Nausea in Pregnancy
In the first months of a pregnancy (first trimester) ca. 80% of women suffer from nausea the so called« morning sickness ». Half of the women have to vomit. Luckily it is rare that vomiting and nausea are so severe that it is impossible to stay hydrated; only 1% of women suffer from «hyperemesis gravidarum» and need medical help.
To combat the typical nausea in pregnancy see here some recommendations: It is better to eat more frequent meals with smaller portions instead of three big meals per day. It might help to eat something like salty crackers or nuts in bed in the morning before you get up. Drink lots of still water but reduce your intake of caffeine by drinking less or no coffee and tea. Sometimes the only thing you can stomach are carbohydrates. Do not feel bad about this! Eat what feels good! It can be beneficial to start your day with some proteins (eggs, protein shakes ..). Proteins will balance the blood sugar levels throughout the day; this can prevent nausea! In general, cold foods are sometimes more tolerable especially if you are sensitive to strong smells – try to eat yoghurt, frozen berries or popsicles and drink chilled beverages.
It might be easy to make yourself a smoothie with fruits/vegetables; a great way to get more vitamins into your system. You could even put your vitamin supplements in the drink! For further recommendations and recipe suggestions check out «Real Food in Pregnancy » by Lily Nichols.
A well-known, natural remedy for nausea is ginger. Consume it in the form of tea, candied or tablets (« Zintona »). The latter can be bought at the pharmacy.
Alternatively, you might want to try acupuncture/acupressure or aromatherapy with lavender or peppermint oil.
If all else fails of course there are different medications that can reduce nausea or vomiting!
It might also be reassuring to know that in approximately 60% of women nausea and vomiting will resolve by the end of the first trimester. Only 9 % of women experience it past 20 weeks.
Please make an appointment to discuss any further details with us!
