Pregnancy Nausea

Nausea in pregnancy can be overwhelming, and debilitating.

I was so fortunate in my first pregnancy that I didn’t experience any nausea. Seriously, nothing. I said the entire time that I knew my second wouldn’t be the same because there’s no way it could have been that good the second time around too!

In some ways I’m lucky because I only experienced nausea for the first 13 weeks and then it subsided. I know several people who have suffered through months and months, up to an entire pregnancy of nausea. And I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.

Even though the nausea can be really difficult to get rid of completely, there are certainly things that you can do to keep it at bay or lessen the severity.

Morning sickness often comes on because of the additional load of sex hormones that happen during pregnancy, especially in the early days when our body is adjusting, adapting and really working to create a safe place for that little bean.

The additional hormones are hard on our body to process and often overwork the liver trying to detox these extra hormones. As a result, our body works hard over night to work through these and we often wake up with a surplus in the morning.

These 4 tips can help reduce the frequency and severity of your nausea:

Tip #1 - Eat as soon as you wake up

Getting something into your belly as soon as you wake up. Seriously, within 10-15 minutes of getting up. Some women find eating something before they even get out of bed helpful too, so you can always try that. Giving your body something to eat right away can help calm the effects of the nausea and calm your tummy.

Tip #2 - Include protein right away

Research has shown that eating protein (compared to fats or carbs) significantly reduced the effects of nausea. Not only does protein work better with your body for digestion and settling those nauseous feelings, but it also keeps you full longer and provides a ton of nutrients that are beneficial for both you and the growing babe.

Tip #3 - Eat small meals throughout the day

In the early months of this pregnancy, I was eating every 1.5-2 hours. Small meals and small snacks were incredibly helpful to keep the nausea manageable and not overwhelming. When we eat large meals, we often overwork our digestive system for how much it has to do to break down all of the food, the quantity and the various types of food. By eating smaller meals throughout the day, you aren’t overburdening your digestive system and you are keeping food in your stomach to limit the effects of the nausea.

Tip #4 - Drink ginger tea

Ginger has been studied for many years on its anti-nausea properties and is a tried and true method of reducing nausea. You can drink ginger tea, add ginger to your smoothies, cook with ginger, brew your own hot water with a piece of ginger. Even ginger chews can be helpful!

Here’s a simple smoothie recipe that uses ginger to help reduce the nausea and also packs in some nutrition to keep mom and baby fueled.

Anti-Nausea Smoothie

1 cup kale

1/2 frozen banana

1/2 cup pineapple

1 tbsp fresh ginger

1 scoop high quality protein powder

1 tbsp chia seeds

3-4 ice cubes

1 cup coconut water (or regular water)

Blend & enjoy!

While I wish that no one had to experience pregnancy nausea, I know that’s not the case so I hope these tips are helpful for anyone who has experienced it or knows someone going through it.

And as cliche as it sounds…it’s all worth it in the end when you hold that little one.

But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t suck sometimes in the middle!

Britt