How to Cope with Morning Sickness

Oh the Dreaded Morning Sickness
Morning sickness is a common symptom that a majority of women experience at some point during their pregnancy. I do think someone messed up in the naming process and should have referred to pregnancy nausea as "all day sickness" instead of morning sickness. It can happen anytime during the day and maybe even stick around all day. Were you one of the lucky ones that didn't have a day of nausea? I despise you already. The normal time frame of dealing with nausea is from week 6 until week 12 of pregnancy. Yeah right, like that is accurate these days. Some women suffer from week 4 until their baby(s) pop out of the womb. Ever heard of hyperemesis gravidarum? Women with HG vomit several times a day for months and find no relief. Many of these women end up being hospitalized due to dehydration.

Every pregnant woman has heard the famous miracle remedy of eating saltine crackers to make the morning sickness instantly disappear. But what if that doesn't work? Here are a few great tips and suggestions to easing that dreadful morning sickness.

Motion Bands
The pair of wrist bands is an inexpensive item and can generally be found at most drugstores, pharmacies, grocery stores, and maternity stores. The bands are typically used for morning sickness but also help relieve the agonizing nausea.

Preggie Pop Drops & Lollipops
The company "Three Lollies" introduced and marketed Preggie Pop Drops and Lollipops several years ago to help relieve morning sickness. The products are available in a variety of flavors which include; Sour lemon, sour trangerine, ginger, sour raspberry, lavender, green apple, green tea, and many more. Preggie Pop Drops and/or Lollipops may be purchased at a local retailer or Online. Three Lollies Web site is, http://www.threelollies.com

Ginger Tea
Make yourself a nice hot cup of ginger tea to calm your stomach down and ease that nausea! You can purchase an all natural ginger tea from a health food or grocery store for a low price. I recommend drinking ginger tea first thing in the morning and right before you go to bed.

Bland Foods
Women experiencing frequent morning sickness need to eat bland foods instead of greasy and spicy foods. Yes, this means you probably shouldn't be eating nachos and salsa right now. You'll regret it later, but you probably already knew that. Try eating plain toast, bagels, crackers, animal cookies, jello, and anything else bland. It's also a great idea to eat small frequent meals rather than one large one.

Smells
The taste of fresh baked garlic toast may sound amazing but wait until you take a whiff. Unfortunately the odor of certain foods cooking will make nausea worse even if the food sounds delicious. I hate to say it but you and your family may be living off soup and sandwiches for the duration of your morning sickness.

Prescription Medication
Sometimes alternative methods to treating morning sickness just do not work and a different approach needs to be taken. A doctor might prescribe Zofran or Phenergen to treat nausea. Can we say miracle medication? Regardless of whether it makes you a little loopy or sleepy, it sure beats hugging the toilet!

Liquids
It's important to keep yourself well hydrated and especially during pregnancy. If you have lots of morning sickness you need to drink even more than others. Dehydration can make nausea worse and even put you in the hospital. But what should you drink? Clear liquids like water and Gatorade are definitely best but not always the best option. Sometimes water is too plain and Gatorade is too sugary for pregnant women. Instead of plain water try adding fresh lemon, lime, apples, or cucumbers which will give it a better taste. I don't recommend carbonated beverages as they can make nausea worse, but some women swear that is all they can drink. Experiment and see what works best for you. Sometimes ice cold water with lemon is the absolute best way to go.

Fresh Air
You may feel too bad to walk or job around the block but how hard is it to sit outside for a few minutes? Sometimes getting some fresh air and sun helps relax the body and ease morning sickness.

The most important thing to remember is to just focus on taking one day at a time. You never know what tomorrow will have in store for you, and you shouldn't worry about it. Focus on the present and getting past today. Who knows-you might just feel better tomorrow!