Nausea During Pregnancy – Natural Remedies

Are You Pregnant? Congratulations! 🎊🍾🎉

Exciting changes are entering your life, bringing with them physical and emotional shifts, along with new symptoms occurring in your body.

One of these symptoms includes nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.

Nausea and vomiting are common phenomena in the first trimester—within the first three months of pregnancy—and are often seen as a negative symptom due to the exact cause of nausea not being fully understood.

Pregnancy nausea is a natural occurrence as a result of hormonal and structural changes in the early stages of pregnancy.

The digestive system in the first trimester is the primary system reacting to these initial bodily and mental changes.

In the first trimester, the placenta begins to grow and the uterus starts to expand—processes that cause significant and healthy mobility in the pelvic area.

The proximity of the digestive organs to the uterus (the colon, located behind the uterus, and the stomach, above it) significantly affects the function and mobility of these organs.

Additionally, during this period, there is an increased secretion of the beta-HCG hormone, which encourages the embryo's implantation, accelerated growth, and nourishment in the uterus.

These hormonal changes lead to many changes in a woman's body and mind, including changes in the digestive system.

Other factors like stress and anxiety, fatigue, vitamin deficiencies, unbalanced diet, and more can also lead to symptoms of nausea and vomiting.

Common Symptoms in the First Trimester:

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Constipation and/or changes in bowel movements

• Loss of appetite

• Increased appetite

• Heartburn

• Bloating and gas

• Fatigue and weariness

When Does Pregnancy Nausea Start and When Does It End?

Statistically, symptoms of pregnancy nausea in most women begin between weeks 4 to 7, with the peak of nausea occurring around week 9 (about weeks 8-10), and a decrease in nausea intensity after week 10.

Some women stop experiencing nausea around week 12, and most report that their nausea ceased around week 16.

Morning Sickness—Is It Really Just in the Morning?

Pregnancy nausea is commonly referred to as 'morning sickness,' yet it can occur at any time of the day.

Pregnancy nausea spans all hours of the day, especially between 6 AM and 9 PM, with the most common times being late morning to early afternoon. However, this is highly individual for each woman.

Image source: Shutterstock

How to Treat Nausea During Pregnancy?

Nausea During Pregnancy—All Solutions

Ways to Treat Nausea During Pregnancy:

1. Eat soon after waking up—eating about half an hour to an hour after waking can greatly ease the onset of nausea.

2. Morning carbs—eating light, 'dry' carbs in the morning, such as toast or crackers, helps give the body energy and is considered a neutral food that doesn't trigger nausea.

3. Regular meals, every 2-3 hours—nausea during pregnancy is different from nausea caused by a stomach virus or food poisoning, and often signifies that you need to eat. Opt for small portions each time.

4. Reduce fried, fatty, and heavily spiced foods—these foods stimulate stomach acids, especially during the first trimester, and can very likely cause nausea, heartburn, and even vomiting. Try to avoid them.

5. Reduce coffee—besides studies showing that more than a small cup of coffee/espresso per day could endanger the fetus, coffee is one of the main foods that can trigger nausea during pregnancy, among other things, because it is acidic and suppresses appetite—two characteristics that together may prevent you from eating frequently and cause acidity in the stomach that can lead to nausea/heartburn and even vomiting.

6. Lemons—your best friend! Lemon peel—use grated lemon peel to inhale in case of nausea. Great tip—keep a lemon in your bag with you, and when nausea hits, grate a bit of the peel and inhale the wonderful essential oils in the peel. Lemon juice—homemade lemonade Squeeze half/quarter of a lemon (depending on your personal level of sourness) into a cup of room temperature or cool mineral water and drink when experiencing nausea.

7. Soda—soda is a caffein-free fizzy drink that eases situations where there is nausea, sometimes even more than natural lemonade. Sometimes when there is nausea, it is difficult to drink water, and soda is an excellent solution for preventing dehydration.

8. Sour fruits like grapefruit, pomelo, and sour nectarines—eating these can help prevent nausea and even ease existing nausea while enriching your body with vitamin C.

