I’m Pregnant…I’m going to barf
I get asked all the time, is there more for morning sickness besides Saltines and Ginger ale….
What is Morning Sickness and How to keep the barfing at bay
It’s the moment you have been so anxiously awaiting for months, maybe years. The moment you look down and see those two pink lines. It’s real. Congratulations there is a new life growing inside if you. You are about to go on one of the craziest and most rewarding roller coaster rides of your life, pregnancy.
Do you want to know what that roller coaster and your growing baby? Both of them are probably going to make you a little queasy. Pass the puke bag sister, there’s a chance of some morning sickness on the horizon.
A question I get quite often comes from mom’s asking for tips for how to keep the queasiness at bay. While the sight of raw chicken or the smell of the inside of your refrigerator both making you gag seems common among pregnant women, it doesn’t necessarily have to be for you. After four babies of my own and a lot of Preggie Pop Drops and huffing Peppermint Essential Oil (although that really does help, click here for my favorite Peppermint from Young Living) I’ve learned there’s a lot more ways to help with managing Morning Sickness and Pregnancy Nausea.
Before I get to the tips and tricks let’s bust a few myths first and talk about what can actually cause “Morning Sickness”.
First of all, can we just erase the word morning from the description, because if you have ever suffered from it, you know it doesn’t turn off when the clock strikes noon. Pregnant women can experience the discomforts of nausea, food aversions and vomiting in varying degrees. For some of you. this may have been your first sign you were pregnant before even taking a test. I remember with my first pregnancy sitting down at a local coffee shop for a weekly coffee date with my best friend, suddenly completely unable to stomach the taste of my favorite latte, and knowing that something was off.
Typically these symptoms begin around six weeks and last until fourteen weeks. ** If you’re experiencing sever vomiting or it persists past your first trimester, I highly recommend seeking the counsel of your midwife or practitioner as this may be a more serious condition.**
There’s so many theories around what causes morning sickness and I’m sure some of you have been privy to some well-intentioned friend or family member assuring you that “If you have morning sickness they say it means you’ll have a very healthy pregnancy.” Well thanks Great Aunt Sue, but that sure doesn’t make it any better when you’re staring into the porcelain bowl again wondering why you still keep getting a bulk order of saltines if they aren’t helping this situation.
The long and short of it is that there’s a whole lot of physiological changes happening during that first trimester. Your levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone are increasing pretty rapidly. The abundance of these hormones and the changing in your digestive track during this time can partially be to blame for some of those feelings of nausea. Your body is also really craving more nutrients at this time. Your body is building new life and can certainly use some caloric support. But listen up, what you eat matters. I distinctly remember sitting in my OB’s office while pregnant with my first and her telling me I only needed 300 extra calories a day, the equivalent of a half of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. A PB&J…is that the nutrients my body deserves to grow my baby. Hard no. So when we talk about what to eat to help morning sickness, let’s be conscious about the quality of food we are putting in. (But that’s a post for another day).
A Few Tips & Tricks for Dealing with Morning Sickness
There is a big connection with nausea and low blood sugar. So keep your blood sugar stable by eating small meals frequently. Choose a snack that contains both a carbohydrate and a protein. Some great examples would be Toast + Nut Butter, Yogurt + Granola, Popcorn + Nutritional Yeast or Bone Broth + Rice or Beans
Eat a snack before bed and try to keep it protein rich if you can. Your body is building and nourishing that baby while you sleep. It’s no wonder you may wake up starving or nausea with hunger. Try a handful or almonds before bed, or maybe some oatmeal protein balls, even a banana can help.
Sometimes vitamin deficiencies can be a culprit as well. Make sure you’re getting enough Iron, Magnesium and B Vitamins. A good quality vitamin B complex was a game-changer for me! My personal favorite is Young Living because it also contains Folate which is beneficial to babies development.
Herbal teas and tinctures can bring gentle relief as well. I love an herbal tea mix of fennel, peppermint and chamomile. Herbs in the mint family are particularly helpful for resolving stomach upset. Chamomile also supports the liver, stomach and has been known to support appetite improvement. I have a lovely tea mix on hand for clients for tummy support specifically!
Just as herbal remedies have their place in healing and support, I believe essential oils do as well. If you use essential oils at all, Citrus Oils can be your friend! A drop lemon or Orange in your water can help. NOTE! Lemon oil is made from the rind so it is not actually acidic so it shouldn’t cause acid problems.
The magic of peppermint. Try putting some peppermint essential oil on a cloth or cotton ball and breathing it in or even crushing a few peppermint leaves in your hand to enjoy the benefits of its aroma.
Well, there you have it for now. I hope these tips are beneficial. I should write a disclaimer saying Consult your physician before trying any supplements or herbs during pregnancy. BUT Trust YOURSELF! Listen to your body an your instincts. No one knows your body and your baby better then you. So ask yourself what you need. Then if you prefer, you can still get a second opinion.
With Love,
Amanda
Looking for more great resources on Pregnancy? Here’s a few of my favorite books to check out-
Who are you placing your trust in?
…It seems that trust is then exchanged for consent and choice.
Trust: (noun)
reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence.
Often times we hear a birthing person explaining that they have chosen their care provider based on trust. We believe in their ability to assist us in whatever may arise during pregnancy and birth. Often though, that may mean that the trust balance sways heavily in the direction of the care provider and less in one’s self (the birthing person).
When we place our trust in our provider it can be much easier to succumb to their routines and procedures. We “trust” them and they know what they are doing.
What does that mean for the birthing person though? It seems that trust is then exchanged for consent and choice. It’s quite common for birth to become managed by the person your trust has been put in.
.Your clock is managed
.Your body is managed.
.Your progress is managed.
.Your baby is managed.
What if instead we put our Trust IN THE BIRTHING PERSON.
You may feel comfortable with your provider.
You may feel supported by your provider.
But your TRUST, your confidence, your reliance on your bodies ability to do what it was physiologically made to do, SHOULD BE WITHIN YOU!
If we can educate and assure you enough to make informed choices, to believe in your body and your highest self...if you can believe that you are the smartest person in that room. That there is no other expert on YOUR BODY and YOUR BABY, then no choices would be made on your behalf or without your consent.
So keep the trust to yourself. WITHIN YOURSELF. And find a provider who can provide support, discernment and create and atmosphere that encourages the birth you want.
.
Have you ever thought of what it meant to trust yourself during birth?
Who do you feel like your trust was with during your pregnancy and births? This is a judgement free zone. Share your thoughts below!