Morning Sickness
Morning SicknessNot every expectant mother goes through morning sickness, of course, but those who do tend to list it among their worst experiences. Not only do they have to endure the daily bouts of nausea, they have to be very protective of the fetus that’s prompting the disturbance. That means that they can’t do much, particularly in the way of pharmaceuticals, to quell the nausea.
For women in this pickle, doctors may recommend some very basic procedures to settle their stomachs. For starters, eat five or six frequent meals that combine carbohydrates and proteins, says Barbara Silbert, D.C., N.D., a chiropractor and naturopathic doctor in Newburyport, Massachusetts.
For breakfast, for example, she recommends plain crackers or toast rather than a sugar-laden doughnut. Combine your plain carbs with protein such as cheese, peanut butter, or yogurt. She also recommends kefir (a type of liquid yogurt usually found in health food stores). "The key here is to always have easily digestible food in your stomach," she says.
Chewing gum might also help quell feelings of nausea, says Willow Moore, D.C., N.D., a chiropractor and naturopathic doctor in Owings Mills, Maryland.
If you still need some extra help sparing your stomach while you nurture your baby, reach for some safe, time-tested natural remedies.
A Vitamin to Settle Your Stomach
"Vitamin B6 is the primary supplement I suggest for morning sickness," says Dr. Moore. Studies from as early as the 1940s suggest that B6 provides effective morning sickness relief. In studies since then, researchers have found that pregnant women who take between 10 and 25 milligrams every eight hours get varying degrees of relief from their morning sickness.
In a more recent study, researchers from Columbia University’s department of obstetrics and gynecology and the university’s Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Research in Women’s Health evaluated all available evidence for every type of alternative remedy for morning sickness. They concluded that acupressure, vitamin B6, and ginger are currently the most effective.
Try taking 50 milligrams of B6 twice a day, says Dr. Silbert. "I think the activated form of vitamin B6, called P5P, works best." Take the supplement first thing in the morning, even before you get out of bed. Then take a second dose around lunchtime, Dr. Silbert advises. You should feel relief after the first few doses.
It might seem logical to take the vitamin as a preventive before you go to bed, but Dr. Silbert warns against it. "Several of my patients have complained of having nightmares when they took a dose of B6 before going to bed," she says. "Just to be on the safe side, get your two doses in before the sun goes down."
Some women’s nausea is so bad that they can’t keep the capsule down, says Dr. Moore. Such women may need a vitamin B6 injection. The injection has to be given by a doctor, of course, but you may not have to go back repeatedly. One injection is usually sufficient to get things under control enough so that you can start taking the supplement orally, Dr. Moore says.
The Ginger Cure
Ginger is another great nausea fighter. One study showed that 940 milligrams (about ½ teaspoon) of ginger worked as well for relieving motion sickness as the common over-the-counter remedy dimenhydrinate (Dramamine). The results of a British study suggest that ginger works as well as drugs for relieving the nausea and vomiting sometimes induced by general anesthesia and showed that it didn’t have as many side effects as anti-nausea drugs.
One theory is that ginger works to prevent the gastrointestinal tract from relaying messages to the brain that trigger nausea and vomiting. Whatever the reason, it’s worth a try.
While ginger ale or ginger tea might help, the most effective form of ginger is the powder in a supplement capsule, says Dr. Silbert. You can follow the dosage directions on the bottle but limit the dosage to 250 milligrams four times a day. Ginger contains some mutation-causing compounds and may not be safe at dosages higher than 1,000 milligrams a day.