🤰 Managing Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy

You’re expecting a baby, and your body has already begun its incredible transformation ✨. But then… those famous bouts of nausea and vomiting (often called “morning sickness”) sometimes show up to spoil the party, especially in the first trimester.

Rest assured: while unpleasant, they’re extremely common (8 out of 10 pregnant women experience them!) and usually harmless. Let’s take a closer look at how to better understand and ease them 💕.

🌱 Why does nausea happen?

Think of your body as a factory going through a massive reorganization: hormones (especially hCG and estrogen) are skyrocketing, your sense of smell turns into a super-sensitive radar, and your stomach reacts more strongly than usual.

👉 The result? Your digestive system sometimes says:
“Whoa, pause! Too many changes all at once.”

🍵 Little habits that help

💡 The key here is gentle and frequent.

• Eat smaller, more frequent meals: 5–6 mini-meals instead of 3 large ones. Your stomach is like a small bowl—it prefers being filled slowly.

• Snack right after waking up: a dry cracker or slice of bread before even getting out of bed can ease morning nausea.

• Favor gentle foods: rice, bananas, applesauce, mashed potatoes, dry toast.

• Avoid greasy, spicy, or strong-smelling foods—they’re like fireworks for your stomach 🚫.

• Stay hydrated: sip water often, try mild herbal teas (chamomile, light ginger), or clear broths.

🌸 Natural allies

A few simple tricks can bring real relief:

• Ginger: known to reduce nausea (in tea, capsules, or freshly grated in food).

• Lemon: sniff a fresh slice or drink lemon water.

• Cold foods: sometimes easier to tolerate than hot dishes since they release fewer odors.

• Rest: fatigue can worsen nausea → listen to your body.

😣 When nausea becomes overwhelming

For most women, symptoms ease after the first trimester. But in some cases, they can become very intense (a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum).

⚠️ Contact your healthcare provider promptly if:

• you can’t keep food or liquids down,

• you’re losing weight,

• you feel very weak or dehydrated.

Your doctor or midwife can provide tailored support, and if needed, medical treatment.