Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy

Nausea and vomiting – what you can do yourself

It varies from person to person how much and for how long you experience nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. One thing is certain, though: all the many pregnant women I have met with nausea and vomiting have asked what they can do. Here are a few suggestions:

Diet

It is more important to eat than not to eat. So if for a period you can only eat, for example, toast with banana, then that is what you eat. Baby will get the nourishment he or she needs. It is you who may become deficient in vitamins and minerals, for example. When possible, therefore, make sure to eat healthy and nutritious food. Small, frequent meals are often easier to tolerate than regular main meals. It is important to eat before you get really hungry, as an empty stomach can worsen nausea.

Small meals throughout the day

Many people find it helpful to start with a few almonds and something to drink before even getting their feet over the edge of the bed in the morning. Others find ginger biscuits from the health food store helpful. And yes, you should not eat raw ginger, but an occasional biscuit is okay. The same goes for putting a little ginger in a smoothie. Generally, smoothies are brilliant for nausea/vomiting. They can be consumed cold, the taste can be made fresh and tart/sweet, and they can be frozen in popsicle moulds and eaten as ice cream. And making a smoothie does not smell, if you react with an increased sense of smell. A good basic smoothie that can serve as a full meal is.

• Squash
• Whole organic lemon with peel
• Frozen spinach
• Almonds
• Raw eggs (yes, you can) or protein powder
• Frozen berries
• A couple of dates
• Water or oat milk

The above is a full, complete meal with vegetables, fat, and protein. You can vary it endlessly -for the same reason I do not write quantities. But… keep it simple, the more ingredients you put in, the greater the chance that your nausea will say no thank you.

Spicy, fatty, and hot food is more likely to induce nausea and be difficult to keep down. Go with light salads, fruit, and a few nuts, put lemon on the food so it tastes fresh. And again, there is no one size fits all. Maybe it is precisely meatballs in curry that work for you. In that case, go for it.

Drink, drink, drink and drink.

Drink plenty of fluids. Water, for example, with cucumber slices, lemon/ginger, fresh mint, or melon for flavor. Herbal tea -cold or hot. Sparkling water is a life saver for some and a no-go for others. It is a matter of trying things out and finding the right solution for you. For some, it makes a difference to drink through a straw. Avoid coffee -also your partner's coffee breath.

Frozen grapes and melon pieces are brilliant to chew on. They are cold, refreshing, and mild in taste.

Ask your partner to cook the food, as simply the sight and smells of food can cause nausea. If you are alone, ask your loved ones for help. Make, for example, smoothies for several days and freeze them in jam jars, have various prepped vegetables in the refrigerator, so you can make a salad in 2 minutes when your partner is not home.

And one last life hack for nausea and vomiting: Brush your teeth when you have eaten -and ask your partner to do the same. Various fresh mouth pastilles and chewing gum are also a help for some. Others experience getting more air in the stomach from chewing gum. Again, try things out.

Psychological, social, and physical factors

Nausea is provoked by, among other things, the smell of food, so make sure to ventilate well when cooking. And to close the windows when the neighbor is cooking. I have already made it clear that it is a big help if your partner or loved one takes care of the cooking as long as you have nausea/vomiting.

Rest and listen to your limits and general needs, which often change during pregnancy. If you are overtired or have said yes to something you really cannot handle or do not feel like, it can generate more nausea. It is completely okay to cancel appointments, say no, and take a nap or 3 during the day. You are building a baby.
Motion sickness bracelets from the pharmacy are something many people find helpful when they are worn correctly (see the instructions on the package). They press on the nausea point, which is also used in acupuncture. And precisely acupuncture is something many people also benefit from. It often takes 2-4 treatments before you get the full effect.

Is there something you are brooding over? Something from work, studies, family, or something else that fills your thoughts or feelings? In that case, it can also lead to more nausea. If there is something weighing on you, it can be helpful to say it, get some action behind some things, or simply decide that you will deal with it at a later time -set a time, so it does not become an excuse or procrastination, for then we are back to something that can cause nausea.

For some women, it is a solution to be signed off sick for a few weeks. Many women find it difficult to make the decision to sign off sick, for example due to a high degree of duty-fulfillment feelings. But hello, no one thanks you for dragging yourself to work, running out and throwing up, and being drained like a wrung-out dishcloth when you get home. Even 2-3 weeks of being signed off sick with the opportunity to fully focus on listening to your body can make a big difference. You can talk to both your own doctor or a private midwife about whether being signed off sick will be beneficial for you.

If possible, get some fresh air. If you are too tired to go for a walk, go for a bike ride. If your nausea is so annoying that you can only lie in the fetal position in bed, open the window -and ask your partner to change the bed sheets several times a week for a feeling of freshness.

Do your best to distract yourself from the nausea. It can be podcasts, a book, music, talking to a friend (about anything other than nausea and food), or something completely 4. What do you like? What makes you happy? To focus on joy is a choice -and a choice that does not provoke nausea.

Some women find it rewarding to focus on the child in the womb. Write a letter to baby, decorate the baby room in your head, go on Den Blå Avis and find a stroller or similar. In other words, focus on the pleasant things that are the reason for the nausea.
If the nausea is very annoying, B vitamins can help. I am careful about recommending doses broadly to everyone, as the individual must be considered. Therefore, ask your own doctor or midwife about the dose.

Loved ones

It is normal that loved ones want to help and at the same time can have difficulty understanding how you feel. Therefore, be patient with your partner or others who may forget to close the door to the kitchen during cooking or to brush their teeth before a kiss. Mutual understanding of the art of change will take you far in pregnancy and in family life in general.

Tell your partner and loved ones how you feel -also if there is something you are brooding over, if you have changed boundaries, or something else. The better they are equipped to understand you, the easier and more they can be there for you.
To you as a loved one, I would encourage you to ask: Dear you, what can I do for you? Maybe the pregnant woman does not know. Maybe she is already working hard enough to navigate her changed hormones, nausea, and vomiting with more. Generally, it is good to create space so the pregnant woman can get peace and rest. By peace, I also mean to cancel social arrangements, guests, etc. Help her with practical chores -the more the better. It is a period -and a wonderful foretaste of the first time after birth. So go all in and see it as a declaration of love to take care of all the practical things. Your woman is building your baby. Her body, hormones, and feelings are working non-stop in these months. Close the door when you cook, brush your teeth when you have eaten and drunk coffee, as your breath can make your pregnant woman pull away from you, which is not pleasant for either of you. And last, but not least, also remember to take care of yourself. No one can pour from an empty cup, so what makes you happy? How do you fill your cup?

Dear woman, dear partner, I wish you the best possible process and navigation through the land of nausea and vomiting. If you are in doubt about anything, reach out to your own doctor, for example. And remember that for far too many, the nausea and vomiting cease by pregnancy week 12 at the latest.

Sincerely
Siff, HjerteJordemoderen