“Morning” Sickness. Whoever Decided To Call It That Is A Liar.

Some Moms-to-be get sick in the morning, I’m sure. But for me, and a LOT of Moms I know, the feeling lasted ALL. DAY. LONG.

I was a lucky one. I never actually got sick. I FELT sick, but nothing ever came of it. I will tell you-some days, I wished I could just throw up so I wouldn’t be nauseous anymore.

But, according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), there are six remedies that can help you feel better.

1. Get plenty of rest.
Well, ok. This is pretty much a given considering how tired you are from creating another life inside of you. I have to say, in my life, sleep is the cure for what ails you almost always. But in this case, you usually wake up and feel sick…immediately.

2. Avoid smells that bother you.
If you know what they are! Pregnant woman can be as fickle as toddlers when it comes to food. Some days, chicken on the BBQ is a feast and other days it may as well be garbage. Your husband may be trying to do a nice thing and make you your favorite pasta dish, but that day, tomato sauce makes the house smell terrible! Of course, if this is within your control, it goes without saying that you should avoid foods that bother you. You would do this on a regular day, so why not when you’re pregnant?

3. Eat five or six small meals each day instead of three large meals.
This is excellent advice. For everyone! If you’re not feeling up to making meals or eating them, it’s perfectly fine to graze throughout the day. Try to get some healthy food in there as it’s easy to eat crackers and arrowroot cookies all day to ease your stomach. Smoothies are a great way to cram some nutrition in there, and you can slowly sip so you don’t overdo it.

4. Eat a few crackers before you get out of bed in the morning to help settle your stomach.
Yup. I totally had a bunch of crackers by my bedside in case I woke up in the middle of the night or felt gross first thing in the morning. This can TOTALLY help. Try a crunchy whole grain variety for optimal nutrition.

5. Eat small snacks high in protein (such as a glass of milk or a cup of yogurt) throughout the day.
I agree with small snacks (just like grazing all day) with protein but sometimes milk can be a big turnoff. Nuts, or nut butter are good options as well. Some others? Cut up some fruit or have some baby carrots with hummus or baba ganoush.

6. Avoid spicy foods and fatty foods.
Unless this is the only thing you want to eat. Like I said before, pregnant woman can be as picky as toddlers and if you want to have Indian food because you’ll actually keep it down-go for it. Maybe not every day, but that goes without saying for everyone.

Basically, listen to your body. If you’re not hungry, don’t worry-but try not to go a full day without eating and definitely sip on water. Get something in there, even if it’s not ideal…and try to get some good nutrition in there as much as possible. Ginger is an excellent option as well-ginger ale or ginger tea made with real ginger. This phase of pregnancy will pass, and if you really can’t function, talk to your doctor about some options.

About This Blogger

Seanna Thomas

Seanna Thomas is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist living in Ontario, Canada. She works as a personal consultant and freelance writer out of her home and teaches healthy lifestyle cooking classes to both adults and children in the area. She is a mother to three children, all under the age of six and her husband works as a medic in the Canadian military. Although Seanna is educated in all aspects of nutrition, she focuses on realistic clean eating with a spotlight on healthy family habits. She is known online as the "Nutritionnaire" and writes a weekly blog. She can also be found on Twitter, will soon have a Facebook page, and a website is in the works! In her downtime, she enjoys being outdoors with her family and relaxing at home with her husband and a well-deserved glass of wine.