As soon as you fall pregnant, your body starts producing pregnancy hormones. This sharp rise in hormones can cause nausea (a feeling of queasiness) in some women, commonly known as ‘morning sickness’. Morning sickness can in fact occur at any time of the day and can occur with or without vomiting. However, it does tend to be more prevalent in the morning and it usually improves throughout the day.
There is no quick fix for morning sickness, but there are some things you can try to minimise the nausea.
- Keep some bland snacks like dry crackers by your bedside. Nibble on a few crackers first thing when you wake up and then rest for 20-30 minutes before getting out of bed.
- Switch to smaller, more frequent meals rather than having three large meals a day.
- Avoid rich, spicy or deep fried foods as well as foods with aromas that bother you.
- Try not to allow your stomach to get too empty as this can trigger nausea.
- Try eating dry crackers or other bland foods when you feel sick or queasy.
- Eat a variety of fruits and high carbohydrate foods such as potatoes, bread, crackers, rice and pasta. These foods tend to be better tolerated by sensitive stomachs.
- Drink fluids between meals rather than with meals.
- Take your prenatal vitamins later in the day, along with food - not on an empty stomach.