While one person may experience a pregnancy effortlessly, another may suffer from numerous ailments, and that big pink cloud seems far away. One of the most common pregnancy ailments is nausea. Gagging, excessive saliva, and vomiting are then the order of the day, and functioning sometimes seems impossible. What to do about pregnancy nausea? You can read about it in this blog.
About pregnancy nausea
As many as 70 to 85% of pregnant women experience nausea during pregnancy. Often even before breakfast, but sometimes this can last throughout the day. For most women, these symptoms disappear after the 12th or 16th week of pregnancy, but unfortunately, there are also cases where pregnancy nausea persists for 9 months.
There are also women who experience extreme nausea and vomit a lot. This is the case for approximately 1 in 100 pregnant women, and we speak of Hyperemesis Gravidarum. Severe pregnancy nausea can lead to weight loss, malnutrition, and dehydration, which is why it is always important to contact a midwife, gynecologist, or general practitioner!
The causes of pregnancy nausea
There are various factors that can trigger or worsen pregnancy nausea, and this differs for every pregnant woman. Below, we discuss a few possible causes.
- Sensitivity to smells. During pregnancy, many women are much more sensitive to smells than usual, and this is for a good reason! As a pregnant woman, you need to receive a signal in time when food products might be dangerous for the baby. However, this hypersensitivity to smells can also cause you to gag at the smell of coffee, roasted meat, or incense.
- Unstable blood sugar levels. Do you experience nausea after eating foods with a lot of carbohydrates and sugars but fewer fibers? Unstable blood sugar levels can cause fatigue and nausea after meals that contain relatively many carbohydrates and relatively few proteins and fats.
- Organs have less space. Are you particularly nauseous in the third trimester of pregnancy? Various organs, including the stomach, have less space due to the growing uterus and can become compressed. A compressed stomach can cause nausea.
- High hCG levels. In the case of a twin or multiple pregnancy, more of the pregnancy hormone hCG is produced, which means a greater chance of nausea.
What to do about pregnancy nausea
Fortunately, there are various things that may reduce your pregnancy nausea. This is a matter of trying and experiencing what works for you.
- Ensure stable blood sugar levels. Eat smaller meals throughout the day and ensure a good balance of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Feel free to add fiber-rich foods, but preferably avoid sugar as much as possible.
- Experience what works for you. Normally, we advocate for sufficient variety in a diet, but when you experience nausea and vomiting, this is secondary. Do apples and raspberries consistently make you feel like vomiting, but plums and pears currently taste better? Then vary a little less these weeks and primarily enjoy the (healthy) food that stays down.
- Eat something small before getting up. An empty stomach can also worsen feelings of nausea, so always keep a small snack next to your bed. This could be dry crackers, a handful of grapes, or breadsticks; again, experience what works for you!
- Ensure sufficient vitamin B6. In some cases, vitamin B6 can help with pregnancy nausea. You can find vitamin B6 primarily in pumpkin seeds, pistachios, brown rice, salmon, hazelnuts, and walnuts. Using a pregnancy multivitamin with sufficient vitamin B6 is also an option, but always in consultation with a midwife, gynecologist, or general practitioner.
- Ginger. Ginger is known for its effective action against nausea and is certainly worth trying! Grated ginger, ginger tea, or, in consultation with a doctor, a ginger supplement may reduce your pregnancy nausea.
- Wristbands for nausea. While not yet scientifically proven, a soft wristband that releases blocked energy pathways through acupressure is often used for motion sickness or seasickness and is also safe to use during pregnancy.
Conclusion:
There are various causes and possible solutions for pregnancy nausea, but it's a matter of trying what works for you. Sufficient rest, low stress, and acceptance are essential. Because like many other pregnancy ailments, nausea also serves as a protection for mother and child.
