Where some people go through pregnancy effortlessly, others have to deal with numerous ailments and that big pink cloud seems far away. One of the most common pregnancy ailments is nausea. Gagging, lots of saliva and vomiting are then the order of the day and functioning sometimes seems impossible. What to do about pregnancy nausea? You can read about it in this blog.

About pregnancy sickness

As many as 70 to 85% of pregnant women experience nausea during pregnancy. Often before breakfast has even been eaten, but sometimes it persists throughout the day. In most women these symptoms disappear after the ^12th or 16th ^weekof pregnancy, but unfortunately there are also cases where pregnancy nausea persists for 9 months. 

There are also women who are extremely nauseous and vomit a lot. In about 1 in 100 pregnant ladies this is the case and we speak of Hyperemesis Gravidarum. Severe pregnancy nausea can lead to weight loss, malnutrition and dehydration, so it is always important to contact the obstetrician, gynecologist or family doctor!

The causes of pregnancy sickness

There are several factors that can trigger or aggravate pregnancy sickness, this is different for every pregnant woman. We discuss some possible causes below.

1. During pregnancy, many women are a lot more sensitive to smells than usual, and for good reason! After all, as a pregnant woman, you need to be alerted in time when foods are potentially dangerous for the baby. However, this hypersensitivity to smells can also cause you to start gagging from the smell of coffee, roasted meat or incense.
2. Unstable blood sugar. Do you experience nausea after eating foods high in carbohydrates and sugars but low in fiber? Unstable blood sugar can cause fatigue and nausea after meals that are relatively high in carbohydrates and relatively low in protein and fat.
3. Organs have less space. Are you particularly nauseous in the third trimester of pregnancy? Several organs, including the stomach, have less space due to the growing uterus and may be constricted. An oppressed stomach can cause nausea.
4. With a twin or multiple pregnancy, more of the pregnancy hormone HCG is produced, which means a greater chance of nausea.

What to do about pregnancy sickness

Fortunately, there are several things that may reduce your pregnancy sickness. This is a matter of trying and experiencing what works for you.

1. Maintain stable blood sugar levels. Eat smaller meals throughout the day and make sure you have a good balance of carbohydrates, fats and protein. Add high-fiber foods to your heart's content, but preferably leave out sugar as much as possible.
2. Experience what works for you. Normally we advocate plenty of variety in a diet, but when you are experiencing nausea and vomiting this is secondary. Do apples and raspberries invariably cause feelings of vomiting, but plums and pears are currently more to your liking? If so, vary your diet a little less these weeks and mainly enjoy those (healthy) foods that do stay in.
3. Eat something small before you get up. An empty stomach can also worsen feelings of nausea, so put a small snack next to your bed as standard. These can be dry crackers, a handful of grapes or breadsticks; again, experience what works for you!
4. Make sure you get enough vitamin B6. In some cases, vitamin B6 can help with pregnancy sickness. You can find vitamin B6 particularly in pumpkin seeds, pistachios, brown rice, salmon, hazelnuts and walnuts. Using a pregnancy multivitamin with sufficient vitmane B6 is also an option, but always in consultation with an obstetrician, gynecologist or family doctor.
5. Ginger is known to be effective against nausea, so it is definitely worth a try! Grated ginger, ginger tea or, in consultation with a doctor, a ginger supplement can possibly reduce your pregnancy nausea.
6. Wristbands against nausea. It has not yet been scientifically proven, but a soft wristband that releases blocked energy pathways through acupressure is often used for car or seasickness and are also safe to use during pregnancy.

Conclusion:

There are several causes as well as possible solutions for pregnancy sickness, but it's a matter of trying what works for you. Adequate rest, low stress and acceptance is essential. Because like many other pregnancy ailments, nausea serves as a berserker for mother and child.