Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy
Usually called "morning sickness," nausea and vomiting are common during early
pregnancy. For many women, though, it isn't limited to just the morning. Although it can
seem like it will last forever, nausea and vomiting usually go away after the first trimester.
Try these tips to help prevent and soothe nausea:
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Eat frequent, small meals (6 to 8 small meals a day) rather than 3 large meals.
Avoid fatty, fried, or spicy foods.
Try eating starchy snacks, like toast, saltines, cheerios or other dry cereals when you
feel nauseated. Keep some by your bed and eat something before you get out of bed
in the morning. If you feel nauseous in the middle of the night, reach for these
starchy foods. It's also a good idea to keep these snacks with you at all times, in
case of nausea.
Try drinking carbonated drinks like ginger ale or seltzer water between meals.
Ask your doctor if you should change prenatal vitamins if it seems to be making your
nausea worse. Sometimes taking your prenatal vitamin at a different time (e.g. at
night not in the morning) can also help.
Ask your doctor about taking vitamin B6 for nausea and vomiting that doesn't get
better with dietary changes.
If you think you might be vomiting excessively, call your doctor. Constant nausea and/or
frequent vomiting may mean you have a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum (severe
nausea in the first trimester that can cause malnourishment and dehydration in some
women). If you lose too much fluid you might become dehydrated. Dehydration can be
dangerous for you and your baby.
Last Updated: March 2007
Source: Office on Women's Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services