Tips for Coping with Morning Sickness

First of all, don’t be deceived by the name. Morning sickness can strike at any time of the day or night. If you just found out that you’re pregnant and it’s still pretty early, you might be surprised that you feel surprisingly normal. Many women expect to feel sick right off the bat, and some do. But for many, morning sickness doesn’t manifest itself until around the 6-8 week mark.

Regardless of when or if it happens, here are some tips to help you get through your morning sickness.

Ask for help

First of all, your state of wellbeing is extremely important. When you first realize that your morning sickness is taking over, reach out to someone for help. Morning sickness can prevent you from maintaining your house, working, even taking care of yourself, among other things. Don’t be afraid to reach out to a family member, friend, or neighbor if your sickness gets too bad. Let someone come in and clean your house, let your boss know how sick you are and get a doctor’s note if necessary, and accept the offer to have someone babysit your other kids if you have them so that you can shower and rest. It can be hard to ask for help but you do not need to bear this burden alone – this is exactly what friends and family are for. Besides, if the tables were turned you’d be there in a heartbeat for your loved ones, so allow them to share the love and serve you in your time of need.

Talk to your doctor

Sometimes morning sickness can be serious. When it is exceptionally violent or long-lasting, you may have a condition known as hyperemesis gravidarum. Your doctor may wish to monitor you and may even give you medication to help tame your sickness enough for you to resume some daily activity.

Rest

Take whatever chance you can get to rest. Your body is working hard to grow that baby in addition to taking care of itself. Give it all of the help it needs by getting as much rest and sleep as you feel you need. This may mean you need to give up some activities that seem to irritate your sickness or leave you feeling exhausted. Talk to your doctor about any activities you may be concerned about during your pregnancy.

Find your “super” food

Remember that the growing baby is taking nutrients from your body, so it’s very important that you’re replenishing those nutrients. You may notice an aversion to certain foods because of your morning sickness, so find a food that you can tolerate and stock up. Many women find that their stomachs don’t seem to mind fruit, like grapes, apples, or lemon-flavored foods and drinks, so give those a try.

Stay hydrated

Especially if vomiting is a characteristic of your morning sickness, it’s extremely important that you stay hydrated and replace all of the fluid you’re losing. Your body needs more fluid now that it’s pregnant, so do your best to drink water or whatever (safe) beverage you can tolerate as much as possible. Again, talk to your doctor if you’re worried about dehydration and he/she can give you specific advice on what to do.

Distract yourself

Sometimes a breath of fresh air and a change of scenery can do wonders for morning sickness. If you can handle it, try to go for a walk and listen to some good music or a good podcast to keep your mind preoccupied. If you must stay in, perhaps you could get some good books or some puzzles to distract yourself, or start a new TV series.

Avoid trigger foods

As tempting as it may be to indulge when you’re having a sick-free moment, eating particularly greasy, fatty, or strong-smelling foods may trigger your sickness. And it won’t taste as good coming up as it did going down.