for most morning sickness is in the first trimester and lasts several weeks, most commonly between 6 – 14 weeks. While it is commonly known as ‘morning’ sickness, for many women it can hit anytime of day or night.
If nausea or vomiting is causing significant discomfort, or you are concerned about your symptoms you should see your doctor.
Give your body a break and get back to enjoying your pregnancy, try Morning Wellness or Morning Wellness PLUS today. Available to purchase online by visiting mothershealth.com.au.
Always read the label. Follow directions for use. Vitamin supplements are not a substitute for a balanced diet.
