What is Morning Sickness?

It is estimated that between 50 to 80 percent of women have nausea, sometimes with vomiting, during pregnancy. Although the nausea may be most noticeable in the morning, it lasts throughout the day for many women.

Even if there is no nausea, women may develop aversions to certain foods. Morning sickness generally improves by the 13th to 16th week of pregnancy, but some women continue to notice nausea into their second trimester.

Why does morning sickness afflict so many pregnant women?

Doctors know that it's caused by a hormone called estrogen that is rushed into peak production during your eighth or ninth week of pregnancy. It may be hard to believe while you're camped at the toilet, but morning sickness is actually a good sign. Studies show that women with morning sickness are less likely to miscarry or deliver prematurely. But even though it may be a good sign for your pregnancy, the nausea certainly doesn't feel good to you.

Many women worry that morning sickness is a sign of something wrong with their babies. This is not the case. A study, published in the Journal - Obstetrics and Gynecology observed that morning sickness is associated with better pregnancy outcomes, decreased risk of miscarriage, pre-term birth, low birth weight and perinatal death. Researchers believe morning sickness may support the healthy growth of the placenta – your baby’s lifeline while it is inside you.

A study surveyed pregnant women and found:

* Almost two thirds (61.2 percent) of women used natural remedies to alleviate morning sickness

* The three most common types of natural remedies used were ginger tea, acupressure wristbands (called "sea bands"), and vitamin B6

* Among the women who used natural remedies, 14.7 percent reported mild adverse reactions. Most common were an inability to tolerate the strong flavor of ginger and wrist irritation among women who used acupressure wrist bands.

Below is a collected variety of the various home remedies that may help with soothing your morning sickness and pregnancy nausea . There is bound to be something here to help no matter whether your morning sickness consists of a little morning nausea or the all-day eat and throw up variety. However, be sure to contact your caregiver if the nausea and vomiting becomes unbearable or causes you to lose weight.

• Graze. Eat frequent, small meals. You may want to eat five to six times a day rather than having three big meals. Sometimes, hunger pangs bring on the feelings of nausea. That's because acids in the stomach have nothing to digest when there's no food around.

• Keep crackers, bread or toast, cereal, or other bland foods handy. Try eating a few crackers before getting out of bed in the morning or lifting your head off the pillow.

• Identify any triggers and avoid them.

• Make sure you are drinking enough fluids, especially if you have been vomiting. Try drinking in between meals rather than with meals, which some women find helpful.

• Get plenty of rest.

• Chew your food thoroughly. Applesauce consistency.

• Make sure your stomach is never completely empty. Carry fruit, cheese and/or crackers around with you to nibble on throughout the day.

• Sometimes pregnancy brings about an over-production of saliva, which can make the mother-to-be sick to her stomach. Nibbling on a handful of salt-and-vinegar chips helps dry up the saliva.As with any junk food, don't pig out on chips, even if they are a cure. Nibble only when needed.

• Eat a high protein snack before bed at night. - Nuts and peanut butter. (recipe below)

• Ginger Ale: Settle a bout of morning sickness with a cup of ginger ale.

• Eat a diet high in carbohydrates and protein, low in fats.

• De-stress with a massage – www.alternativehealthsolutionsnj.com

• Eat salty, crunchy foods.

• Avoid spicy food.

• Sniff a fresh lemon peel.

• Make sure your breads and crackers are whole grain.

• Take 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and 1 tablespoon honey in cold water before bed.

• Mommy's Bliss Morning Sickness Magic: When morning sickness strikes, you may be searching for a remedy that not only will help quickly, but is also easy to obtain. Morning Sickness Magic is one of many herbal remedies that is favored among pregnant women and may be just what you are looking for. One of the first ingredients is ginger. Another ingredient is B6 which is also known as pyridoxine. It is a common B vitamin, but has been shown to help with nausea. Many morning sickness remedies include this vitamin, which can also help give you more energy during this time when you may be feeling more tired than usual. Red Raspberry Leaf is another herb which has been used for thousands of years in pregnancy. It is thought to help relieve nausea and vomiting early on in pregnancy. It is also used later in pregnancy to help tone the uterus in preparation for labor. Lastly is folic acid, which is very important during pregnancy. Folic acid has been shown to reduce birth defects of the neural tube such as spina bifida. Having a vitamin like folic acid along with your morning sickness remedy is a great advantage to help in keeping your baby healthy. So, if you find yourself with morning sickness creeping up on you and you’re looking for something natural, this should be a great product for you. Not only does Morning Sickness Magic help alleviate your symptoms, but it will also help to keep you and your unborn baby healthy.

• Avoid strong odors and stuffy or smoky rooms.

• Suck a piece of peeled ginger root.

• Ginger tea can be used freely to help. Ginger has been thoroughly researched over the years. A recent review of scientific evidence, published in the British Journal of Anaesthesia, found that ginger was beneficial in treating all kinds of nausea. To make a tea, pour boiling water over a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger root. You can also add the juice of half a lemon and sweeten with honey if you like. In winter it’s a warmer, in the summer it can be a refreshing iced tea. This mix has the bonus of helping to ward off low blood sugar, headaches and fatigue as well as relieving nausea.

• Avoid actually vomiting; try grasping your tongue with a piece of cloth and pulling gently but firmly.

• If you are vomiting a lot, try limiting your diet to a single food, one that you know you can tolerate. Add one additional food per day as you can tolerate them.

