Nausea is the feeling of sickness but also includes episodes of vomiting. When talking about nausea in pregnancy it might be referred to as morning sickness but can occur at any time of day. Symptoms are usually mild. When sickness is severe then it is referred to as hyperemesis gravidarum, this form of sickness needs addressing by a healthcare professional.
Symptoms:
Nausea in pregnancy is also known as Morning Sickness. Despite the name, it can be experienced at any time of day. Symptoms may consist of feeling sick only but may also involve being sick.
Causes:
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Changes in hormones.
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Pregnant with more than 1 baby.
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Genetics
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Previous history of vomiting or nausea – i.e. travel sickness / motion sickness.
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Evidence suggests that tiredness and stress can also make nausea worse.
Here is what the evidence says about the treatment options for mild to moderate nausea and sickness:
Ginger – evidence suggests that ginger is safe and effective in treating mild to moderate nausea. However, it is not clear in what form the ginger should be taken (from the evidence available).
Based on reviews, we recommend these ginger tablets from ‘Mobu’ or in ‘tea’ form, from HOTTEA MAMA, these ginger tea pyramids come with good reviews.
Acupressure – evidence suggests that acupressure can be effective in treating nausea. Acupressure involves putting pressure over a point on the wrist.
Here is what we found to be most popular for this on Amazon. This study found that both acupressure and ginger were the most effective in treating nausea compared to other complementary medicines.
We also found this ‘package’ by Myrtl and Maude was good as it contained the acupressure wristbands and the ginger based tea.
Also worth looking at is THIS App by Sense Relief which provides acupressure via your Smart Watch. You need an Apple smart watch to use it but they are talking about branching out to other smart watches in the not so distant future so watch this space.
Vitamin B6 – evidence is slightly more limited for this and less pregnancy specific but results for nausea are promising when looking at chemotherapy induced nausea for example. B6 isn’t something that is recommended to be taken on it’s own during pregnancy but often prenatal supplements will contain B6 or ginger tablets will contain it also.
These packages from ‘My Expert Midwife’ and ‘Myrtle and Maude’ are great examples of this.
Aromatherapy – evidence isn’t quite as strong for aromatherapy but it is available. Studies are mainly aimed at the effects on chemotherapy-induced nausea, but results are promising.
Packages like this one from ‘My Expert Midwife‘ tend to include aromatherapy sprays to cover all bases. You can just buy the spray on it’s own – here.
Yoga – Stress and tiredness has been linked to increased nausea in pregnancy and Yoga is a great way to tackle stress, anxiety and tension, leading to a better nights sleep. There are lots of Online Yoga programmes available, have a look at our Top 5 here (and why we love them)! You can also read our blog on how yoga can help in other ways.
What symptoms to watch for (according to the lovely folk over at BabyCenter):
Talk to your doctor or midwife immediately if:
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You lose 2 pounds or more.
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You develop nausea and vomiting after 9 weeks of pregnancy.
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You have nausea and vomiting after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
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You vomit blood.
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You feel dizzy when you stand.
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You have signs of dehydration, including dark urine or infrequent urination.
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You have abdominal pain, fever, headache, or swelling in the front of the neck.
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You can’t keep down any liquids for 12 hours or any solids for 24 hours.