Most women regard morning sickness as the most unpleasant aspect of pregnancy. Many expectant mothers have terrible nausea and vomiting at any time of day, not just in the morning. It has the potential to make you unhappy and, if severe enough, can disrupt your day-to-day activities. However, it usually goes away by week 16 to 20 of your pregnancy and poses no harm to your baby. It also doesn’t require any medical attention, but some remedies may help relieve it.
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If you encounter this morning sickness during your pregnancy, here are some tips to help you relieve it.
Drink More Water
If you have morning sickness and vomit a lot, it can lead to dehydration. Hence, it’s crucial to stay hydrated and drink non-caffeinated drinks at all times. Ginger ale, water, and electrolyte drinks are excellent choices for you to drink throughout the day. Although ginger ale isn’t as beneficial for hydration as normal water, it still contributes toward water intake. Thanks to fizz and ginger, it can also help settle your uneasy stomach.
For drinks, you are suggested to consume at least eight glasses of water each day. Nevertheless, drink it slowly throughout the day rather than gulping it down all at once. This is because drinking a lot of liquid might make you feel bloated, nauseous, and even throw up.
Eat Smaller and Frequent Meals
It is normal for us to eat three meals a day, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner. However, things are a little bit different with pregnant mothers. It would be best to start eating smaller, but frequent meals rather than the three meals per day that you used to. You can stabilise the blood sugar levels by eating 5 or 6 (or more) modest meals per day. It will also prevent you from becoming overly hungry or overly full, both of which can aggravate morning sickness.
One small meal for brunch (between breakfast and lunch) and another for tea time (between lunch and dinner) are the simplest methods to begin eating regularly. If you’re still hungry at the end of the day, try having some light snacks after dinner.
Get Additional Supplements
There are many vitamins and supplements on the market that claims to help with various types of nausea, including morning sickness. The efficacy of these medicines varies from one individual to the next and is dependent on the ingredients employed. Many of these products contain vitamin B6 as a significant element. Meanwhile, ginger and mint are two more substances typically seen in morning sickness cure remedies.
However, try to consult your healthcare professional before selecting any vitamin or medicine into your daily routine. If your morning sickness can get intense, your doctor may prescribe some medication that can help to alleviate it.
Avoid Uncooked Meat
You could find listeria from food such as undercooked or raw meat, which can cause listeria infection that won’t be good for you and the baby. Regarding the fridge and freezer storage, you can avoid listeriosis by maintaining the fridge temperature at 40° F (4° C) or below and the freezer temperature at 0° F (-18° C). Meals that have been left out at room temperature for more than two hours must also be discarded. If the temperature is above 90° F (32° C), discard the food after one hour. Also, when it comes to whole meat cuts, be sure they’re fully cooked before eating.
Get More Fresh Air
Morning sickness relating to nausea can sometimes be relieved by taking a deep breath of fresh air. If you have an unsettled stomach, it can be relieved just by opening the windows or turning on your air purifier. You can also try to get outside and breathe in the fresh air. Try to walk around the area, but avoid areas with harmful pollution. Stagnant air inside your home can be unpleasant, so allowing fresh air in might help you relax.
Avoid Strong Smells
When you’re pregnant, you will expect major changes to your body. However, your sensitivity towards odours changes as well. Avoiding environmental triggers, particularly strong smells, is one of the things you can do. Hormonal fluctuations associated with pregnancy can even turn once-pleasant odours into nausea triggers that are unpleasant or sometimes unbearable. Hence, it’s best to stay far away from cigarette smoke, fragrances, and anything else that may have an impact on you.
Get a Lot of Rest
Getting a good night’s sleep for pregnant mothers is crucial. Taking a nap during the day may also be beneficial, but not immediately after a meal, as this may worsen nausea. Wearing a sleeping mask or using blackout curtains to block out as much light as possible may be helpful for those who have trouble falling asleep.
It’s also good to have a maternity body cushion that may aid your back and abdomen as your body changes its form over time. These habits can be much of help toward keeping you and your baby healthy while also reducing nausea.