Morning sickness is probably the most misplaced word in the English language. And whoever coined it had evidently never been pregnant, for every expectant mommy knows that the condition isn’t only restricted to the blessed mornings. Oh, if only it was.
About 70% of expectant mommies experience nausea in early pregnancy and approximately 50% experience bouts of vomiting. Morning sickness can come in an array of shades, differing in severity from woman to woman. While some women are overcome by nausea exclusively in the evenings, some experience it all day. In yet some other cases, nausea is triggered by fatigue or exhaustion. Morning sickness often sets in by the sixth week of pregnancy and reaches a pinnacle around the eighth or ninth week. And while the condition is nobody’s ideal way to mark the beginning of a beautiful new chapter, there are several ways to alleviate its effects. In most women, morning sickness tends to withdraw between the twelfth and fourteenth week of pregnancy.
So if you’ve been consumed by the condition, know that there is a light. Until you see the sunshine though, we’ve put together a list to tide you through these days of pregnancy queasies.
An idle stomach can be a cauldron of catastrophe, aggravating your morning sickness. Splitting your meals into smaller portions and snacking on healthy items can go a long way in keeping morning sickness at bay. Eat a little at a time to keep your sugar levels elevated. Also, pick snacks that are low on taste to avoid triggering bouts of nausea.
Select basic protein-rich and vitamin B-rich foods that are tasty and healthy. Nuts for instance, are a good option. Keep spicy, oily and heavy foods off your plate for now; these can fuel nausea.
Assorted fragrances from freshly cooked foods can trigger nausea, so it’s best to give the stove a break when you’re experiencing morning sickness. Put together cold, healthy meals like moong dal chaat, homemade vegetable salad and fruit bowls to keep your belly full and your nausea in control.
Leaving your stomach empty as you rise from bed in the morning can stir up a frenzy in your stomach. Have a light, dry snack to keep your belly busy and get up gradually to avoid jerking your body.
Maintain a journal of the highs and lows of morning sickness to determine windows when your nausea is at its lowest. This way, you can find specific windows to eat, when the the chances of nausea are minimal.
Morning sickness flushes out both water and food, so it’s important that you consume small measures of water through the day to stay hydrated. You may find it challenging to hold liquids down. If you experience frequent vomiting during pregnancy, restrict your water consumption during meals. Instead, spread your fluid intake over the rest of your day in small quantities.
Exhaustion and nausea during pregnancy go hand in hand. Make sure that you’re well rested to ward off pregnancy sickness.
A fresh fragrance can work as a refreshing agent; in turn, curbing nausea. Keep a cut lemon or a gentle room freshener at your work desk, inhaling its scent at regular intervals. You could even add freshly cut lemon wedges to chilled water to liven up your drink.
As you make your way towards the finish line, morning sickness can play quite the party-pooper, dampening the celebrations along the way. This phase won’t last long though, so take heart in knowing that you’ll soon be freed from the clutches of these wretched pregnancy queasies you’ve grown so used to. Before long, you’ll have traded this phase for one that’s so much better. And then, it will all seem worth it.
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