Pregnancy nausea (aka morning sickness) is one of the earliest signs of pregnancy and affects around 65% of pregnant people.
But what exactly is pregnancy nausea, anyway? Why do we have to suffer?! Well, it’s mainly a reaction to the high level of hCG hormones that quickly rise during the first few weeks of pregnancy. As you know, pregnancy varies from woman to woman - for some, pregnancy nausea gets better after the first 12 weeks, for others, it goes well into the second and even third trimester.
And in case you’re wondering why we’re calling it pregnancy nausea rather than ‘morning sickness’, you might want to take a look at our #RenamingRevolution. We’re on a mission to redefine the outdated terminology women face throughout fertility and motherhood, including ‘morning sickness’. Because we all know it doesn’t just occur in the morning.
Anyway, here are 13 tips from real mamas to help you through those spells of sickness.
➡️ Related: 13 Pieces of Advice That New Moms Need to Hear
How to combat pregnancy nausea
1. “Ginger, ginger and more ginger… Try ginger biscuits, ginger tea, ginger gum, ginger ale, ginger tablets. It helped me so much.” - Shelby
2. “Carbs to soothe your stomach! I literally lived off of carbs during pregnancy because they helped my morning sickness so much.” - Anna
3. “Switch your prenatal vitamins. These might be making your nausea worse. I switched from pills to gummies and it helped a lot. Or try another brand if that doesn’t work!” - Becky
4. “Eat right before you go to sleep. And right before you get out of bed in the morning. Even if that sounds counterintuitive, it helps!” - Asia
5. “Snack on plain foods. Like crackers and rice cakes: teddy grahams, oyster crackers, saltines - all of these do the job of getting rid of some of the acid in your stomach.” - Jen
6. “Anti-nausea tablets from your doctor. From week 9 to 16 I took a prescription from my doctor because I was getting so dehydrated and couldn’t keep any food down. They were a game-changer!” - Holly
7. “Drink lemongrass or chamomile tea. Whenever I start feeling queasy or nauseous, I drink chamomile tea and it appeases my stomach.” - Emma
8. “Eat every three hours in small amounts. It definitely helps to eat what you actually crave and in small amounts. Little and often = the key to keeping things down and digesting.” - Steffany
9. “Sip cold water as soon as you’re out of bed. The water keeps you hydrated! Oh, and brush your teeth asap too, it really helped me ward off any sickness.” - Rachel
10. “Wear acupressure bracelets. Yes, those same bracelets that people wear while on a boat or in the car with motion sickness work for morning sickness too!” - Jamie
11. “Lie down and breathe!. Although this might seem obvious, sometimes you’ve got to actively remind yourself to relax. Stop what you’re doing and take some big deep breaths.” - Jacelyn
12. “Keep a fan nearby to keep you cool. I brought my mini fan to work and kept it on my desk all day, every day.” - Sai
13. “Walk it out! Go outside for a walk - preferably in a park or somewhere that’s not too busy or loud, away from the intensity of everyday life. Fresh air can do the trick!” - Rina
Want more from where that came from?! Join Peanut to connect with other mamas-to-be.
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