How to Prevent Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy

Ten Tips for Morning Sickness in Early Pregnancy and Beyond

Morning sickness can occur morning, noon, evening, and night, causing women digestive misery when they need to be eating for two. Morning sickness seems to be the body's way of protecting the baby from mutagenic agents that may appear in food. Especially during the first three months of pregnancy, the developing embryo is especially at risk to DNA damage from food-borne chemicals.

Some naturally occurring chemicals, present even in organic food, can cause damage to the embryo's DNA. These include vitamin A (in megadoses). Cream, butter, liver, and cod liver oil are all very high in vitamin A and very likely to trigger morning sickness.

Toxins released by molds on food can also damage the baby, by acting as anti-vitamins. Molds on rice, corn, and potatoes have been linked to specific kinds of birth defects. These molds are rare in modern food, but a woman's body may be very protective of the unborn baby and very sensitive to foods that otherwise would seem to be settling for upset stomach.

There are also some foods that counteract harmful chemicals in food. Vinegar, for example, slows the passage of food through the digestive tract so that any toxic food substances are more likely to be destroyed by stomach acid before they can pass into the bloodstream. Many pregnant women get strange cravings for pickles. The auraptin in orange juice detoxifies a group of industrial chemicals known as the TCDD's. Many pregnant women get cravings for orange juice. These cravings and aversions are probably just a biological response that protects the developing embryo.

Up to 91% of pregnant women, experts tell us, experience mild nausea, especially during the first 6 to 8 weeks of pregnancy. Up to 55% of women experience vomiting during the first trimester of pregnancy. Women in their teens, women in their first pregnancy, women who smoke, and women who are overweight or obese are more susceptible to morning sickness. Carrying twins or triplets increases morning sickness. Usually the effects of morning sickness are less severe in the second and subsequent pregnancies.

About 2 to 3% of women experience a much more severe phenomenon called hyperemesis gravidarum. Emesis refers to vomiting, and gravidas refers to pregnancy. Hyperemesis gravidarum is a condition of vomiting during early pregnancy that causes women to lose weight, rather than gaining it, along with disturbances in electrolytes. Women who have hyperemesis gravidarum may have swollen ankles, overactive (rather than underactive) thyroid, abdominal pain, excessive salivation (ptyalism), and ketones in their urine as their bodies burn fat. The primary symptom of hyperemesis gravidarum is vomiting that just won't stop.

Hyperemesis gravidarum is something a doctor has to treat. Morning sickness, in contrast, is a condition most women can treat on their own.

Ten Tips for Treating Morning Sickness

The best thing about morning sickness is that it usually goes away on its own after 3 to 4 months. In the meantime, here are ten things women can do to make their symptoms more bearable.

1. Eat just a little high-carbohydrate food first thing in the morning, even before you get out of bed. This should be food that has neutral flavors and no aroma. You don't want to have the memory of eating a favorite food followed by an attack of nausea or vomiting. As little as 10 grams (1/2 an ounce) of a bland, high-carb food may be enough.
2. On the same theme, try to avoid favorite foods during early pregnancy. You will enjoy them a lot more after pregnancy if they are not associated with morning sickness.
3. Avoid large meals. Snacks throughout the day are better. Drink fluids throughout the day to avoid dehydration and to keep electrolytes at normal levels.
4. Eat nutritionally dense foods, rich in protein, healthy fats, minerals, and vitamins, such as meat, cheese, nuts, soy, and beans, rather than chips, candy bars, and hot dogs. If you can only keep a limited amount of food down so that it is digested, it is better that you eat small amounts of healthy food rather than large amounts of junk food.
5. If vomiting is a problem, consume ginger whenever possible. Ginger snaps, ginger ale, pressed ginger in fruit juice, and ginger supplements will all help relieve both vomiting and nausea, although ginger is more effective against vomiting than nausea.
6. If nausea is a problem, take 30 mg of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) every day. Vitamin B6 will relieve both nausea and vomiting, but it is more effective against nausea than against vomiting. There is no problem with taking both ginger and vitamin B6, since both are GRAS (generally recognized as safe).
7. Acupressure can stop nausea. The acupressure point to stimulate is called the Inner Gate or Neiguan point. You can find this point by sitting down at a table and laying your hand out flat in front of you, palm side up. Measure three index finger lengths up from the crease of your wrist and gently massage the center of your wrist. This point is used to relieve any kind of upset or fullness in the pelvis (do not massage your abdomen itself!). It usually takes about two minutes to get relief. Acupressure bands you wear on your wrist will also work as long as they do not slip to the wrong side of your wrist. Just wearing a traditional watch band or bracelet may also help.
8. Vitamin C (in small doses, under 100 mg a day) and vitamin K (in large doses, 2 to 5 mg a day) sometimes help nausea and vomiting. Don't take vitamin K if you are on any kind of treatment for blood clotting factors, and let your doctor know you are taking these supplements, just in case there are potential cross-reactions with prescription drugs you need later in your pregnancy.
9. Avoid iron supplements unless your doctor tells you that you need them because a blood test showed you have iron-deficiency anemia. Iron supplements often cause nausea, bloating, flatulence, and gas.
10. Honor your appetite. Eat when you are hungry, regardless of the time of day. Your body knows when it can best be fed.

Additionally, cold foods, typically consumed at or below room temperature, offer a refreshing and often palate-cleansing experience. They are especially popular in hot weather or as a contrast to warm dishes. Examples include salads, sushi, cold cuts, ice cream, and fruit. Cold foods are also preferred by some individuals with sensitivities to odors or tastes, as they generally emit less aroma than hot foods.

Eating starchy foods before bed can help stabilize blood sugar levels throughout the night, leading to better sleep quality. These foods, like bread, crackers, or rice, are high in complex carbohydrates, which provide a slow and steady release of energy. This can prevent night-time hunger pangs and help maintain a feeling of fullness, potentially contributing to a more restful and uninterrupted sleep.

Every case of morning sickness ends when the baby is born. These tips will make the waiting easier.