Help for "Morning Sickness"

Updated on February 21, 2009
B.R. asks from Grimes, IA
42 answers

Hi Moms! I am 7 weeks pregnant with my second child, and feel like the sickness has been worse this time around. It started about a week and half ago, but in the last several days has been pretty miserable. I usually feel nauseous all day, feeling worse at certain times of the day. I've been throwing up just once a day until today, when I can't keep anything down! Do any of you have any tricks that worked for you? It's hard to keep up with a 15 mo. old and I feel like I need to try something new. Also, I've heard that there are pills you can take that help -- are they safe, do they work? I prefer to not take too many pills, but it if means I can take better care of my family, I might be willing to try . . . Thanks for your help!

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So What Happened?

THANK YOU to everyone who responded! I am going to try several of your ideas, and I appreciate you input. Thanks for taking the time to respond:)

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K.T.

answers from Appleton on

I had #2 in June of last year. I had a funny tummy every day. Ugh. A friend of mine told me to eat protein before I went to bed. She used peanuts ( a small handful). She said string cheese worked wonders, too. The peanuts worked for me, too. Actually any protein worked for me. Hope this works for you, too! Good luck!

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L.M.

answers from Des Moines on

so sorry to hear that! I would recommend the following vitamin (I bought it at Campbell's - but you could get it probably online or at any healthfood store). It's called Morning Ease. It definitely helped me - my first trimester was very hard! It's about $13 for a month supply. I hopeyou feel better soon! and congrats on a new little one!

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N.A.

answers from Eau Claire on

Hi B.

I am 29 weeks pregnant with my second. I had a problem with nausea with this one for the first couple of months. It was to the point that I was tired all the time and couldn't really eat. I was told to try taking my prenatal vitamin at a different time. I was taking it in the morning because that's when I took it with my daughter. With this one I take it before I go to bed. Almost right away I was feeling 10 times better. No more sick feeling. I had energy and an appetite. I also take it without food because even the tiniest crumb would make me run for the bathroom. I hope something works for you.

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S.B.

answers from Minneapolis on

Hi, I've been there done that 3 times dealing w/ "morning" sickness. I've read some of the responses but not all, so sorry if I'm repeating. I tried all of the at-home remedies but found that none of them helped me, I think those are for lighter cases of m/s. I had full-blown vomiting and nausea 24-7 w/ each pregnancy and the only thing that remotely helped me was a drug called Zofran. Zofran is a prescription drug that is used mostly for chemo patients and it takes the edge off of the nausea. For me, it didn't make it disappear completely, but it helped immensely. If you feel nothing helps and you just can't keep up w/ your child w/ out some help, ask your dr. about Zofran. HTH and congrats on #2!:)
btw~ Zofran is VERY expensive and some insurance companies don't okay prescribing it for m/s. BEG if you have to, that's what I did. There is a generic brand out too, can't recall the name. That worked great too!

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C.K.

answers from Minneapolis on

Ginger anything worked for me: ginger ale, ginger snaps, ginger tea, ginger chews. I agree that an empty stomach only makes it worse. Try to nibble on a couple of crackers every hour.

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C.T.

answers from Milwaukee on

My first pregnancy I was sick for 6 months. Zofran became my daily routine and it worked perfectly all day long. It was VERY expensive - about $6 per pill, but dissolves on your tongue and works immediately. My daughter is now 2 and has been ahead of all the milestones since birth so I'm positive it has no ill-effects on the baby.

I'm now 10 weeks pregnant and the morning sickness started at 6 weeks again. This time my doctor gave me the generic form of Zofran. It's a pill you swallow and takes about 20 minutes to work, but 30 pills was only $12 through our insurance. Big difference from the brand name.

Also try eating small meals every 2-3 hours or as soon as you feel nauseous. Sometimes hunger is masked as nauseousness when you are pregnant.

Hope this helps you!

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C.S.

answers from Minneapolis on

I also used the unisom and it worked wonders! I had a prescription for Zofran, but unfortunately our insurance wasn't that good, so it was really expensive. I tried much of what the other women said, but also took ginger pills. I didn't like the taste of the ginger tea, so I found ginger capsules in the natural food aisle. I just took one or two when I felt like I needed them. Congrats on the new babe!

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H.B.

answers from Milwaukee on

My doctor, who has 5 kids, recommended peppermint altoids, and they were the only thing that worked for me.

Good luck!

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G.N.

answers from Minneapolis on

My doctor advised a Vitamin B6 and a 1/2 of Unisom before bedtime. It was a life saver.

I hope you are feeling better soon.

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M.S.

answers from Lincoln on

I was ill with all three of my pregnancies - VERY ill. Mid way through our first pregnancy, my OB prescribed Zofran. It worked really well for me. And no, not every Rx is a cause for concern. I was finally able to keep food in my system. Zofran is a very expensive med, however, and unless your insurance will cover, I'd look for another option. And do note that my sickness was not typical. My body just did not handle the hormone variation...so I was sick 24/7 each and every day of all three of my pregnancies. I feel your pain! Good luck!

