| "Just eat a few saltines and you'll be ok".I don't know | | | | condition and need some fresh air. During my |
| about you, but as someone who suffered with | | | | pregnancies, my husband had to switch to unscented |
| prolonged, severe morning sickness (which I | | | | deodorant and soap, otherwise I couldn't hug him!If |
| affectionately call morning noon and night sickness), | | | | cooking smells make you ill, take a break from your |
| when I hear someone say this, I just want to slug | | | | usual garlic and onion specialties. Don't be a martyr. |
| them!If you're suffering with nausea and vomiting of | | | | Hubby will understand that you can't make his favorite |
| pregnancy, you're not alone. Most women experience | | | | sausage and peppers for a while.Prepare meals that |
| it to some degree during their first trimester. If you're | | | | won't stink up the kitchen. Green main dish salads with |
| one of the unfortunate few whose symptoms last | | | | cold, cut up chicken, steak or hard boiled eggs. |
| longer than the typical 6-12 weeks, I empathize. I've had | | | | Sandwiches are good too.5) Try AromatherapyPut a |
| the same experience with all 4 of my pregnancies. I | | | | couple of drops of lavender, mint or lemon essential oil |
| have learned a few things that helped however, and I | | | | (these oils are generally regarded as safe to use |
| hope you can get some relief with these tips.1) Getting | | | | during pregnancy) on cotton balls and keep these in |
| your blood sugar regulated is priority #1.One theory | | | | various locations... the kitchen, bathroom, your purse |
| about why morning sickness is worse in the morning | | | | and in the car. Take a whiff when you feel sick. Put a |
| (and for some women only occurs then) is because | | | | few drops on your |
| when you wake up from sleep, you have low blood | | | | pillow.6) Take it easy- but don't forget exerciseI know, |
| sugar. For some pregnant woman, going 8 hours | | | | I know... exercise is the last thing you want to do when |
| without food is just a bad idea.You might find it helpful | | | | you can hardly get your face out of the toilet! But if |
| to eat a high protein snack | | | | you force yourself to take even a ten minute walk |
| before bed, and even to eat a bite each time you get | | | | outside every day, it WILL help.But do try to take it |
| up in the night to go to the bathroom. (Which in the | | | | easy, avoid stress as much as possible, and rest as |
| beginning may be quite frequent!)Personally, I found | | | | much as you can. You're doing the very important job |
| that what I did first thing in the morning was of | | | | of growing a baby. Explain to your other children why |
| paramount importance and could set the stage for the | | | | you're feeling poorly and that it won't last forever. |
| whole day. I had to eat a few bites of food *while still | | | | Call in favors and ask friends to come over to play |
| lying down*. So I either put some food on a plate | | | | with your 2 year old for an hour so you can sleep, or |
| beside my bed or asked my husband bring me a | | | | ask them to cook extra when they make dinner |
| snack first thing in the morning.Don't jump out of bed. | | | | tonight and bring you a dish.When you feel a bout of |
| Eat your snack slowly and lie still for a few minutes | | | | nausea coming on, try to lay down for a few minutes |
| afterwards. Then slowly get up and immediately go to | | | | in a dark room with your eyes closed. Sometimes if |
| the kitchen and eat another bite. Again, emphasize | | | | you do this the episode will pass.7) Focus on the |
| protein.2) Avoid foods that cause rapid blood sugar | | | | positiveSometimes when you're so miserable it's easy |
| shifts.Fruit juice, sugary snacks, processed cereal (the | | | | to forget what's making you so sick! Remember that |
| kind that comes in a box), anything made with white | | | | statistically, women who experience nausea and |
| flour, etc...these types of foods cause your blood sugar | | | | vomiting of pregnancy are more likely to carry the |
| to rapidly rise then come crashing down, triggering | | | | pregnancy to term.One of my midwives told me that |
| nausea and vomiting. Eat protein foods and whole | | | | she always worries when a Mom comes in for her |
| foods.Meat, cheese, yogurt (be careful here- try plain | | | | first prenatal feeling wonderful...the chances of her |
| yogurt with | | | | miscarrying are higher.So rejoice in your strong |
| frozen berries mixed in. Most yogurt has way too | | | | hormones! Read pregnancy magazines, birth stories on |
| much sugar in it.), eggs, nuts, nut butters, veggies, and | | | | the Internet, look through maternity clothing catalogs, do |
| whole grains should be your staples.Even if eating | | | | whatever you need to do to cheer yourself up and |
| doesn't appeal to you, coaxing yourself to eat a little bit | | | | get yourself in the mood for a new baby.8) More Misc. |
| of a protein food every 2 hours will help prevent | | | | TipsTry eating candied ginger or sipping ginger tea. I |
| vomiting. Don't leave the house without carrying a | | | | found ginger in capsules to be too harsh and they hurt |
| snack with you.3) If drinking water makes you sicker, | | | | terribly if they did come back up.Brewer's yeast |
| try these alternatives.It's very important that you stay | | | | capsules work for some Moms.Try sucking on lemon |
| hydrated. You're going to need extra fluids to support | | | | slices when you're feeling a wave of nausea.Sip mint |
| the pregnancy, but many women find that drinking | | | | tea or chew mint gum to help dry up excessive |
| water makes them more nauseated. Some things to | | | | salivating that may trigger nausea.If you have trouble |
| try:Smoothies made with fruit, ice and plain yogurt or | | | | brushing your teeth due to an overactive |
| kefir. The tangy flavor of these two dairy products | | | | gag reflex, switch to using baking soda for awhile. The |
| really hit the spot for me. They also sneak in some | | | | foaming of regular toothpaste may be too much. And |
| extra protein.Water served VERY cold with a | | | | brush your teeth in shifts if you need to...first the top |
| squeeze of lemon or lime.Carbonated water with a | | | | teeth, then a few minutes later the bottom teeth, then |
| small amount of fruit juice for flavor.Weakly brewed | | | | your tongue, etc.Avoid getting overheated or chilled. |
| iced or hot tea with lemon. The small bit of caffeine | | | | Extremes in temperature can trigger vomiting.Try |
| won't harm your baby. Something about the bitter | | | | Sea-Bands, available at large drug stores. They're |
| tannins in tea may help ease nausea.Citrus fruits and | | | | designed for motion sickness but help some pregnant |
| melons.4) Avoid nausea triggers as much as | | | | women.Go with your cravings, within reason. For some |
| possible.Your nose is on hyperdrive during early | | | | reason, pizza and Taco Bell always hit the spot during |
| pregnancy!Stinky smells like poopy diapers, kitchen | | | | my pregnancies.Clean the toilet daily, even if it's the |
| trash, gasoline fumes and even morning breath may | | | | only household chore you can do right now. Better yet, |
| be impossible to totally avoid, but try your best to avoid | | | | have someone else do it. And wear your hair up for |
| smelly situations.Have someone else take out the | | | | awhile. If you're going to be throwing up, at least you |
| trash. Have hubby change your toddler when he's | | | | will have your hair out of the way and a clean |
| home. It's the least he can do!And don't be shy about | | | | bowl to hug!Carrie Lauth publishes a free newsletter |
| telling someone who has bad breath, noxious perfume | | | | for Moms doing things the natural way. |
| or cigarette smells on them that you're in a delicate | | | | |