After waking up nauseous a few mornings in a row, I took a pregnancy test. The first one said I was not pregnant. But the sickness continued. The second one also said I wasn't pregnant. Nevertheless, my morning sickness became undeniable. Finally the third pregnancy test showed me what I expected, I was pregnant. The exciting news made me vomit.
I am currently about 12 weeks (I think) and I have been terribly sick. I wasn't sick with my son, who I had three years ago, but this time around everything is different. I am sick all the time. For a while I was throwing up constantly, but lately I have found ways to keep it under control.
Here are my natural morning sickness tips:
1. Never get hungry
This is by far the most important thing I have found and at the same time the hardest thing to accomplish when you are feeling sick and/or throwing up! As soon as your stomach is empty, all that stomach acid and all those hormones make you vomit. And once you start to vomit, you can not fill your tummy back up! It is a vicious cycle. Keep snacks in your purse, in your car, and in your pocket. Frequent small meals will be much easier to manage, rather than three big meals a day. What you eat is up to you. Most women find simple foods easier. But I found that I could not live off of salines and plain noodles alone. It is important to put vitamins, minerals, and potiens in your body as well. Experiement, listen to your body, and eat what your body craves.
2. Wear acupressure wrist bands and dowsed in peppermint essential oil
You can buy these wrist bands online or at some drug stores (Walgreens has them). Mine were from the company "Sea Band" and they were about $10. They are simple and easy to wear. They stimulate the Nei Kuan points on your wrists. Though I found them helpful, the peppermint oil I dowsed them with was essential! The world is full of awful smells and pregnant women have a heightened sense of smell. So if you have wrist bands handy that smell like peppermint, anytime you smell something that makes you want to gag, smell your wrist. If you can't stand the smell of peppermint, try the same method with a smell you enjoy more.
3. Drink lemon water
Lemons are alkalizing, so lemon water helps neutralize the acid in your stomach. I would suggest more than just a slice or two of lemon but rather a quarter of the fruit or more. Take only small sips of water, even if your thirsty. But drink as much as you can, dehydration is the most dangerous symptom of morning sickness!
4. Increase protein
Saltines are great if you can't keep anything else down, but your baby needs protein! Of course meat is a good source of protien unless you are a vegetairian. Personally, meat makes me feel extra sick when I'm pregnant. Yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu, and eggs (not fried, grease is hard to digest) are all really great sources of protein! Baked tofu sticks are awesome, vegan, and easy to eat cold anytime. Peanut (or almond) butter balls make an amazing snack too. (Check out my baked tofu recipe here or my peanut butter ball recipe here.) Also, hard boiled eggs are great anytime. Yogurt or cottage cheese is easy to eat when you are feeling awful; however, DO NOT drink lemon water while eating dairy. Lemons and dairy products don't mix well, so drink milk while eating yogurt or cottage cheese. Proient powder can be added to your milk to make it even better for you. I find some potien powders to be gross. My favorite is Spiru-tien because it tastes great and is full of everything the body needs. It can be found at some healthfood stores or online, but it is not cheap. If you try it, don't mix it with a spoon or shake it into the milk, use a blender; otherwise, you will get clumps.
5. Chew or suck on something strong
Peppermint gum and ginger chews is what I used. Many moms use jolly ranchers or those pregnancy pops, but use what you like. The idea is to keep a nice taste and smell in your head. Don't try to subsitute this for food but rather keep something in your mouth between meals, especially while driving or dealing with smells.
I could go on and on. There are alot of remedies out there that work fairly well for many women. But honesty, I find too much information overwhelming; therefore, I am keeping it simple by sticking to my top five tips. Good Luck!
