Maternal health expert “Rural Doc” Alan Lindemann, M.D., former winner of the Rural Health Care Provider of the Year award and co-author of “Modern Medicine: What You’re Dying to Know,” offers some tips on how to avoid pregnancy nausea — including what, when, and how to eat.
“Morning sickness is a combination of hypoglycemia and motion sickness,” explains Dr. Alan. “I learned a lot about how to help my patients decrease the effects of morning sickness by listening to their stories about what worked for them and others.”
These little-known tips can make all the difference for women who are struggling with pregnancy nausea.
Eat BEFORE you get out of bed
Keep something beside the bed that you can eat before you get up. Crackers are often recommended, along with juice of some sort to supply sugar. When you wake up, eat the crackers and drink the juice, then lie back down for 10 to 15 minutes so the food can settle. (This is not the time to stick to a low carb diet!)
Shower AFTER breakfast
Resist the urge to get up and go straight to the shower. Instead, get up and eat a good breakfast with fat, protein, and carbohydrates — like bacon, eggs, and toast. If, like so many of us, you are wedded to the cold cereal breakfast and can’t stand the notion of eggs and bacon, try oatmeal. Add butter and a bit of sugar, and have an egg with it for protein, or even a slice of unprocessed cheese. The food raises your blood sugar and stabilizes your blood pressure.
Avoid driving until after you have rested another 10 minutes
You don’t want to be driving with your window down and holding your head out the window trying to combat nausea.
Eat like a diabetic
Eat three meals a day with three little meals in between. All meals should include protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Aim for 1/3 carbohydrates, 1/3 fat, and 1/3 protein in a meal. 40 percent carbohydrates, 40 percent protein, and 20 percent fat also works. If you are on a balanced diet, three big and three small meals will cause you to gain about 2 to 3 pounds per month. If you are carrying twins or multiples, you will gain about 4 pounds per month.
Use medication as a last resort
If you find you cannot control the nausea with careful monitoring of your activity and diet, there are medications available. Of the three commonly prescribed drugs for morning sickness, studies show they do not produce birth defects or cause miscarriages — but they all have various side effects, including headache, dizziness, drowsiness, and diarrhea. If you are fortunate enough to be able to control morning sickness with diet and exercise, you can avoid adding any unknown or unnecessary risk to your pregnancy.
To learn more, visit https://lindemannmd.com/.
The Editorial Team at Lake Oconee Health is made up of skilled health and wellness writers and experts, led by Daniel Casciato who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We aim to provide our readers with valuable insights and guidance to help them lead healthier and happier lives.
