subject: What to Eat When Pregnant: Combat Morning Sickness [print this page] When you begin thinking about what to eat when pregnant, you will probably discover that during the first trimester, you have no appetite at all thanks to morning sickness. Some women may have severe morning sickness only during those first three months, while others may experience it throughout their pregnancies.
Others may be lucky enough never to experience morning sickness at all. If you have severe morning sickness, you should consult with your OB/GYN, as there are some safe medications that can be prescribed to mitigate the nausea you're feeling. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take and some foods to eat when pregnant that can help ease your nausea as well.
Mitigate Caffeine Withdrawal
You've just found out you're pregnant, and you know that you have to give up your three cups of coffee right away. So the best thing to do is go cold turkeyright? Wrong.
Caffeine withdrawal can make you very sick, causing its own set of miserable symptoms, including headaches and nausea. So go easy on yourself, especially if you are experiencing morning sickness.
Don't add caffeine withdrawal to your list of symptoms. Instead, try stepping down your caffeine consumption over time.
Most doctors will agree that you can consume up to 150 mg of caffeine during your pregnancy without harming your baby. That's the equivalent of one cup of coffee or two cups of black tea.
So why not try stepping down your caffeine consumption from coffee, to black tea, to green tea, to white tea, and finally herbal tea, if you decide to go completely caffeine-free during pregnancy? It's easier on your body and won't add to the misery of morning sickness.
Drink Enough Water
If you are experiencing heavy morning sickness and vomit a great deal, you need to replenish the fluids your body is losing. Therefore, it's crucial to drink an adequate amount of water or you risk becoming dehydrated.
In general, you should aim for drinking at least half of your body weight in ounces of water per day. So if you weigh 160 pounds, you should drink at least 80 ounces of water daily.
If you are experiencing any of the signs of dehydration, such as dark urine, headaches, dizziness, or a less frequent need to urinate, you should contact your OB/GYN immediately. Severe dehydration can lead to pre-term labor and other pregnancy complications, so it's not something you want to take your chances with.
Foods that Ease Nausea
Eating and drinking is probably the last thing on your mind if you are experiencing morning sickness, but it's still necessary to eat in order to supply yourself and your baby with the nutrients you both need. Fortunately, there are some foods and beverages that can help ease the symptoms of morning sickness.
For example, peppermint and chamomile teas are excellent for easing nausea. Ginger tea is also great for quelling nauseasimply boil slice of ginger in water and sweeten with your favorite natural sweetener, such as agave syrup, honey, stevia, or xylitol.
Sip the ginger tea throughout the day. Or you can also make chicken broth from chicken pieces, Celtic sea salt, black pepper, parsley, and garlic (optional). Sip this nutritious broth throughout the day to stay hydrated and get a powerful nutritional punch.
Some doctors recommend soda and crackers to quell nausea, but drinking high fructose corn syrup and eating a great deal of refined carbs is not a great idea. Instead, focus on drinking teas and look for rice crackers at your local supermarket. You can also eat cereals made from quinoa, hot rice, and millet.
What to Eat When Pregnant: Combat Morning Sickness
By: Isabel De Los Rios
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