How to help with morning sickness

“Morning” sickness affects over 80% of women, and can range from mild nausea to frequent vomiting. The most severe sickness generally occurs during the 8-10 week gestational period. 

If you have experienced morning sickness during pregnancy, you know that name can be wildly misleading: sickness can come and go at any time, or decide to stay all day… blah! Whenever it strikes for you, I’m here, linking arms as you create what will be one of your greatest blessings. As lonely, isolating, relentless, and challenging as this time may be … it is alway worth it!  And the good news is, there are some things you can do to make this time more pleasant. 


After five kiddos, and dealing with sickness with all of them, I am going to share my best tips!

First and foremost, set your MINDSET. Let the sickness remind you that everything is working: your baby is growing and developing, and that is why you feel so lousy.

And now, my 5 BEST TIPS TO HELP MORNING SICKNESS:


1. Eat Small Frequent Meals

  • An empty stomach can make nausea much worse. Eating small meals and snacks every hour can be very helpful. 

  • Protein is a great option because it offers longer-lasting relief from nausea. 

  • Eating protein right before bed at night and right when you wake up in the morning can be super helpful.

  • My go-to’s: a handful of nuts, fruit with cheese, carrots with guacamole, greek yogurt, or a banana with almond butter 


2. Drink For Two

  • Water, water, water! Staying hydrated is perhaps the most important part of early pregnancy, and it can greatly ease nausea.

  • Fill up a large COLD water bottle that you can sip on throughout the entire day. 

  • When pregnant, it's better to sip (rather than chug) water. 

  • Chilling water with ice especially helps ease nausea. 


3. Avoid Strong Smells

  • Peppermint oil applied to wrists can help quickly fight off nausea or even inside a mask if you need to wear one out and about.

  • Ask for help when cooking! Heaven knows, opening the fridge and pantry is not a pleasant experience when combating nausea in pregnancy. Allow your family to help. 


4. Ice Ice, Baby

  • Get a cup of crushed or pebbled ice and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top of it; munch on it throughout the day. 

  • Lemon + cold = magic!


5. Vitamins and Electrolytes

  • Did you know that pregnancy nausea is mostly due to hormonal fluctuation and low salt ?! (this causes low stomach acid, which is needed to digest and absorb proteins and minerals). 

  • The endocrine system (the gland that produces hormones and regulates mood, sleep, metabolism, and growth) relies on basic electrolytes like salt, magnesium, potassium, and calcium to function properly. 

  • Thus, taking a high quality prenatal vitamin and increasing electrolytes with items like coconut water (you can add this to smoothies if it’s too hard to get down), REAL salt (added to meals when possible), magnesium supplement (especially before bed), and some extra lemons and limes in water can be helpful for not only nausea, but also sleep and mood. 

  • Try taking 25-50mg of B6 before bed… it can be a game changer for that early pregnancy sickness! 


And my last little tip: give yourself all the grace you need! You are doing one of the most difficult tasks at hand ...growing another LIFE! 


When you can, get up, move, and go outside; there is so much GOOD that happens when women stay active in pregnancy and see the sunshine.


And for all you superhero mamas who are battling hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), excessive nausea and vomiting that can require hospital treatment to hydrate, my thoughts are with you as you find your support system through this challenging time. You are most definitely not alone. 🙏🏻


Keep up the good work, and know I am right there with ya! xo


birthShan Tripppregnancy, motherhood