Coping With Sickness In Pregnancy

sophiegw

5 years ago

Morning sickness is a common ailment of pregnancy. It presents itself differently in everybody some experiencing mild nausea and others being entirely hindered by it. I suffered from horrendous sickness with both my boys from first getting a positive test to birth. With Hugo, I was even threatening to throw up en route to the hospital when I was in labour!

It’s called morning sickness because it is most commonly experienced in the morning for the first three months of pregnancy. However, for some women, myself included it can last the whole day and for much longer than three months. Nausea and sickness are not pleasant symptoms to suffer from, so I’ve put together a few of the things that really helped me feel better and get over the worst of it.

Eat Something Small First Thing

An empty stomach and feeling hungry can exasperate morning sickness, which is why it is most commonly experienced the first thing in the morning. If you can eat something plain like a cracker or digestive biscuit before you get up and start your day you may find your symptoms ease. Having a bit of food in your system can really help.

Go for Plain Food

Smaller portions eaten little and often are the best way to go if you are really suffering. It’s best to stick to plain foods to help keep nausea at bay. If you can avoid heavily spiced or strong flavoured foods and be cautious of overfilling yourself as this can make you feel worse.

Don’t Become Dehydrated

Staying hydrated is paramount to surviving nausea and sickness but be careful not to chug down too many fluids in one go. Sipping iced water throughout the day can help you stay hydrated and also suppress nausea.

Ginger

Ginger biscuits, ginger ale or ginger tea, provide some relief in some women, so it’s worth a try to see if they work for you. There is some evidence that ginger can help nausea, so give it a go.

Acupressure

I swore by acupressure wristbands in my second pregnancy. They look similar to sweatbands that you would wear for exercise, but they apply pressure to specific points in the wrist that are said to relieve feelings of nausea. They aren’t for everyone, but they really helped me get through the worst periods.

Put Yourself First

Rest when you can as much as you can. In early pregnancy, women have this tendency to push themselves too much in some ways as a challenge to prove they can. Taking time out to rest and pause does not make you weak or inferior and in fact, will give you the energy to power on more than burning out will do!

Don’t Be Hard on Yourself

It’s easy to berate ourselves for feeling like nausea is taking over but know that it will pass or at least get better. Sometimes we are too hard on ourselves.

Anti-Sickness Medication

Nausea and sickness are common ailments of pregnancy for most, however, in a smaller number of people, they find they suffer severely without any improvement. This is called hyperemesis gravidarum. If you find that you are struggling or nausea is impacting your day to day life with no improvement, it’s essential to speak to your midwife or GP. For some women, it is necessary to take anti-sickness medication which can be prescribed. This medication is safe to take in pregnancy and can help you get over the worst of the symptoms. It’s important to note that Hyperemesis gravidarum can cause dehydration and weight loss amongst other symptoms, so if you think you are suffering, it’s always worth getting medical advice.

Do you have any tips for coping with morning sickness?