Nausea during pregnancy, commonly known as morning sickness, can be managed with various remedies including dietary adjustments, supplements, and some lifestyle changes.
Dietary and Lifestyle Adjustments
- Eating small, frequent meals of bland, easy-to-digest foods like bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast (BRAT diet) can help reduce nausea.
- Cold foods and beverages are often more tolerable since they have less aroma, which can trigger nausea.
- High-protein foods such as chicken, peanut butter, and beans can also help calm nausea.
- Drinking plenty of fluids, including herbal teas like ginger and peppermint tea, can be soothing.
Natural and Over-the-Counter Remedies
- Ginger is highly effective for nausea relief and can be consumed as tea, candy, supplements, or fresh root.
- Acupressure wristbands that press on specific points on the wrist may reduce nausea.
- Smelling rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) may provide quick relief by inhalation.
- Vitamin B6 supplements are commonly recommended and can be taken alone or with doxylamine, an antihistamine, which together form a prescription medication specifically for pregnancy nausea (Diclegis).
Additional Tips
- Getting plenty of rest and avoiding foods or smells that trigger nausea can be helpful.
- Eating dry toast or plain biscuits in the morning, and avoiding hot meals if their smell bothers you, might improve symptoms.
If nausea is severe and does not improve with these methods, consulting a healthcare provider is important as prescription antiemetic medications may be necessary. These approaches provide a variety of options to alleviate nausea during pregnancy, balancing natural remedies and medical treatments.
