present a generally miserable experience.
The exact cause of morning sickness remains unclear and could occur for many reasons. And even though the term is "morning" sickness, nausea sometimes happens all throughout the day. The term is a little deceiving as many women only expect to have it in the morning. Thankfully, morning sickness is usually mild and resolved by mid-pregnancy.
A small percentage of women have a much more severe version of morning sickness called Hyperemesis gravidarum. Unlike morning sickness, this can lead to dehydration and weight loss. Hyperemesis gravidarum does not go away easily and can have negative effects on the mother's health and baby's health1. However, only a minority of women have this version, the overwhelming majority have the 'normal' kind. Luckily, morning sickness can usually be controlled by many different methods and tactics.
Eat meals and snacks slowly and in small amounts every 1-2 hours to avoid a full stomach. Do not let yourself get too hungry or too full.
Some may find that carbohydrate meals like soda crackers and dry toast may help.
Women with nausea should eat before or as soon as they feel hungry to avoid an empty stomach, which can aggravate nausea.
Try to cut out caffeine and spicy or odorous foods. Also avoid those that are high in fat, acidic, or very sweet.
Consider snacks/meals that are protein-dominant, salty, low-fat, bland, and/or dry. Some examples are nuts, pretzels, crackers, cereal, toast.
Fluids tend to be better tolerated if cold, clear, and carbonated or sour (i.e., ginger ale, lemonade, popsicles), and if taken in small amounts between meals.
Consume fluids at least 30 minutes before or after solid food to minimize the effect of a full stomach.
Heat, humidity, noise, and visual or physical motion (i.e., flickering lights, driving) can also act as a trigger2. If you look back at your episodes of morning sickness. You might notice a pattern where one or more of these things may have preceded the morning sickness. If so, try to avoid them.
Using ginger is another possible method for easing the worst of your nausea and vomiting. In fact, many women swear by it.
Ginger has been used for thousands of years as a Chinese traditional medicine for its anti-nausea effect. Just as important, many clinical studies show that it is safe for pregnancy3.
For women considering other herbal remedies that contain ginger, be aware that most complementary and alternative medicines have not been studied for safety. If in doubt, ask your doctor first.
The nice thing about ginger is it is inexpensive and recognized as safe.
Research shows that taking vitamin B6 for morning sickness greatly improves nausea for many pregnant women4. Vitamin B6 (100 mg or less daily) has been shown to ease symptoms of morning sickness. Many healthcare providers recommend trying it first before trying other medicines5.
Vitamin B6 not only helps with nausea but has other benefits during pregnancy. It is thought that vitamin B6 may play a role in reducing preeclampsia and preterm birth6.
Acupuncture (P6 acupuncture) has been shown to be an effective non-medicinal alternative for morning sickness7. Research shows that Nei Guan acupuncture, aka P6-acupuncture, can be useful in treating nausea and vomiting of most causes.
Acupressure (P6 acupressure) is different than acupuncture but works on similar principles. Acupressure is like acupuncture without the needles. A popular (and safe) technique to help ease morning sickness is the use acupressure wristbands. These are bands worn around the wrist that apply pressure to specific points. Often they are used to ease motion sickness. You can find the acupressure bands at most drug stores and health food stores. They don't require a prescription.
Both P6 acupuncture and P6 acupressure are natural remedies with roots in traditional Chinese medicine. Neither method has been shown to be harmful to the baby2. Though they don't require a prescription, it's best to first consult with your doctor, as with all things when pregnant2,8.
As a last resort if all other things fail and the morning sickness refuses to go away, speak to your doctor about prescription medications. Prescription drugs are usually avoided in early pregnancy, but there are a number of safe medications that can ease the worst of your symptoms.
6) Salam RA, Zuberi NJ, Bhutta ZA. Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) supplementation during pregnancy or labour for maternal and neonatal outcomes. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2015 Jun 3;6:CD000179.
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