Are you pregnant and feeing sick? Welcome to the club! 50-90% of women experience nausea in pregnancy. it usually starts between four to six weeks, peaks around week seven to nine weeks, and ends around the 13th week of pregnancy. Remember how I said "usually"? For me, it continued on!
There are supplements you can try, like Vitamin B6 or ginger. Or you can even get medication if needed. However, here are some food tips that can help you when it’s hard to keep food down:
Avoid trigger foods (strong smells or flavours). Often strong cooking smells like garlic, ginger and spices can lead to nausea. Greasy or fatty foods can also be a trigger.
Plan for cold foods, as they have less odour.
Ask your partner to take over the cooking. Or get takeout or other meal delivery services temporarily.
Snack before going to bed. This helps having a totally empty stomach and feeling sick during the night.
Eat crackers/ starchy food before getting out of bed in the morning to absorb acids in your stomach and increase blood sugar.
Eat mini meals throughout the day and don’t get hungry. An empty stomach is more likely to feel sick.
Include some protein with every meal and snack. Some ideas include boiled eggs, nuts or nut butters, roasted chickpeas, Greek yogurt or cheese.
Troubles drinking plain water? Try lemonade or ginger or peppermint tea. You can also make popsicles from coconut water or smoothies if it’s easier to eat those than to drink them.
Sour and salty snacks can help: granny smith apples, dried cranberries, cottage cheese, pickles, pretzels or lemon yogurt.
If you want to hear more about this topic, you can view Jennifer's video too!
