Morning sickness is the nauseous feeling commonly experienced during around the 6th to 12th weeks of pregnancy. It affects around 50% of all pregnancies.
Although morning sickness is not harmful to you or your baby, but it is an inconvenience nonetheless. It may prevent you from keeping your food down and hence reduce the nutrients available to you and your baby.
Moreover, no one likes spending their mornings throwing up in the toilet. So here are 6 natural foods that you can try to alleviate morning sickness symptoms during first trimester of pregnancy.
You can eat the as is or include them in your snacks or foods:
1. Ginger
Ginger is known to reduce nausea and prevent vomiting. Try having a warm cup of ginger tea, a cool ginger ale soda, or ginger jam on toast. You can snack on ginger snaps for nausea relief on the go. Ginger also has other health benefits so overall a good choice. Read more.
2. Gooseberries
Sun-dried Amalaki or Indian Gooseberries are known as a traditional remedy in Ayurveda for pregnancy-induced morning sickness. Read more here.
3. Eggs
Eggs in the morning are a good breakfast choice as they help keep the food down and keep you feeling full. They are also rich in protein and choline so if your taste buds like it, include eggs in your morning diet. Read more.
4. Lemons
You can suck on them or try having them as a lemonade or lemon ice tea. Lemons and other sour citrus fruits help control nausea and prevent vomiting. Read about health benefits of lemons here.
5. Potatoes
Potatoes and other carbohydrates rich foods such as crackers, pretzels, bread or toast are all helpful in alleviating morning sickness symptoms. Avoid spicy or fried versions to prevent acid reflux and opt for more hearty and bland versions of carbohydrates. The salt content in chips or crackers also helps with nausea. Read more about potatoes here.
6. Peppermint tea
This is a tricky one. While some women feel the strong aroma of peppermint tea helps with morning sickness, others may find this same strong smell aggravating their symptoms. So go with what your body tells you. While peppermint tea is safe, you should take caution while choosing green teas during pregnancy.
Food habits to reduce morning sickness
Experts also share some food related habits that help reduce morning sickness:
In the Morning
- Allow yourself plenty of time to get out of bed
- Keep a stash of crackers or dry cereal by your bed so you can put something in your stomach as soon as you wake up
During the Day
- Eat small meals throughout the day to avoid getting too full or too hungry
- Drink fluids a 1/2 hour before or after meals, but not with meals. Also, make sure to drink fluids throughout the day to avoid dehydration
- Get plenty of rest when you can. This is especially important if you have to get up early in the morning. However, DO NOT take a nap right after a meal because this can increase nausea
- Avoid foods or smells that make your nausea worse
- Avoid being in warm places, which can increase your nausea
In the Evening
- Avoid spicy, greasy foods and go for foods that are bland and do not have a strong odor
- You may have to avoid cooking for the first trimester
- Go to bed early. If you happen to wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, try to eat something small from your bedside stash.
