Morning Sickness

If you've ever had to deal with "Morning sickness" A.K.A "All Day"sickness while pregnant, you know it's not a walk in the park!  There are a lot of myths out there that make us believe that if you have morning sickness, you have less risk of miscarriage.  Another popular one has us believing that a higher body mass index prior to pregnancy will lead to more morning sickness.

The research has been done but is limiting when it comes to morning sickness causes and cures and there isn't one theory, concrete enough to hang our hat on.  One thing we do know for sure, if you struggle with it, you just want it to end.  It can be rough, especially if you have other Littles underfoot.  There's no time in the day for puking!

So, what can we do, if anything, to alleviate the symptoms of morning sickness?  Here's a short list of some ideas to try next time you feel nauseous.

• Stick to simple, easy to digest foods but at the same time, steer clear of highly processed foods.  This is a time when you need quality nutrients to feed you and baby.  Some great vegetables to consider would be carrots, tomotoes, even squash. 
• Avoid greasy, fatty, fried foods. Pregnancy hormones can slow the movement of bile that helps in digesting foods, especially fatty foods.  Eating a clean diet is not only good for the baby but for those hard working organs of yours, like the liver and gallbladder. 
• Watch your salt intake which plays a role in dizziness and weakness in pregnant women. 
• Fresh fruit is a great option to help fight morning sickness.  They typically have good water content and fiber and are easy to digest.  That added fiber will help regulate your blood sugars as well, and you'll stay hydrated. 
• Starchy vegetables are a great choice if you are feeling nauseous.  Foods, such as potatoes, are easily digested and provide the nutrients necessary to boost your energy. 
• Don't skip meals and make sure you are getting healthy fats with each meal.  Fat is what helps our body use vital nutrients like Vitamins A, D, E and K. If your prenatal vitamins make you feel sick, consider taking them in the evening, rather than the morning.  
• Up your B Vitamins, especially B6 .  This has been shown to alleviate morning sickness in pregnant women.  Unfortified Nutritional Yeast is an amazing source of B's.  One of the side of effects of your B Vitamins being restored? Better sleep!!

These are just a few ideas to help you get through this rough patch in your pregnancy...hopefully, it only lasts a few weeks, not 9 months.  Sometimes, it just takes a few days of trial and error to find what works best for you.  There is no good research on the cause of morning sickness so it becomes a game of managing symptoms.  

If your symptoms of nausea are overwhelming, call the office and speak your provider before you suffer too long.  They have many more solutions they can offer.