Pregnancy: Dealing With Morning Sickness

Overview

Morning sickness is nausea, sometimes with vomiting, during pregnancy. It occurs most often during the first several months of pregnancy. It usually gets better in the second trimester.

It's likely that your hormones are causing your morning sickness. But you can do things to feel better. You can change what and how you eat, avoid certain foods and smells, and ask your doctor about medicines you can try.

How can you manage morning sickness?

If you have morning sickness, try these tips to feel better.

• Eat five or six small meals a day.

  It's helpful to always have some food in your stomach, but not too much.

• Eat a small snack when you first wake up.

  Keep a few crackers nearby when you go to sleep so you can eat them before you get up.

• Drink enough fluids.

  Water and other caffeine-free drinks are good choices.

• Try to avoid foods and smells that make you feel sick.

  High-fat or greasy foods, milk, and coffee may make nausea worse. Some foods that may be easier to tolerate include cold, spicy, sour, and salty foods.

• Try foods and drinks made with ginger.

  Foods and drinks made with ginger, like ginger tea, ginger ale, and crystallized ginger, may help with nausea.

• Try P6 acupressure wrist bands.

  Some people find that these anti-nausea wristbands help. You can buy them at most drugstores.

• Take your prenatal vitamins at night.

  And make sure you have something in your stomach when you take them.

• Talk to your doctor or midwife about other things that may help.

  If you're taking iron supplements, ask if they're needed. (Iron can make nausea worse.) And ask your doctor about taking prescription medicine or over-the-counter options such as vitamin B6 or doxylamine to help with symptoms.

Call 911 anytime you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:

• You passed out (lost consciousness).

Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:

• You are too sick to your stomach to drink fluids.
• You have symptoms of dehydration, such as:
  • Dry eyes and a dry mouth.
  • Passing only a little urine.
  • Feeling thirstier than usual.
• You are not able to keep down your medicine.
• You have new symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, or belly pain.

Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if:

• You lose weight.
• Your symptoms get worse or you do not get better as expected.