If there was one thing I really wasn't looking forward to the two times I've been pregnant was the despicable morning sickness which, if you've ever had it, you know can happen any time of the day. Luckily, I never did. I know, don't hate me, but it's true. I've no idea what it's like, except for what other moms have told me. And it doesn't sound pretty!
Either way, I was really surprised to find out that although the majority of moms-to-be–an estimated 70 to 85 percent–experience the nausea and vomiting associated with morning sickness, less than half (only 40 percent) reported having it in the last 12 months, according to a recent national survey of more than 350 nurse practitioners. Which begs the question: why would you suffer in silence?
Apparently it has to do with the erroneous belief that there are no treatments available for women suffering of morning sickness. And yet, there are tons of things you can do to help alleviate the nausea and vomiting you might be experiencing.
Some of these steps are super simple, like getting plenty of rest, eating small meals throughout the day, avoiding bothersome smells and staying away from spicy foods. That last one is totally weird for me because the one and only thing I craved during both my pregnancies, but especially the first one, was picante in my food! I've always loved it, but when I was pregnant, I was known to sit with a jar of jalapeños and eat them like it was the last thing on earth! Can you imagine if I'd had to deal with morning sickness?
I guess I would've had to turn to some of the treatments not associated with lifestyle changes, which include vitamin B6, ginger and ondansetron, a medication used to prevent nausea and vomiting.
Word of caution: never ever take any drugs, vitamins, or herbal supplements during pregnancy without first talking to your doctor or nurse practitioner.
Did you experience morning sickness while pregnant? Did you report it? What did you do to treat it?
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