Morning Sickness

Morning sickness occurs in 80% of pregnancies. Here are some tips to reduce your morning sickness symptoms:

1. Ginger helps with gastric motility and can reduce feelings of nausea. Use small amounts in cooking, chew on candied ginger, or sip on ginger ale.

• Pregnancy Popsicles: In a popsicle mold, blend ginger with coconut water. Freeze until solid.
• Ginger + Juice: Pour ¼ cup ginger ale into ¼ cup of orange juice, apple juice, or cranberry juice
• Ginger Root Tea: Pour ½ cup (4 ounces) of boiling water over a few slices of fresh ginger root. Allow to steep. Add honey for sweetness. Note that pregnant women should avoid the use of herbal teas.

2. You may find that you get more nauseous on an empty stomach so try eating small frequent meals throughout the day and do not skip meals. Keep snacks like plain cashews, almonds, peanuts, dry cereal, crackers, or baby carrots in your bag for easy access.

3. Avoid strong smells and spices. There are bland options in each of the 5 food groups that may work for you. Follow your intuition as food aversions differ from person to person. Continue to seek out as much variety in your diet as possible

• Protein: unseasoned baked chicken, cod or tilapia, egg drop soup, nuts, seeds, roasted edamame, roasted chickpeas, peanut butter, or other nut butters
• Vegetable: Plain raw vegetables, or cooked vegetables seasoned simply with salt and pepper
• Fruit: Popsicles made from real fruit such as Whole Fruit brand Fruit Bars
• Grain: English Muffin, bagel, Saltine crackers, rice, grits, cereal, or noodles. Simple starches may do more to alleviate symptoms (ex. White rice) compared to complex starches (ex. Brown rice)
• Dairy: milk or milk alternatives, parmesan cheese, or low-fat yogurt. If you are unable to tolerate dairy, try including more calcium-rich vegetables such as dark leafy greens.

4. Hydrate. Replete any fluid loss by drinking plenty of water. Lemonade is a good source of carbohydrates that may be well tolerated by women with morning sickness.

Source: Escott-Stump, S. Nutrition & Diagnosis-Related Care. 8^th ed. Wolters Kluwer; 2015. Pages 9-12

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