• Place a cool lavender scented compress on your forehead and a warm lavender compress over your rib cage.

• Get a massage with chamomile massage oil.

• Drink liquids between rather than with meals.

• Avoid greasy foods.

• Snack on ginger snap cookies, homemade and with real ginger, if possible. (recipe below)

• Chew peppermint gum.

• Get regular, gentle exercise.

• Preggie Pops. Morning Sickness Lollipops and drops: All Natural way to ease morning sickness. Helps alleviate dry mouth and give a quick energy boost. Available in Ginger, Mint, and Sour Fruit flavors. Also available in Sour Fruit Preggie Pop Drops.

• Increase your intake of vitamin B6. – B6 pops are available at the Alternative Health Solutions of NJ Marketplace

• Try taking your vitamins later in the day not in the morning and with a meal.

• Go nuts over almonds. They are high in B vitamins and contain fat and protein--what you and your baby need right now. And they help fulfill the requirement of small meals.

• Try changing your iron supplement.

• Give in to your food cravings.

• Sip a carbonated beverage.

• Get plenty of fresh air.

• Try tart flavors; lemonade, sour pickles, etc.

• Don’t brush your teeth immediately after eating.

• Lie completely still with your eyes closed.

• Suck on frozen popsicles. (see recipes below)

• Vitamin B6: Taking Vitamin B6 (50 mg) daily has been shown to help with pregnancy-induced nausea.

• Acupuncture
One study looked at 88 pregnant women with hyperemesis, a severe form of morning sickness. Women received either an anti-nausea drug called metoclopramide or twice weekly acupuncture sessions for two weeks, plus acupressure. Both treatments were found to reduce nausea and vomiting intensity. Acupuncture was more effective than the drug in improving psychosocial functioning.

• Acupressure Wrist Bands
Acupressure wrist bands , often marketed as "sea bands", stimulate an acupuncture point called "pericardium 6" (p6), which is known in traditional Chinese medicine to relieve nausea. It is a wrist band with a plastic button that puts pressure on the p6 point inside of the wrist. They usually cost less than $10 for a pair and can be found online in the Alternative Health solutions of NJ Marketplace. It usually begins to work immediately.

• Ginger
Ginger is a common remedy for morning sickness. It has been used for centuries in cooking and medicinally. The Food and Drug Administration classifies ginger as "generally recognized as safe".
It's quite common for medical doctors, midwives, naturopaths, and other health practitioners to recommend ginger for morning sickness. Four double-blind, randomized clinical trials support this recommendation. The dose used in the studies was a total of one gram of ginger per day, taken in divided doses, for four days to three weeks. This is equivalent to half a teaspoon of ginger taken four times a day. It can be steeped with hot water for five minutes to make a hot ginger tea.

• The aroma of peppermint or lemon can help a queasy stomach. Fill a large bowl with hot water. Place two drops of peppermint or lemon essential oil in the bowl and place it on a table near your bed. Make sure it is in a safe area so there is no risk of it being knocked over. Or use an aromatherapy diffuser which also can be purchased at the Alternative Health Solutions of NJ Marketplace. Put three drops of lavender essential oil and one of peppermint in a the diffuser or humidifier to scent the air.

• Try peppermint. Aromatherapy has been used for centuries and can be very effective with morning sickness. Just as eating a peppermint lifesaver, or drinking a cup of peppermint tea might help to settle your stomach, so too can inhaling the scent of peppermint. Essential oils are very strong, and it only takes a drop or two before you notice their effects. One idea is to put a drop or two on a handkerchief and carry it in your purse or pocket. That way, you will have it readily on hand when you start feeling nauseous.

Below is some of Alternative Health Solutions of NJ favorite recipes that may help.

No Bake Peanut Butter Balls

Ingredients:

1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice concentrate, thawed
Couple tablespoons honey

Directions:

Combine peanut butter, milk powder, and coconut in a large mixing bowl.
Stir in oats, ground cinnamon, wheat germ, walnuts, honey and apple juice concentrate until thoroughly combined.
Shape the mixture into 16 one-inch balls.
Chill thoroughly before serving, about an hour. Store remaining balls in the refrigerator.


Ginger Peach Pregnancy Popsicles

Ingredients:

4 peeled, pitted, ripe peaches
1 Tbsp. fresh, grated ginger
2¼ tsp. fresh lemon juice
1½ cups water

Directions:

Stir the peaches, ginger, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring frequently and breaking the peaches up a bit with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is thick. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and blend until smooth. Mix in the water and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. Pour the mixture into Popsicle molds and freeze until just barely set so you can place the wooded sticks. Freeze for a couple more hours.

*** Peach Creamsicles – blend above with Greek yogurt and then freeze.


Ginger Snap Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
2 tablespoons organic ground flaxseed
1 teaspoon non-aluminum baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Eden Sea Salt
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup organic maple syrup
3/4 cup minced organic crystallized ginger
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup applesauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix all dry ingredients together. Mix all wet ingredients together. Combine dry and wet ingredients, and mix well. Lightly oil two baking sheets with safflower oil, and scoop out 1 tablespoon of cookie dough for each cookie and place them 1 inch apart on the cookie sheets. Bake 15 minutes, until lightly browned on the bottom. Remove and allow cooling on a cookie rack.
Makes 2 dozen cookies

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