What are the best ways to get through nausea?

You asked and you shall now receive. It’s only fair for us to share all of this stored up knowledge about having a baby and what is going on with your body during those nine (really ten) months. We now will answer, in a very public forum, all of those burning questions about having a baby. Each Monday, we will tackle a commonly-asked-question from the point of view of an expectant parent. Chiming in to give her feedback will be three women who have been there and done that: an expert (you know someone who does this for a living), a mom from our community (for the “best” friend advice you need) and a babybites’ team member (someone who will promise to give you the REAL deal and no fluff). Earmark, share and add your own input to today’s question; it’s good karma.

What are the best ways to get through nausea?

Expert: Renee Sullivan

Ah yes, with the many changes going through us during pregnancy, feeling queasy can be one of the unpleasant side effects. Ginger has been known to ward off nausea, as well as having small meals throughout the day. It can be quite helpful to keep a food journal to gauge what foods bring on the nausea – for some it may be spicy foods, for others dairy – every pregnancy is different. One of my tasty faves – watermelon! Its high water content hydrates and can ease morning sickness. Sometimes it may seem nothing ever works – and then we get to practice a useful motherhood skill – patience. Thank goodness we are only pregnant for 40 weeks!

Mom: Erica Siena

For me, the three things that worked best for me were: 1) ginger and/or peppermint tea or candies, 2) an iced-pack on my forehead, and 3) a hot, steamy shower.

Pregnancy nausea is not much different from any other time when you were nauseated, as in the day after you may have conceived your little one. So if a toasted bagel with butter worked then, it will work now. If you were more of an bacon egg and cheese person, try that. Regarding the difference between ginger and peppermint, most people like one or the other (not both) and frankly, any brand works, as long as the tea is caffeine-free (which most are) and the candies are natural (ie. NOT sugar free). This is not the time in your life that you need to work about dieting. And if you are nauseated, then you aren’t eating enough and those five extra calories will give you energy, especially since you have cut out/back on your caffeine.

babybites’ team: Laura Deutsch

OK – no hate mail please, but I had two nausea-free pregnancies so I can’t help you on this one. But I did hear from a friend that she ate lots of crackers and slept on an incline and it helped her a lot.

About our team:

Renee Sullivan

Renee Sullivan, parent coach and babybites support group director, works with moms each week to create their own personal parenting plan that is right for them, while making sure that each mom gets the support, resources, and community they need for their parenting journey. Drawing from her experience as an birth coach and educator, she guides moms – new, seasoned and expectant through the never – ending array of decisions that come with having a child. Before joining Mommybites, she narrowly escaped the trenches of Corporate America where she was a Senior Project Manager for The New York Times, Morgan Stanley, and Pfizer. She lives in New York City and is the mom of one happy kindergartener.

Erica Siena

Hi! My name is Erica Siena and I am here to answer all of your Expecting Mom questions. As an expecting mom myself, I am due December 14 with my first child, I understand that this time is exciting yet often confusing. Also, as both a trusts and estates lawyer and Pilates instructor as well as as a member of the New York Junior League, Mount Sinai Young Friends, and my Barnard class Treasurer, I understand how stressful this time can be, how there doesn’t seem to be enough hours in a day, how I could possibly handle all the paparazzi stress for 9 months just for society to allow me a personal assistant. I hope to be able to answer all of your questions for you.

Laura Deutsch

Laura Deutsch is the original founder and creator of babybites. Since first starting babybites in 2006 by handing out post cards to fellow moms on the streets of Manhattan, Laura has continued to use her business savvy, dedication and creativity to cultivate and grow babybites in its flagship city of Manhattan. Prior to founding babybites, Laura worked as a middle school math teacher at The Dwight School in Manhattan. Laura holds her BA from Binghamton University and her MA in Early Childhood Education from Hunter College. She currently resides in Summit, NJ, with her husband, Brian, daughter, Ava, and son, Jacob.