Picture this: after months (or even years) of trying, you finally get those two pink lines you have been fighting so hard for. You’re happy. You’re ecstatic. You can’t believe that this day has finally come. And then, just a few weeks later… you’re puking. Bad. Not just in the morning, either. No, this “morning” sickness lasts all day, and feels like it is never going to end. You’re still happy. You’re still ecstatic. You still can’t believe that this day has finally come. But… you also really wish you didn’t feel quite so sick.

Inevitably, someone will tell you that the sickness is a good thing. That it serves as an indication of your baby’s healthy development and you should be thankful for that sign. This is an old wives’ tale. There is no scientific evidence at all which proves a link between healthy babies and morning sickness, and there are plenty of perfectly healthy little ones who are born every day to mamas who never experienced even a day of nausea. This just makes you one of the unlucky ones who has a different tale to tell.

Take a few calming breaths though, and grab a ginger chew to suck on. There are ways to nip this morning sickness in the bud, even now, with a toilet seat indent in your head.

1. Keep Your Portions Small

Multiple, small meals throughout the day will do a better job of regulating your blood sugar than one or two large ones. Snacking every few hours and keeping food in your stomach can also provide ensure your stomach stays full, preventing nausea caused by the buildup of stomach acids. Storing healthy high protein snacks by the bed, such as nuts and salty crackers, to munch on prior to getting up in the morning and falling asleep at night can also keep your blood sugar in check and your stomach happy.

2. Take Your Vitamins at Night

For some women, prenatal vitamins can be a bit rough on the gut. If you have been taking yours in the morning and have noticed a spike in your nausea shortly thereafter, try switching to taking them right before bed and see if that makes a difference. Another option is to choose a whole food prenatal multivitamin, which have been shown to be gentler on the stomach because the body recognizes them as food.

3. Give Acupressure a Try

There is a point on the inside of your wrist about two inches down from the palm of your hand that is supposed to relieve nausea. Find it by placing two fingers below your palm and then gently massaging the area directly beneath those finger widths, in between the two large tendons. There are non-prescription bracelets called Sea Bands which will also stimulate this point for you, and using acupuncture in conjunction with acupressure may increase the stomach-calming results.

4. Increase Magnesium Intake

Some research has shown a link between magnesium deficiency and morning sickness. This may be because of the havoc a deficiency can wreak on your stress hormones, and then your entire hormonal balance as a result. Many of us have diets lacking magnesium today, and magnesium deficiency is fairly common among women in the United States. Getting a magnesium deficiency under control prior to conception, however, may go a long way towards preventing morning sickness during your pregnancy. Try eating leafy green vegetables, almonds and avocados to increase your magnesium intake. Taking Epsom salts baths may also help you to absorb magnesium, while also providing the calming half hour you may need to recover from previous bouts of nausea.

5. Opt for Easy to Digest Foods

Think complex carbohydrates and bland foods for now; the kind of items that will go down easy and won’t require your stomach to work too hard in digesting. Bread, pasta, pretzels and rice are all good places to start.

6. Sleep

When you are exhausted, your body responds in weird ways, including sending your blood sugar all out of whack. Make sleep a priority right now, and ensure you are getting enough rest throughout the day.

7. Grab some Ginger

Ginger ale, ginger snaps, raw ginger – it doesn’t matter, just so long as you get some ginger in you. This natural stomach soother is great at easing nausea and relieving morning sickness. Try adding a little ginger and honey to peppermint tea (another natural remedy for upset stomachs) or pick up some ginger chews at your local health food store to keep on hand.

• Nordqvist, C. (n.d.). Pregnancy / Obstetrics Women’s Health / Gynecology Tips To Minimize Morning Sickness. Retrieved from: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/37757.php
• Morning sickness Alternative medicine. (n.d.). Retrieved from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/morning-sickness/basics/alternative-medicine/con-20033445
• Ease Morning Sickness | Ask Dr Sears. (n.d.). Retrieved from: http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/pregnancy-childbirth/second-month/morning-sickness/24-ways-ease-morning-sickness
• 20 Home Remedies for Morning Sickness. (n.d.). Retrieved from: http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/natural-medicine/home-remedies/home-remedies-for-morning-sickness.htm