4 cures for morning sickness in pregnancy

Vomiting and nausea in pregnancy are nothing new. In fact, the Egyptians wrote about them over 2,000 years ago. Morning sickness is nearly a universal condition for women in the first part of their pregnancies. Seventy-five percent or more suffer the symptoms.

If you're pregnant and have morning sickness, you've probably asked the question "Why do they call it morning sickness?"

Read: Chugging hot sauce induces labor and other baby myths

Actually, most women have the symptoms of morning sickness at any and all times of the day, although some do find it more severe in the morning, when they first wake up. Some people feel that it is worse in the mornings because nausea seems to be worse on an empty stomach, and after not eating all night, those first moments in the morning can be difficult.

So, one cure for that first-thing-in-the-morning nausea is to keep a few crackers or cheese at your bedside to eat before venturing out of bed. Carbs often sound the best to a sore stomach, but there is evidence that protein is helpful, too. It's also best to eat frequent, small meals while in this stage for the same reason. Don't let your stomach get too empty. And, as your pregnancy progresses, this is a great habit to keep. Later, when your baby is larger, you may have trouble with acid or heartburn. Smaller, more frequent meals will help.

Here are some other ideas:

Avoid trigger foods

You may notice certain foods or smells trigger your nausea. Avoid them when possible. Sometimes even flickering lights or a stuffy room will set you off. Once you identify these you can do your best to stay away from them. Fatty foods are often problematic, as well as very spicy foods. Pay attention to your body's signs.

Not so hot

Sometimes, eating a food at room temperature, or cold, is more easily tolerated than hot.

Ginger

It's a time-honored antidote for morning sickness. Make ginger tea from raw ginger, or take capsules with real ginger for a better result than commercial ginger ale. Some people get relief from ginger candies or suckers.

Peppermint

Tea may be helpful, or using pure peppermint essential oil topically. Sometimes, even sniffing the bottle of essential oil will quell your stomach. Be sure to use a therapeutic grade oil to avoid synthetic peppemint--which may actually make it worse.

When vomiting is severe, staying hydrated is a problem, since drinking water is sometimes hard to tolerate. Try freezing Gatorade into icecubes and sucking on them as an alternative.

Good nutrition is important when pregnant, but try not to stress too much if you can't keep a well-balanced diet down. Prenatal vitamins will help cover some of the bases. (Be sure to take them with food!)