Morning sickness, the nausea and vomiting experienced during pregnancy, affects many pregnant women. Despite being called morning sickness, it can occur at any time of the day or night. Numerous remedies are proposed by pregnancy health-care providers, veteran mothers and a variety of pregnancy resources. When morning sickness is persistent and leads to weight loss the condition is referred to as hyperemesis gravidarum, which may require medical treatment and a hospital stay.
Food
Eating is not the first thing that comes to a woman's mind when she is suffering from morning sickness, but eating can actually improve the symptoms. Making the right food choices can also help the situation. Eating strong seasoned foods or greasy items may exacerbate the symptoms. Eating crackers first thing in the morning is a common remedy for morning sickness. Eating a high-quality protein source every two hours can sometimes keep morning sickness under control. The Mayo Clinic suggests that an empty stomach may make the sickness worse.
Avoid Triggers
A number of smells and foods can set off a woman's morning sickness. Avoiding them or taking a whiff of a lemon or orange when faced with a trigger may help relieve the symptoms. Fresh air may help as well.
Other Consumable Items
Sipping water or ginger ale is suggested by the Mayo Clinic as a way to calm the stomach. Ice chips, hard candies or ice pops can also help. Several over-the-counter pregnancy candies are available that help relieve morning sickness for some women. Women can try sour candies that promote salivation. The American Pregnancy Association points out that peppermint, such as peppermint tea, may be another herb that can provide some relief. Pregnant women should only use homeopathic or herbal remedies under the supervision of a trained professional.
Medications
Pregnant women should only use over-the-counter medications under the supervision of a medical professional. Some providers may recommend a combination of vitamin B6 with a sleep aid to relieve nausea. The Food and Drug Administration has not approved sleep aids for the use of nausea treatment. A prescription for an anti-nausea medication, such as that used with patients receiving chemotherapy, may be recommended for moderate to severe cases of morning sickness. Other examples of medications, as indicated by the American Pregnancy Association, include metoclopramide, antihistamines and anti-reflux medicines.
Hospitalization
When a woman loses weight and can't keep food or liquid down, she may be hospitalized. During her stay, she will receive an intravenous line that delivers nutrition and fluids to her body. Hospital treatment is usually only necessary for hyperemesis gravidarum, which occurs in about 1 percent of all pregnancies, according to the American Pregnancy Association. Other methods of delivering nutrients to the woman include nasogastric tube feeding or percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy. These tubes are inserted through the nose or abdomen, respectively.
Rest
Some women may be placed on partial or complete bed rest until the morning sickness subsides. This American Pregnancy Association points out that while resting can provide some relief, there can be negative effects on the muscles due to lack of movement for prolonged periods of time.
Acupressure and Acupuncture
A qualified acupressure or acupuncture professional may be able to provide one or a multiple sessions of treatment to remedy morning sickness. Similar to this are seabands, a wrist band with a peg that applies pressure to a point in the wrist.
Hypnosis
According to the American Pregnancy Association, hypnosis may relieve morning sickness for some women.
