Treating Morning Sickness with Diet

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Many women experience nausea and vomiting during the early weeks of pregnancy. This nausea, referred to as morning sickness, is often one of the first signs of pregnancy. Beginning in the sixth week of pregnancy, morning sickness occurs due to the surging hormones levels from the placenta growth. Because of this some experts believe morning sickness is a sign of a healthy pregnancy. For many women morning sickness is generally mild and disappears by the twelfth week of pregnancy. Unless excessive vomiting and weight loss occurs, morning sickness can be easily treated by simple changes in diet

Morning sickness often happens early in the morning because the mother is active on an empty stomach. Keeping a small supply of bland, simple snacks next to the bed can help ease early morning nausea. Snacks such as crackers or dry cereal are great for women to eat before getting out of bed to reduce early morning sickness. Making sure that there is some food in the stomach before getting out of bed each morning will ease morning nausea for many women.  

During the day morning sickness can be eased by eating small, frequent deals instead of three large ones. Keeping the stomach full all day by eating frequently will often help keep morning sickness at bay. When eating frequently, however, try not to over eat. Being over-full can cause nausea just as being over-hungry can during pregnancy. Keeping meals frequent and small is one way to reduce the occurrence of morning sickness during the day.

While suffering with morning sickness many mothers find comfort in avoid spicy or heavily flavored foods. Strong flavors and scents can trigger nausea in pregnant women, so choosing bland foods can decrease the chances of becoming sick during the day. Foods such as cold sandwiches, light soups, and raw fruits and vegetables are healthy and bland options for mothers with morning sickness.

There are some foods that a woman can add to her diet that are known to sooth upset stomachs. Lemon, peppermint, and ginger are the most commonly used foods for treating nausea and morning sickness. There are many teas and snacks containing lemon, peppermint, and ginger that are safe for pregnant women to consume and may ease nausea. Salty foods such as crackers, pretzels, and potato chips also helps ease morning sickness in some women. Eating these foods with meals or as snacks may sooth morning sickness for some women.

Morning sickness happens to nearly all women at least once during pregnancy. Having simple snacks first thing in the morning, eating small frequent meals, sticking to bland foods, and adding soothing foods such as ginger to the daily diet are all ways to ease mild morning sickness. Though the nausea and vomiting can be frustrating, for most women morning sickness can be manageable through these small changes in diet.