how to treat nausea in pregnancy

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when i was pregnant with dylan, i threw up nearly every day, all three trimesters, up until labor at the hospital. i spent a lot of time on the couch and kneeling over the toilet. i missed worked and received IV fluids at the hospital. it wasn't exactly my favorite.

with this pregnancy, i've not been nearly as sick, (thank you, Lord), but i still feel nauseated quite a bit. these are the things that have helped me to cope.

EAT. OFTEN. this is obvious, but eating small snacks throughout the day (and not waiting too long between meals) can alleviate nausea and sometime prevent vomiting. i handled toast, applesauce, nuts, fruit, and cheese pretty well. chocolate milk sometimes made me feel better, and i think it also helped with heartburn. sometimes just sucking on lollipops or hard candy was helpful.  the green apples suggested in the comments did indeed provide short term relief, too.

my midwife suggested taking the mild, over-the-counter sleep aid UNISOM for nausea, and it has been a lifesaver. you shouldn't take anything without clearing it first with your midwife or doctor, but it's worth asking about. Unisom has the same active ingredient as a prescription medicine that used to be prescribed for nausea in pregnancy. it was never deemed unsafe but was taken off the market when companies became wary of giving the okay for anything for pregnant or nursing woman, for fear of lawsuits.

i'll talk half a tablet during the day and a whole tablet if i feel sick at bedtime. i was able to take it at work without feeling tired, but my sister-in-law can't take it unless she is able to nap. everyone is different, but it's kept me functional, and i've been so grateful.

i think another reason i've not been so sick this pregnancy is that i'm getting MORE REST. the first time around, i was working full time, but now i try to take a nap most afternoons when dylan does. if you can't get a nap, try going to bed a little earlier. i think more sleep really does make a difference in curbing pregnancy-related nausea.

my sister-in-law added one more weapon in my anti-nausea arsenal: a bottle of essential oils, including basil, lavender, and peppermint. she got it from a masseuse, along with instructions that she have her husband rub her feet with it every night. essential oils are known to have natural, medicinal benefits (but do your research--not all are suitable for pregnancy).

christie swears by this oil and saw a radical reduction in her pregnancy sickness. i haven't noticed quite as big a difference, but i'm all for an excuse to have my husband rub my tired feet after long, hot days of chasing a toddler and carrying around extra pregnancy weight:)

i've since heard great things about B6 VITAMINS (especially in conjunction with Unisom), PAPAYA ENZYME TABLETS, and GINGER.

i was prescribed Zofran after an afternoon of IV fluids at the hospital, and it worked wonders...until the side effects kicked in.  The work I missed dealing with those effects was infinitely more unpleasant than the near-constant vomiting, so i offer that as a caution.  Of course, all bodies react differently.

Feeling healthy and strong while pregnant works for me.  If you have any other tips that helped you curb pregnancy nausea, we'd love to hear them in the comments.