Morning sickness – if you know, you know. It’s one of the least glamorous aspects of pregnancy, and it makes getting through your day (or, you know, getting upright to actually start your day) so much harder. Saltine crackers and ginger ale are common knowledge, but we looked a little harder for those less well-known remedies. Read on for four surprisingly effective tips to combat morning sickness – and know we’re sending virtual hugs and sympathy, mama!
Sniff an Alcohol Swab (Really)
Good ol’ isopropyl alcohol! It’s a go-to in emergency rooms, which see nearly five millions patients every year just for nausea and vomiting. And it couldn’t be easier – soak a pad in isopropyl alcohol (i.e. rubbing alcohol) and inhale deeply through the nose every two minutes for four minutes, not exceeding three inhalations. According to research, that’s all you need to calm nausea down fast. You can keep a few pre-soaked packets handy when you’re on the go, just remember to follow the inhalation directions above and sniff sparingly.
Go the More Pleasing Aromatherapy Route
Aromatherapy in general has been successful in reducing nausea, specifically post surgery, and can be helpful for easing morning sickness. Essential oils made from ginger, spearmint, peppermint, lemon, chamomile, and lavender are all good choices – try dabbing a bit onto a cotton ball to sniff or adding a few drops to a spray bottle with distilled water to mist around you. But it’s best to avoid ingesting essential oils during pregnancy, since there’s just not enough research to confirm safety for your growing baby.
Let’s elaborate on the benefits of mint specifically. Research shows that the aroma of mint can reduce symptoms of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, which is exactly why you’ll find a minty essence included in every bottle of Beli for Women.
Sip a Morning Sickness Tea
Teas that are specifically marketed for morning sickness are generally sweetened versions of ginger or rooibos beverages. But you don’t pay the mark-up – just look for a plain belly-calming herbal blend, like ginger, peppermint, or rooibos, that you can sip to settle your stomach. And remember to scan the label first. You want to avoid any additives or sweeteners and keep the caffeine to a minimum.
Pro tip – try brewing some tea and freezing them into popsicle molds. Popsicles are a staple for many a nauseated mama, and the extra hydration is a great bonus. And while you’re freezing stuff, throw some fruits and veggies in there too. Opt for fruits and greens with high water content, like grapes and watermelon. If you’re stressing about drinking enough water every day – which is no easy task when you’re feeling this close to upchucking – frozen fruits are a great alternative. Pair them with something salty, like cashews, for a blood sugar-stabilizing snack.
Be Smart about your Prenatal
If you’re side eyeing your prenatal vitamin, because that thing just won’t stay down without a fight, read on!
- Take it with food. Vitamins in general are potent little buggers, and all those nutrients can hit you hard. So cushion it a bit by taking your prenatal vitamin with whatever you can keep down – that tea popsicle, some frozen grapes, a ginger cookie, saltines, or whatever else works.
- Take it with collagen protein. Collagen has all kinds of benefits during pregnancy, not least of which is it may improve symptoms of nausea. A scoop of high-quality collagen protein mixed into something tummy friendly, like oatmeal or a smoothie, can help soothe nausea by balancing your blood sugar. Check out Beli's new Prenatal Collagen Protein Boost, plus seven collagen protein friendly recipes.
- Play with timing. If your morning sickness is predictable – morning, mid afternoon, just before bed – take your prenatal vitamin during times you aren’t feeling queasy. You can also try splitting up your prenatals instead of taking them all at the same time.
- Read the label. And look specifically for B12 and B6, along with chelated iron and choline, all of which you’ll find in Beli for Women. Our custom blend uses these nutrients to help calm nausea and relax the digestive system, and our soothing minty essence is another trick for calming morning sickness symptoms. Chelated iron and our superior form of choline are both easier on mom’s stomach – an important note if you think your prenatal vitamin is partly to blame for your nausea.
- Talk to your doctor. Iron is often a major nausea trigger. If your prenatal vitamin has chelated iron and you’re still feeling sick from your prenatal vitamin, speak with your doctor. You may be able to switch to a prenatal vitamin without iron and rely on food-based sources instead.
- Switch to Beli! If you’re not already taking Beli, make the switch. Our high-quality prenatal vitamin is one of very few formulas on the market meeting current recommendations for key nutrients. It’s also third-party certified for purity, gluten and allergen free, vegan friendly, non GMO, and manufactured in an FDA-registered facility under cGMP standards. And did we mention the tummy-friendly chelated iron and minty essence? Bottom line, it’s a good one!
The Latest Research Says…
A 2022 clinical review of 31 articles on the effects of integrative and complementary practices in treatment of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy pinpointed three effective remedies. Aromatherapy tops the list (no surprise!), followed by herbal medicine – specifically, 1400 milligrams per day of ginger supplements for at least four days – and finally, pericardial 6 point acupressure. If you’ve ever used wrist bands for motion sickness, you’re already familiar. If not, here’s a handy guide. It’s worth a shot!
The Takeaway
Unfortunately, morning sickness is very often a companion you just can’t kick during certain stages of pregnancy (or… the whole dang time). If you’re wondering how on earth you’re going to survive the first trimester, it might be helpful to know that around week ten of your pregnancy, the placenta takes over production of progesterone, which typically means things chill on the nausea and vomiting front. In the meantime, tips for combating morning sickness may not get rid of the nausea entirely, but you could find they make life a little more manageable. Hang in there!
