Awe, the bliss of finding out YOU are carrying a baby! There truly is nothing like it. So many emotions come along with this knowledge: magical, sweet, giddy, but then… what IS that feeling that takes over your body around the sixth week of pregnancy? The fact that you can no longer eat the foods that normally sound good. Or thinking that it is difficult to swallow the tiniest bit of water? Welcome to the world of morning sickness!

First, let’s dispel any rumors about morning sickness. Morning Sickness is defined as:

1. nausea in pregnancy, typically occurring in the first few months. Despite its name, the nausea can affect pregnant women at any time of day. (via Google)

That’s right- morning sickness can hit at ANY TIME OF DAY. So, yes, from when you wake up, throughout the day, or even before you go to bed, you can feel sick at any time. Now THAT makes it a bit more difficult to deal with, doesn’t it?

That’s why we’ve outlined suggested foods to help you deal with morning sickness. But remember: do not allow yourself to get dehydrated! Drink as many fluids as you can throughout the day. If water is something that is difficult to swallow, try adding fresh lemons to it and LOTS of ice.

Morning

Keep saltine crackers on your bedside table, and once you wake up for the day, eat 1-2 crackers.

Breakfast

I know it will be hard, but it will help through the rest of your day if you eat a filling meal for breakfast. Think eggs or oatmeal with peanut butter. If that is just not doable, try a Protein Shake. Or, if you need something more dry, try a bagel with cream cheese.

Snacks

You will notice the longer you go without eating, the sicker you’ll feel. So, try and keep snacks on-hand that you can consume that will also help with nausea, including: salty crackers, almonds, granola bars, peppermint herbal tea, or gingersnap cookies. It has also been rumored (and actually worked for me!) that hard candies like Jolly Ranchers, Lemon Drops, or prego pops can help with nausea. Even No Bake Energy Bites (find recipe here) are a great way to pack a lot of protein in a quick bite.

Lunch

Peanut Butter Sandwich, Protein Shake, Quesadilla, Pasta Noodles with butter and salt, or rice are great lunch go-tos. Or, if you can make an extra cold smoothie and pack in vegetables like spinach or kale, these flavors can be masked with different fruits.

Dinner

Soup, Watermelon, Arugula Salad (find the recipe here), Quinoa with a vegetable you can stomach, Rice Bowls, or even cereal with a lot of Iron and Protein (granola, Quaker Oatmeal Squares, Go Lean Crunchy Fiber) with bananas and toast. Just try and eat something that will give you protein to keep your body satiated through the evening.

One thing to remember: avoid spicy foods. With morning sickness, spicy foods will just aggravate your stomach even more.

Finally, if you are unable to keep any food or water down, be sure to talk to your doctor to avoid dehydration.

And to help you even more, here are some Pins on Pinterest about morning sickness remedies.