In case you woke up post election feeling nauseous, queasy, sick to your stomach…..NOT TO FEAR! You aren’t and weren’t alone. I’m certain my prego moms were glad to know that for once America knew what they felt like during most of the first trimester!
Nausea during pregnancy….”this too shall pass”…..Not just those feelings of awfulness, but EVERYTHING that we are currently coping with in today’s society…..I think I’m seeing RED!
Anyhow, a recent study supported by the National Institute of Health found that women experiencing nausea and vomiting in any given week early on in a pregnancy(think first trimester folks)had roughly a 75% decreased risk of pregnancy loss during said week.
So it appears that nausea and vomiting during pregnancy could actually be a good thing? So for those women who are struggling with anxiety regarding vomiting, it is actually a positive element of your pregnancy. As long as you are vomiting safely (see https://www.ahealthblog.com for an article regarding this), vomiting will make you feel a lot better. According to the above study, it just might!
In the interim, here are my
TOP 5 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DEALING WITH NAUSEA AND VOMITING DURING PREGNANCY:
- Easy does it! This too shall pass….I’m talking nausea and vomiting along with all this political stuff….Small frequent meals; putting something on your belly such as soda crackers first thing in the morning. I always kept snacks at my desk and in my lab coat during pregnancy. Make it something good…..fruit, crackers, nuts, granola, cheese sticks….Remember those miniature peanut butter and jelly sandwiches….Crustables? LOVED those! Empty bellies are more prone to yielding morning sickness….I’m jus’ saying.
- Have an Ale! As in Ginger Ale……though a lot of Americans felt as if they needed a drink post election, this is a good time for prego moms to increase ginger intake….It’s whatever you want: ginger snaps, ginger candy, ginger ale, etc. I found this to be one of the more “natural” remedies that actually worked.
- Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate. If you find that you are unable to keep ANYTHING down, you MUST contact your OB/GYN……If fluids seem to be the ONLY thing you can keep down, have some fun with it….Smoothies, shakes, soups…Just make sure you are keeping something in your belly. Popsicles, and Italian ice are nice alternatives if water is too boring for you or intolerable. If you don’t stay hydrated the uterus becomes VERY unhappy. Contractions anyone?
- Avoid fried and fatty foods! Try to stay away from triggers; specifically those foods whose sight or smell makes you the slightest bit queasy.
- Last but not least, if none of the above works for you, there is an FDA approved medication for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. It requires a prescription from your doctor. If you don’t like the thought of medication whilst pregnant, consider natural remedies like CBD instead. You should use CBD without any THC, so you’ll need to compare full vs broad spectrum cbd to understand better the effects it will have on your body. CBD has no psychoactive properties, meaning you’ll get all of the pain-relieving benefits without the feeling of being high. THC, on the other hand, has psychoactive properties which will make you feel more nauseous, so stick to CBD.
Hoping that the above has served to inform, encourage, and provide a bright spot to your day. Like morning sickness, remember, “This Too Shall Pass”.
Until Next Time,
Look Better. Feel Better. Be Better.
Dr. Angela
