How to Manage Morning Sickness Like A Mother

Mother’s Day…my mother says it’s a made up holiday, but there is no real way to avoid thinking about or celebrating it a little. I think motherhood has been the best and most difficult job in my life. It has taken away quite a bit, but also given me so much and I have no regrets. 

My first taste of being a mother came about 3 weeks into pregnancy. I didn’t even know I was pregnant yet. We were driving home from a weekend with family and I was complaining to my husband about not feeling well. I was exhausted, nauseous and no food had appealed to me or tasted good the whole weekend. Brian joked, “maybe you’re pregnant.” He was not wrong.

I started out at a manageable level for the first 2 weeks after that, pleasantly nauseous but functional. By week 6 though, my “morning sickness” was debilitating. I was lucky if I could make it through a full day at work before having to leave. I wasn’t sick from waking up until about 10 am, but after that I was one breath away from vomiting all day. The nausea would keep me awake at night. I had ruptured blood vessels in my cheeks and eyes from puking multiple times a day. I literally drove home throwing up into a chinese food soup container. 

Everyone told me their tips and advice and how it would get better by week 12. Week twelve was the absolute worst. The saddest part was that pregnancy was a dream come true for me and a lifelong goal. I felt so blessed and excited but was so miserable and drained from feeling sick all the time, it was hard to enjoy it. Luckily, I researched and talked to my doctor and other moms and anyone I could and came up with a few strategies that have really helped me and other moms I have shared them with. Enjoy my list…

How To Manage Morning Sickness Like a Mother!

1. Keep your blood sugar regulated. In the things you’ll read online, they say small meals throughout the day. For me, this was tiny bites of carby things every 30 minutes. I bought scrub pants to keep a small baggie of things like goldfish and pretzels readily within reach.
2. Sour things really helped. Mini packs of sour patch kids and jolly ranchers to slowly suck on throughout the day helped keep the nausea manageable.
3. Try some “pregnancy” tea or a tea with ginger. Something herbal and safe for pregnancy. A cup of this at your worst time of day made a big difference AND helped with hydration. 
4. Eat what appeals. You have 40 weeks of eating during your pregnancy.  I think if you are able to stay out of the hospital for malnourishment or dehydration then it is OK to spend your first 12 – 20 weeks eating less than favorable (but pregnancy approved) foods. When I was pregnant and ate a salad, I’d vomit for hours. A cheeseburger I could eat. Eventually, I learned to choose the burger.
5. Take a warm shower before bed. I don’t know why, maybe the relaxation and calming of everything, but it really helped.
6. Gentle exercise when you’re feeling your best. This helps with blood flow, swelling and digestion. For me from 11 am – 2 pm was my “most functional” time, so I’d try to get a little walk and stretch in if able.
7. Make sure you are on the right prenatal vitamin. I had to try THREE before I got the one I could tolerate. At 20 weeks my OBGyn told me that really, folic acid was the most important vitamin to focus on and prenatal vitamins weren’t necessary. So if you can’t do the vitamins, make sure you’re getting enough folic acid in the foods you eat. Lots of foods are fortified with it so look at the nutrition facts. 
8. Avoid a lot of belly pressure. In the first trimester, you’re bloated and your belly may be growing so your clothes may be a bit snug. A tight waistband can be uncomfortable. I wore maternity jeans from week 8 to keep my belly feeling spacious and comfy.
9. Try different positions for resting. For me left side lying, a position that helps with digestion, and laying with my head and trunk elevated were most comfortable. Play around and find where you feel your best.
10. Listen to your body and try not to worry. Anxiety will only make you feel worse and waste whatever energy you have. You can trust your body will take what it needs to create your healthy baby. Do your best, be kind to yourself and enjoy the times you feel semi human!

I hope you find these helpful and if you ever want to talk about how much it stinks to vomit multiple times a day for months at time, I’m here for it!

~Perfectly Yours

Mora