During your first trimester, you may experience morning sickness, a feeling of nausea often accompanied by vomiting. Morning sickness earns its name because many pregnant women experience it upon waking up in the morning. It can occur at any time of day, though, such as after dinner or in the middle of the afternoon. Avoid morning sickness by paying attention to what triggers it.
Eat First Thing In the Morning
One way to prevent morning sickness is to eat something the minute you open your eyes in the morning. Low blood sugar or an empty stomach can make your nausea worse. Keep a box of saltines or other plain crackers on your nightstand; eat a few before getting out of bed. You may also want to eat a cracker or two if you get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom or get a glass of water. If you are worried about crumbs, keep one of those hand vacuums by your bed as well.
Snacking Can Be Your Best Friend
Avoid nausea and vomiting by continuing to snack lightly throughout the day. Stick to nutritious foods, such as fruit, yogurt and whole grain crackers. Eating spicy foods, such as tacos, and fatty foods, such as fries and chips, will just make your morning sickness worse. If it seems that you are snacking too much, try sticking to natural low-calorie foods, such as raw veggies and apples. You can also reduce the size of your primary meals to compensate for the extra snacking during the day.
Drink Lots of Fluids
Staying hydrated will help to keep morning sickness at bay. Make sure you drink plenty of water each day. One way to make sure you get enough water is to eat salty foods that make you feel thirsty, such as pretzels. You may find that carbonated drinks, such as ginger ale or seltzer, keep you hydrated and help fight feelings of nausea. If you are pregnant in the summer time, try sucking on ice or Popsicles to get enough fluids and to stay cool.
Take Your Vitamins
You need to take your prenatal vitamins to protect your baby from birth defects, such as spinal bifida. Taking the vitamins before conception and early on in your pregnancy can help prevent morning sickness. It also goes the other way, though. Sometimes, taking a prenatal vitamin can trigger your morning sickness, especially if it is a vitamin high in iron. Try taking your vitamin with a meal or talk to your doctor about switching to a different vitamin.
Avoid External Triggers
Sometimes, a strong smell is all it takes to trigger your morning sickness. Normally pleasant odors, such as cooking smells, deodorant or coffee can be absolutely repulsive when you are pregnant. It may not always be possible, but do your best to avoid these smells. Ask your partner not to cook strongly scented foods or wear strong perfume around you. Keep a fan going in the room you are in to circulate air and move odors away from you. If cigarette smoke triggers nausea, kindly ask people not to smoke near you.
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