9. Crackers in the bag—when you feel hungry or nauseous, munch a few healthy crackers to calm your stomach.

10. Herbal teas:

• Chamomile—chamomile flowers help calm the stomach and reduce nausea. Drink chamomile infusions throughout the day. Chamomile is suitable for most nausea situations, for all seasons, and I consider it a perfect tea for physical and mental relaxation. Great before sleep if you have difficulty falling asleep.

• Fresh grated ginger or slices—greatly eases nausea and reduces vomiting. Grate a bit of fresh ginger into a cup of warm water or add 2-3 slices. You can sweeten it slightly with honey or agave and add a squirt of lemon. It is recommended to consume ginger in moderation, and if you experience hot flashes, use it occasionally. It is more recommended to drink ginger when the first trimester is during the winter season, and it's also advisable to alternate with chamomile infusions. Additionally, if you want to diversify your water flavors—cut some fresh ginger slices and put them in a pitcher of cold water and drink throughout the day. You can sweeten it slightly with brown sugar/coconut sugar.

1. Fennel seed infusions—2-3 fennel seeds in a cup of hot water are excellent for solving phlegm, which often occurs during pregnancy and nausea that mainly comes after eating.

2. Dried citrus peels—dried citrus peels (you can dry them yourself—for those interested, send me a message, and I'll explain) or buy dried peels. Infuse a few pieces in hot water to ease phlegm and nausea after eating. Calms the stomach.

3. Essential oil of grapefruit—carry it with you everywhere. Grapefruit essential oil is excellent for treating nausea, reduces vomiting, and regulates situations where there is an excess appetite (even for sweets) and also situations where there is a lack of appetite and you want to bring it back! Keep a bottle of grapefruit essential oil with you in your bag. When nausea strikes, smell the oil, which will immediately calm your stomach and ease the nausea. When you are at home, drip 2-3 drops in a burner to create a calming atmosphere for yourself at home and to ease the digestive system during the day.

4. Homemade pickles/fermented vegetables—make yourself some sauerkraut/pickled cucumbers as they also provide a sour and soothing snack during the day and also provide a huge bonus of excellent and natural prebiotics for the digestive system. During this period, it is very important to support the digestive system with prebiotics (preferably natural and high quality—for example, those that come from fermented foods).

I've attached a link for you to easily make homemade pickles—click here

1. Deep breathing—taking deep breaths into the lower abdomen helps reduce the sensation of nausea and calms the nervous system—a great thing in itself during this exciting period, which can sometimes be stressful. Sit in a comfortable place, place your feet on the floor or sit cross-legged. Take a few minutes for deep breaths and return with renewed energy to your active day.

Additional Solutions for Pregnancy Nausea:

In addition to correct eating and drinking, it is recommended to integrate other areas that will support you in the process you are undergoing.

1. Chinese acupuncture— Chinese acupuncture is considered very effective in treating nausea and vomiting during pregnancy and helps bring immediate relief and quick results.

2. Moderate physical activity—helps move the digestive system and assists in maintaining a proper metabolism.

3. Avoid stifling, crowded, and hot places—such places can cause you nausea and worsen existing nausea.

4. Walk in the open air and in cool places—found that cooler temperatures and fresh air help ease nausea situations. Feeling nauseous? Go outside to the fresh air and take a deep breath.

5. Show compassion towards yourself—there is no doubt that pregnancy nausea and vomiting can be exhausting and a difficult process to deal with, but remember that you are at a stage where you are creating life inside your body. You are experiencing many changes, emotional and physical... and well done to you! Remind yourself every day how amazing you are in your ability to bring life into the world and how much bigger you are than life and stronger than everything, from all the symptoms that exist and those that will come... You are embarking on a journey where you become a mother, and the road is sometimes bumpy and sometimes you will encounter bumps... But every bump that happens on your way and every difficulty—you have the inner strengths and powers to pass them with great success.
   

For any questions and consultations, feel comfortable contacting me at +31627926687

I would be happy to help.

Good health,

Nini Yeala Haimovich (Bat-Segal) DIP.C.M Practitioner of Chinese Medicine

Aesthetic Chinese Medicine – Cosmetic Acupuncture and Natural Pharmacology