A couple of weeks ago, I revealed that I was pregnant with babyfoode #2 [thank you everyone that emailed me to congratulate me, I have been meaning to email you back but I was probably too busy in the bathroom]. Since then, I have seen Sara to get a wealth of pregnancy nutritional meal and supplement information and my acupuncturist to try ease some of my symptoms. Both of them have been amazing and beyond supportive, the problem is that even now at 17 weeks, I am still not feeling well. Smells still extremely bother me, meals are still not staying down and nausea comes and goes leaving me tired and cranky. Since my first pregnancy was easy as pie, I wasn’t really ready for this. And since it doesn’t seem to be giving up I decided to try some new some new remedies for my morning [more like all day] sickness.

I know what you might be thinking, this blog isn’t about you and your pregnancy. And I know, it’s about baby food and educating parents, babies and kids on how to eat healthy, try new foods and find new approaches to eating. But it’s also about a community of moms that are coming together that only want the best for their babies and each other. So I am starting a small section of posts dedicated to us, the moms! I will go into topics like morning sickness, healthy pre and post natal recipes, nutritional information for moms expecting, trying to conceive, some ways to fight baby blues and other topics that I hope will help the MamaFoodE in all of us.

I hope you will find these posts interesting, compelling and helpful. If this doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, so sorry. But I promise I will still post tons of baby food recipes for you and your little one to enjoy.

Morning Sickness

If you currently have or have had morning sickness, you know how hard, intense and varied it can be. It is often not the same in any women, from pregnancy to pregnancy or from day to day. Some days you might feel fine and then just like that you get it double time for a week, maybe it is every morning for the first 3 months of pregnancy or you might even be one of the lucky ladies that has it their entire pregnancy. Below are some methods for dealing with morning sickness. Some of these have helped me from time to time, but I haven’t found anything that has hands down worked like a miracle cure.

So let me ask you, what helped you coup with morning sickness? Did anything work for you?

Take a Walk, Outside if Possible
Getting some fresh air while gently getting your blood pumping will help relieve some hormone  activity.

Eat Crackers In Bed
Before you even get out of bed, have a couple of crackers to help settle a queasy stomach and absorb stomach acid.

Get Plenty of Sleep and Take Naps
Lack of sleep might actually bring on morning sickness, so take it easy and listen to your body. If you are tired and feel like taking a nap, do it! Your body will thank you.

Eat Protein Before Bed
Not only will this fill you up for the night, but it will help stabilize your blood sugar. One of the only meals I can get down for the day is my nightly protein shake which is a simple recipe Sara gave me; 1 scoop whey protein powder (I choose chocolate flavored), 1/2 banana, 1 cup milk of choice, 1 spoonful of almond butter, 1/2 cup of ice or serve over ice. Blend and serve. I find this rich and protein packed shake is best when not too cold.

Eat Small Meals
Eating small meals will help you stabilize your blood sugar because your stomach will always have a little something in it. Snacking on food that is a balance of protein and carbs have been known to work for some women, but listen to your body. If all you can eat is crackers one day, toast with peanut butter the next and then maybe a slice of apple the following. Go for it!! You are going to know what you can keep down and what you can’t. Plan for something healthy and if that doesn’t work, go to plan B.

Stay Hydrated
Dehydration is a common side effect with morning sickness and can turn into a serious problem if left untreated, so make sure you are getting plenty of liquids like water, juice, sports drinks, decaffeinated tea, gingerale or popsicles.

Here are some more natural cures that my acupuncturist and trusted mom’s have sworn by.

1- Essential Oils – Di-Gaze provides valuable aid for digestive concerns and helps support a healthy digestive system. Gentle Baby is a soft, fragrant combination of essential oils designed specifically for mothers and babies to calm emotions during pregnancy and is useful for quieting troubled little ones. Lemon and Peppermint are also oils that help with combatting nausea from nasty smells. Any of these oils can be worn on the neck, stomach or pulse point on the wrist as well as sniffing a couple drops from the palm of your hand.

2 – Rescue Remedy – Rescue Remedy is pretty much the answer to any aliment. This stuff is like magic and I keep one in my purse and in my medicine cabinet at all times [by Bach Flower].

3 – Funnel Seeds – Chewing on fennel will help ease any upset stomach. I would go for this sugar coated variety for a better chance on keeping them down.

4- Tummy Drops – These Ginger and Peppermint drops contain a special blend of ginger or peppermint oils to assist in helping with digestive problems and morning sickness.

5- Sea Band – These acupressure bands are clinically proven to reduce nausea associated with morning sickness.

6- Vitamin B – Taking 25mg of Vitamin B 3 times a day (but no more then 100mg a day, so check to see how much is in your pre-natal and adjust dosage if necessary) has been shown to have a significant effect in reducing or stopping nausea and vomiting.

7- Ginger Tea – Earth Mama, Baby Angel Organics makes a great ginger tea that is blended with a hint of peppermint, chamomile and lemon balm that will help you through those rough days.