Morning Sickness

Congratulations! You are pregnant! Nine months of you and your little growing baby bonding together, growing and.... oh...uh...oh no here comes breakfast. There's nothing like morning sickness to make you feel like opening up your window for fresh air and screaming out "pregnancy sucks!" But pregnancy doesn't have to suck and there are a few thinks you can do to keep your spirits up but your food down!

• Drink your water girl! One huge contribution to morning sickness is dehydration. It can be hard to even get this stuff down when you are feeling sick, but try dropping a few slices of fresh lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit into a pitcher and keep it in the fridge. Don't drink extremely cold water because you won't take up enough of it. Stick with cool or even hot. One trick is to set an alarm (cell phone, etc) to go off every hour. Each time it goes off, drink a cup of water. You should have eight down by the end of the work day and it will really help you out.
• An old tried and true - saltine crackers. Keep them by your bed and put them in your tummy before you get up. Set your alarm a little earlier so you can factor in some extra slow morning minutes. Oyster crackers work really well too and so do pretzels.
• Eat watermelon. I honestly have no idea why, but it works. The best idea, especially during warmer times, is to blend a little watermelon and ice to make a slushie of sorts. Add some fresh mint and/or ginger and eat slowly with a spoon. mmmm
• On the topic of ginger, I used to just chew the stuff whole. For a more subtle effect you can get crystalized ginger candies. Altoids also makes ginger drops that worked wonders for me as well. Or finally throw some ginger slices in some cool sparkling water
• Pickled Plum Paste - a spoonful of this stuff will shut up anything that talking back to you on the inside. In actually alkalinizes the body neutralizing acids. Have some water handy if you are taking this whole, or get it rolled up in some rice - Ume Onigiri
• Folate - this vitamin will keep nausea at bay, so make sure to get it from whole food sources. the easiest source to stomach is a good hearty sprouted whole grain bread. easy to digest and hearty enough to keep from sticking in your mouth and jumpstarting illness. other sources include leafy greans, oranges and strawberries, melons, eggs and sunflower seeds. Snack on some salted seeds to help you out in between meals!
• If you are throwing up you need to get in potassium. A good natural apple cider/juice (you know the kind that has only apples in it) or even a baked potato is perfect
• Don't bother cooking, the smells will kill ya
• Guess what, eat salty potato chips. Get natural ones without trans fats or other nasty things in them Terra Chips work well also. Have some before a meal to help ease into eating or stick with the sunflower seeds which will provide that preventative folate
• Aromatherapy - lemon, ginger, bergamont, lavender, corriander (chew the seeds too!)
• Never let your stomach empty
• Don't nap right after a meal - it will make it worse
• Products: biobands, preggie pops, happy mama spray from "earth mama angel baby"

I know I know, a lot to take on. Just push on through and know that "this too will pass!" make it your mantra because you'll need it again later!!!! Good luck! For more tips or help making healthy choices for a happy pregnancy, check out my website and programs for Eating for Two

Recipe: Every Day Pregnancy Tea

Taken from The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook (pg 374)

2-3 teaspoons dried red raspberry leaves

1 teaspoon peppermint leaves

*add-ins = licorice root, chamomile, ginger

Pour one cup over tea leaves, cover and steep 5 minutes. Drink at least one cup each day to provide calcium, iron, prevent miscarriage and hemorrhage, ease morning sickness, relax and tone uterus, assist in easier delivery and production of milk. This tea is good hot or cold.

*Caution* omit mint if taking homeopathic remedies because it will conteract the effects