Natural Remedies for Morning Sickness
About 30-50% of pregnant women deal with morning sickness at some point during their pregnancy. Morning sickness is simply nausea and/or vomiting that’s unrelated to a reaction to food,bacteria or viruses. No one knows what triggers morning sickness but it probably has something to do with the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and increased amounts of estrogen. It usually clears up by the end of the first trimester, though there are exceptions.
If you are pregnant and experiencing some nausea, you may want to try some natural remedies for morning sickness.
Acupressure Bracelets
Many women find that wearing acupressure bracelets or motion sickness bands on their wrists alleviates morning sickness. These bracelets work by pressing on pressure points (called acupressure) in the wrists. Proponents find that the pressure alleviates nausea and vomiting.
Peppermint
Try chewing peppermint gum, drinking peppermint tea or sucking on a peppermint such as an Altoid. Peppermint is a fantastic digestive aid. If your care provider approves it, you could also try inhaling peppermint essential oil. Put a little on a cotton ball and keep it close by. Just make sure you avoid putting the essential oil on your skin.
Citrus Smells
Another fantastic and natural cure for morning sickness is citrus peels. Peel a lemon or lime; put the peel in a plastic bag and inhale from the bag whenever you feel nauseous. You also may find a citrus soda with carbonation helpful too. In addition, some people find lemonade (as long as it’s not too sweet) helps with morning sickness.
Ginger
One of the oldest and more famous natural remedies for morning sickness is ginger. Some people will drink ginger tea, suck on ginger candy or even chew on a ginger root. You can also try ginger ale, just make sure it actually has ginger in it or it won’t do any good.
Vitamin B
Recent studies have found that Vitamin B6 supplements before and during pregnancy seem to help with morning sickness, though no one really knows why. In general, you can expect to take 10 - 25 mg of Vitamin B6 2 to 3 times a day, but make sure you check with your care provider first. They may have prescribed a prenatal vitamin with Vitamin B6 in it already.
Eat and Drink
Make sure you’re still eating and drinking despite your morning sickness. Dehydration can be very serious during pregnancy and may compromise it. If having a drink with meals is too much, try drinking between meals. In addition, you will need energy stores from your food to stay healthy and provide nutrition to your developing baby. Try not to let your stomach get empty. Eat light non-smelly snacks throughout the day such as cheeses, fruits,and whole grain breads/crackers. If you have morning sickness immediately after waking in the morning, chew on a few saltines before sitting up, and then sit up slowly. Some people find salty foods such as potato chips a cheap and easy remedy for morning sickness.
Prenatal Vitamins
Your prenatal vitamin may be triggering your morning sickness. Try taking it later in the day, with food or talk to your care provider about switching prenatal vitamins. You should not stop taking your prenatal vitamins though–they provide important vitamins and minerals for your developing baby.
Be Aware of Triggers
With many pregnant women, a simple smell may be enough to trigger a morning sickness episode. Be cautious of coffee smells, perfume and greasy food smells. Try to eliminate these from your home or work area for the ultimate in natural remedies to morning sickness since you don’t have to ingest or inhale anything at all.
Disclaimer
The information in this article should not be considered medical advice. The information in this article is not meant to treat, diagnose, prescribe or cure any ailment. Always check with your physician before taking any products or following any advice you have read on Brighthub.com. Always consult your doctor before you start, stop or change anything that has been previously prescribed. Certain herbs and holistic remedies are unsuitable to take if you are pregnant or nursing and must always be cleared by your doctor before use.
