Many pregnant woman suffer from nausea during the first semester of their pregnancy, but it can last throughout the pregnancy as well. Feeling nauseated in certainly uncomfortable, therefore these tips for nausea in pregnancy will come helpful. Let’s have a closer look at how to ease nausea while pregnant.
Causes of nausea in pregnancy
No one is sure exactly what causes the nausea during pregnancy, but experts believe that high levels of hormones may contribute to it. It often starts around the sixth week of pregnancy, but some women experience it earlier than that. It usually ends around the end of the first trimester, or at about 12 weeks, but can continue for longer or even throughout the pregnancy.
Nausea and vomiting usually isn’t harmful for the mother or her baby because in most cases, the woman is able to eat something during the day and keep it down. This is enough to provide nutrients to the baby so growth is normal. With severe cases of vomiting, in which the woman is unable to eat for days at a time, she should consult her doctor for treatment to ensure the baby stays healthy and that she’s not dehydrated.
Here are a few things pregnant woman can do to ease nausea during pregnancy.
8 Tips to ease nausea while pregnant
Here are some tips from the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada to help with pregnancy nausea:
- In the morning when you wake up, eat a few crackers and stay in bed for a few more minutes.
- Eat smaller meals and snacks throughout the day, so you are never really hungry or very full. This also helps if you’re suffering from heartburn.
- Drink throughout the day in small amounts, and don’t drink too much with meals.
- If odours bother you, open the windows while cooking or, even better, have someone else cook. Also, eating cold food rather than hot can help, since there is less of a smell to cold food.
- Try sniffing ginger or lemons, or eating some salty snacks.
- Get plenty of rest, but don’t sleep right after a meal. Being overtired plays a larger role in nausea than most people realize.
- Try taking prenatal vitamins with food, and if this doesn’t help, at night. That way if they contribute to your nausea, you can usually sleep through the feeling. If this still doesn’t work, simply take folic acid instead of a prenatal multivitamin.
- Consider taking vitamin B6 or ginger capsules. Both have been shown to reduce nausea. If you don’t want to take capsules, consider chewing on crystallized ginger or trying ginger candies.
Although nausea during pregnancy can be stressful and annoying, if you have a mild case, it doesn’t have to be debilitating. Trying these simple tips can reduce or even eliminate your symptoms of nausea, so instead of worrying about what might make you sick, you can focus on nourishing your body and your baby.
