Ten Tips for Managing Morning Sickness

• Eat smaller, more frequent meals. Don't let your stomach get empty, or stay empty for long.
• Keep crackers near the bed (my personal favorites were Stone Wheat Thins™; many women choose Saltines™) and eat a few before even getting out of bed.  Keep some in your car and your pocket book for good measure.
• Rise slowly from bed; a quick change in position can irritate your digestive system or make you dizzy.
• Avoid spicy, fatty, and fried foods.  Instead, eat easy-to-digest carbohydrate based foods, such as crackers, plain bagel, plain pasta, potatoes, pancakes, yogurt, and rice.
• Avoid coffee, sweets, and processed foods, which cause your blood sugar to fluctuate more erratically.
• Limit acidic foods (e.g. fruits, fruit juices) to the end of a meal.
• Drink plenty of fluids between meals, but not before eating.  Preferred drinks include ginger ale and colas, which can settle the stomach.  Some women find that herbal teas such as peppermint, spearmint, chamomile, peach leaf, and red raspberry relieve nausea although others have aversions to tea.
• Eat a protein-rich snack such as cheese, meat or peanut butter.
• Stress may also play a role in morning sickness and morning sickness can increase your level of stress.  Practice some sort of stress-reducing activity, such as walking, warm baths, meditation or massage.
• Keep a positive attitude. Focus on the fact that this indicates that your baby is growing fine, that this will be over soon, and it's for a good cause!

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Created: 10/17/2000  -  Donnica Moore, M.D.