A woman's body goes through many changes during the first trimester of pregnancy. Among these are changes in human chorionic gonadotropins, also called pregnancy hormones, and increased estrogen production. Hormonal changes accompanied by stretching of the abdominal muscles and an increased sense of smell will cause nausea in 90% of pregnancies. Reduce nausea during pregnancy by identifying and avoiding foods and environmental influences that make your stomach upset.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Controlling Your Diet
Step 1. Eat foods that are known to fight nausea
Some foods that provide the nutrients and calories needed to support pregnancy can also reduce morning sickness. However, don't worry too much if your diet in the early stages of pregnancy isn't as balanced as you'd like it to be. There are many women who can only tolerate a small variety of foods during the first trimester.
- Starch in whole grains and legumes can reduce acid in the digestive tract so that nausea is reduced. Combine complex carbohydrates with lean protein for an energy boost that can improve your condition. Examples of whole grains are whole wheat bread and corn. Examples of legumes are peas and peas. Lean proteins are cuts of meat or poultry that do not include fat, or meat alternatives such as tofu.
- Unsalted crackers will soothe your stomach when you feel like throwing up.
Step 2. Include fresh ginger in food and drink
Fresh ginger is an alternative treatment for all types of nausea, and is safe for pregnant women to consume. Grate the ginger and sprinkle it in tea or sparkling water. You can also make gingerbread cookies. Packaged ginger drinks or ginger candy can also help, but read the label to make sure the product is made from natural ginger, not artificial flavours.
Step 3. Eat little, but often
Frequent small meals and prepared snacks can help reduce nausea. Overeating or until you are full, but infrequently, will increase nausea right after eating.
- Hunger can trigger nausea, so try to start eating before you feel hungry or as soon as you feel the urge to eat.
- Don't overeat. Eat until you're full, then wait for the urge to eat again before continuing.
Step 4. Avoid foods that trigger nausea
The types of foods that trigger nausea are not the same from person to person and can even change throughout pregnancy. So, you need to monitor the types of foods that cause nausea throughout pregnancy, and avoid them.
- Foods to avoid are fatty foods, spicy foods, foods with strong aromas, and foods with unappealing textures. The foods you liked before you got pregnant may not be appetizing in the early days of your pregnancy, and you should avoid foods that already cause nausea even if you just think about it or smell it.
- Do not drink alcohol at all while pregnant. In addition to causing the risk of fetal birth defects, alcohol also exacerbates nausea.
Step 5. Drink lots of water
Doctors recommend pregnant women to drink at least 1.5 liters of water to keep the body hydrated and prevent vomiting.
- If the food isn't usually appetizing, drink a little water throughout the day. Sparkling water may be more soothing to the stomach than plain water.
- Make sure you don't drink water early in the morning when you wake up. Have a salty snack at your bedside and snack first, then wait at least 30 minutes after getting up for a drink.
Step 6. Take prenatal vitamins with food and water
The nutrients in vitamins can overload the digestive system and make nausea worse, so make sure you eat before taking your vitamins and drink plenty of water before, with and after your vitamins.
- If prenatal vitamins combined with food are still bothering you, talk to your doctor about replacing them with less potent vitamins until the nausea subsides.
- Some prenatal vitamins contain extra vitamin B6 to fight nausea.
Step 7. Add sources of vitamin B6 in your diet
Vitamin B6 can help control nausea. Try eating foods rich in vitamin B6, such as chicken breast, beef, chickpeas, potatoes, and bananas. You can also talk to your doctor about vitamin B6 supplements, a dose of 100 mg twice daily should help beat nausea.
- Vitamin B6 supplements can be combined with tablet of Unisom (doxylamine). This combination is almost equivalent to Diclegis which is an FDA-approved drug for nausea for pregnant women.
- Do not use doxylamine if you are still breastfeeding another baby.
Method 2 of 3: Controlling the Environment
Step 1. Adjust your environment so that nausea triggers no longer exist
Whenever you can control it, avoid perfumes, scented candles, and household cleaners that seem to cause nausea. Other environmental factors that may need to be adjusted as well are room temperature and lighting.
Step 2. Get plenty of sleep
Get at least eight hours of sleep per night and rest whenever you feel tired. If your body is weakened by fatigue, you are more likely to feel nauseous.
Step 3. Avoid stress
Stress increases the amount of acid in the stomach, which in turn can cause nausea. Take time out of your schedule for relaxation and avoid stress whenever possible. This can help relieve nausea.
- If your nausea is very severe, you may want to take some time off from work. This will reduce your overall stress level and at the same time recover from exhausting bouts of nausea.
- There are several tactics that can help reduce stress, including prenatal yoga, meditation, aromatherapy, or a warm bath.
- Read the article Reducing Stress for more complete ways on how to reduce stress.
Step 4. Get some fresh air
Breathing fresh air can help reduce nausea and is beneficial for the health and development of the baby. So, make sure you breathe plenty of fresh air during pregnancy.
Avoid secondhand smoke and never smoke. Smoking can trigger nausea and also cause birth defects in the fetus
Step 5. Make sure your house is clean
Hire someone to clean the house or ask friends to help you clean the house. Since smells, sights, and other environmental factors have been shown to trigger or reduce nausea, it's important to keep your frequently used space neat and clean.
If you have a cat, never try to clean the litter box if you are pregnant because you may catch toxoplasmosis and pass it on to the unborn child
Method 3 of 3: Using Alternative Treatments
Step 1. Understand the limitations of alternative treatments
Some home remedies, traditional remedies, and alternative treatments that are said to reduce nausea during pregnancy have not been proven effective by medical science, while there are also some that are only supported by unreliable evidence. However, the claims of women who are nauseous during pregnancy suggest that certain alternative therapies can reduce nausea and are therefore worth considering.
Step 2. Try acupressure
Acupressure, which is a method of applying pressure to specific points on the body to help increase blood flow, has been shown to be effective in treating nausea. Acupressure bracelets can be used to treat nausea caused by pregnancy. Acupressure bracelets can be purchased without a prescription at many pharmacies and drug stores.
Step 3. Try acupuncture therapy
Acupuncture is performed by inserting very thin metal needles into pressure points in various parts of the body. Some women find this therapy to help them deal with nausea during pregnancy.
If you want to give it a try, make sure you find a trusted acupuncturist with good recommendations
Step 4. Undergo hypnosis
Although there is no scientific research to support this therapy, some women claim that hypnosis therapy helps reduce nausea during pregnancy. Hypnosis attempts to change current feelings or behavior patterns with suggestions on a subconscious level.
Step 5. Use aromatherapy
Although scented candles, scented oils, and fragrance-based products have been shown to induce nausea, some women claim that smelling the right scent can actually reduce the effects of nausea during pregnancy. If you want to use aromatherapy to treat nausea from pregnancy, you may have to experiment first until you find the right scent and scent.
Lemon essential oil has been shown to reduce nausea during pregnancy
Step 6. Do yoga
As a meditative form of stretching, yoga can help reduce nausea because it reduces stress. Some positions that help relieve nausea are:
- Modified reclining hero pose
- Cross-legged pose, body bent forward
- Reverse pose
