Nausea during pregnancy

[Beverly]

What works well for bad nausea during pregnancy. We know about peppermint but what else is used?

Beverly

[Dr. Patrick Jones]

Peppermint is good.

Other good ‘uns:

Ginger (small amounts in pregnancy)

Fennel

Parsley

I heard that Lobelia tincture rubbed on the feet and belly can reduce morning sickness…I’ve never tried it.

My sweetheart the midwifery student and mother of many says the main cause of morning sickness is hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

Small, frequent meals throughout the day (before she’s hungry). Will help a lot. Hard boiled eggs and plain baked potatoes seem to stay down well.

Patrick

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

[jennie]

Hi Patrick,

thanks for the reply! I did a peppermint and honey tea last night – honey because I can’t stomach straight peppermint – and it did help some. I have some ginger but it makes me throw up immediately. I will try the lobelia tincture, interesting idea.

I feel like I am eating, grazing, all day long and I’m still super sick. By the end of the day even water makes me gag. Do you, or your sweet wife, know of anything else that could contribute to such a fun experience?

Thanks!

[Dr. Patrick Jones]

How far along are you?

Patrick

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

[jennie]

I am 8 weeks.

With my other child (10 years ago!), I was severely nauseated and vomiting during my entire pregnancy. I was still throwing up during delivery but as soon as it was done, I felt fine – nausea wise that is. 🙂

[LoriAnn Jones]

Hi Jennie,

I’m very proud of you for doing another pregnancy when the last one was so difficult. Brave woman! You know, difficulty and pain change us. I wouldn’t wish feeling so sick for so long on anyone, but if you watch carefully, you’ll see blessings, knowledge, and insights that come to you because of what you are experiencing. The sacrifices mothers make for the lives and well-being of their children is sacred. What you are doing for this little child is important, every day, every hour.

Of course you know that the cause of the morning sickness is a change in the levels of certain hormones. During the first trimester most women feel the waves of discomfort and nausea, and although the same hormones maintain high levels during the second trimester, researchers believe that symptoms of nausea diminish because blood volume levels rise and actually dilute the hormones. So, I know your last pregnancy was difficult all the way through, but you still might feel better in a month or two with this pregnancy.

Hypoglycemia is a key player in the nausea game. You must eat! Even if you throw up, you must eat again to stabilize your blood sugars. Here are some guidelines: eat many small meals, never skipping meals; eat some form of carbohydrate before you get out of bed to get your blood sugars up; never allow yourself to become hungry; drink plenty of water…no soda; concentrate on eating plenty of high-quality protein like organic meats, beans, eggs, nuts; avoid spicy or greasy foods; eat complex carbohydrates followed 20 minutes later with protein (the carbohydrates will bring up your blood sugars and the protein will help stabilize it; constipation can cause nausea because the longer stool is in the colon, the more toxins it reabsorbs, so eat plenty of fiber to help move material more quickly through the colon; dehydration can add to nausea so drink adequate amounts even if you’re not thirsty; carry nutritious snacks with you wherever you go.

If nausea persists past 14 weeks or so, look for nutritional deficiency.

Exercise will stimulate the gastrointestinal system, which functions more slowly during pregnancy, thus reducing nausea.

Dizziness may be accompany nausea. Lay down in dark room with cold damp cloth over eyes.

Sometimes supplements (your prenatal vitamin) cause nausea. Try a different brand. Discontinue, then add them back slowly.

Stevia is a natural sweetner which has the ability to keep blood sugars level. Use it to sweeten teas.

If vomit looks like bile, drink one cup of water with 2 tsp. salt before arising in the morning. This will cause vomiting once then the stomach will stabilize.

Eat a boiled egg. Perfect protein balance.

Try eating a plain baked potato very slowly, chewing thoroughly.

Take 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar in 8 oz. warm water first thing in the morning

Rub lobelia tincture on the feet, abdomen, underarms. Soothes tension.

Wild Yam Compound for Morning Sickness (by Rosemary Gladstar)

2 parts wild yam root

1 part dandelion root

1/4 ginger root

1/2 part vitex

Standard decoction. Sip throughout the day.

Increasing levels of iron and B vitamins will help ease morning sickness.

Dr. John Christopher’s nausea in pregnancy formula:

1/2 ounce spearmint

2 drams cloves

2 drams cinnamon

2 drams Turkey rhubarb

Nausea Tea, (by Ann Frye)

1 part cinnamon

5 parts blackberry leaf

5 parts yarrow

10 parts red raspberry leaf

Stevia or honey to taste. This tea must only be sipped, no more than one cup in 24 hours. Yarrow isn’t usually recommended during pregnancy because it has some emmenagogue properties, therefore you must obey the instructions to sip it very slowly and again, no more that one cup in 24 hours.

Herbs: wild yam, raspberry leaf, peppermint or spearmint, ginger, anise or fennel seeds (chew the seeds)

Try putting a tiny bit of peppermint oil under your nose when you feel you might throw up.

Acupuncture or acupressure may relieve nausea.

Good luck, Jennie. Let us know how you are feeling. If any of these things help, or don’t help, let us know. What helps you feel better might give us clues to other things you might try.

Sincerely, LoriAnn

[Dr. Patrick Jones]

When this thread has petered out, I’m going to move it over to the Herbs in Midwifery section. 🙂

I’ll leave it here for now.

Thanks for chiming in Lori. LoriAnn is my Mrs. for those who don’t know. 🙂

Patrick

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

[Milwife Pretty]

I have my thinking cap on.

Since we know the liver functions to handle a lot of our hormones, and we also know nausea can be a function of too much Human chorionic gonadotropin in the system (which is released during pregnancy, especially in the first few months)…….should we be looking a bit more at liver support for anti-nausea formulas in pregnancy?

[Dr. Patrick Jones]

Milwife Pretty wrote: I have my thinking cap on.

Since we know the liver functions to handle a lot of our hormones, and we also know nausea can be a function of too much Human chorionic gonadotropin in the system (which is released during pregnancy, especially in the first few months)…….should we be looking a bit more at liver support for anti-nausea formulas in pregnancy?

Most herbs that would stimulate liver function aren’t safe during pregnancy.

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

[ursucookie]

I used ginger, since most herbs are a big NO-NO.

My doctor also send me B6 vitamin and that helped a LOT. I took 2-3 capsules per day. Good luck, its brutal!

[Author]

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