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E.O.

answers from Appleton on

I'm so sorry to hear about your "all day" sickness. I had it terrible!!! I kept lemon drops and caffeine free coke stashed everywhere. My Dr's nurse suggested it when I was pregnant with my first. I actually still use the caffeine free coke when I have an upset stomach.

Good Luck!

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V.H.

answers from Minneapolis on

call your physician but I have heard that either vitamin B or E can help with morning sickness

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S.W.

answers from Iowa City on

There are two prescription pills that you can take for nausea during pregnancy. One of them is called compazine and the other is called zofran. The first one didn't work for me during either of my pregnancies, all it did was make me VERY tired. However, zofran worked miracles for me! I was sick from 6 weeks until delivery with both of my kids, so I needed something that worked! I highly recommend zofran! It did not have any affect on my children, as they are both happy and healthy kids. Good Luck!

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A.F.

answers from St. Cloud on

Hi B.! I had severe morning sickness, actually the hyperemesis that someone else mentioned. I used the Sea Bands. They helped to take the edge off.
I had Drs. tell me to try Zofran but the drug is for chemo patients not for pregnant moms. I have 2 friends that now have children with mental delays after using Zofran to control their am sickness. It may be related, it may not but after reading that it can be a side effect, I opted not to take the chance unless I absolutely HAVE to. I know some women who absolutely needed Zofran but there is always an exception for extreme cases.
Morning sickness is horrible! I threw up more than 9 times per day for 7 months with both pregnancies. I personally would not have used the Zofran unless my babies or I were in danger from excessive weight loss. The Sea Bands helped as did McDonald's cheeseburgers. I NEVER ate at McDonalds prior to pregnancy but they took away my morning sickness for 2-3 hours at a time.
You do what you need to do. If you can't find an alternate solution, then definitely ask your Dr. about a prescription.
Also, don't feel bad for laying on the couch as much as you can. Let your house get dirty and let people help you as much as they offer. I hope you feel better very soon!
Also, try eating several times per day even if you don't feel like it. High protein foods will help to control your blood sugars and that should help with the nausea.

***I FORGOT! :) The 1/2 Unisom tablet and b6 vitamin before bed worked WONDERS! It's safe to take!

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S.N.

answers from Minneapolis on

It sounds weird but potato chips helped me in the morning. I also went to the chiropractor and had accupressure that helped with the nausea. Good luck and congrats!

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S.K.

answers from Omaha on

When I was pregnant my OB nurse told me to eat a "plain" baked potato. If you can don't put anything on it. You can make one quick in the microwave. It REALLY worked. I have even tried it when I was just sick and not pregnant and it works well then too.

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L.S.

answers from Milwaukee on

The only thing that ever lessened it for me was those little wrist bands for plane rides(motion sickness). They are made with a little ball on each one that you put over the inside of the wrist which is the pressure point to help nausea. You can find them at a pharmacy-you can get a pair for about 10.00.

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L.G.

answers from Minneapolis on

I had 17 weeks of it with both my pregnancies - here's what worked for me:
-toasted bagel with peanut butter first thing in AM (nurse recommeded this, said it helped to keep your blood sugar from crashing)
-eat constantly. An empty stomach makes it worse!
-suckers - dum dums were great.
-if you can't manage your Pre-natals - take 2 children's chewables, if you can manage.
-dry cereal to nibble on
-crackers of any sort to nibble on

I also found that things would "quit working" after a while, and I'd have to keep trying different things.

Good Luck!

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B.U.

answers from Minneapolis on

Looks like you got alot of great advise. I have a small list of things that worked for me.
Ginger candies you can find them in the oriantal section at cub they are about 1.00 for a package.
Soda water with lemon or lime.
Also Bitters you can find this most places. It worked best for me if I just put a dash in a small glass of soda water and slamed it down.
Hope you find something that works.
B.

A.S.

answers from Davenport on

Mint helped me. An old roommate I had ages ago had suppositories prescribed to her which she said helped.

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R.P.

answers from St. Cloud on

A few things helped me: I purchased the motion sickness wrist bands from a pharmacy and they helped a little. Drinking Ginger Ale helped, a little. Eating high protein items before bed (hard cheese are peanut butter) helped, A LITTLE. But nothing made it go away. I invested in popsicles and had one every morning. They taste good and the cold actually soothed the back of my throat and the gag reflex. Plus, when it came back up (sorry to be gross) it was not unpleasant, just bright and fruity! Good luck!

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K.R.

answers from Minneapolis on

I had terrible morning sickness the first time around, and what helped me was a stale Coke. In the morning I would open a can of Coke and after it got to be lukewarm and sort of flat, I'd start sipping it. I'd sip it very slowly all morning and by 1:00 I could eat a meal and keep it down. This advice came from my midwives.

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C.S.

answers from Minneapolis on

I just kept eating throughout the day. A little protein with a carbohydrate every couple of hours. I couldn't let my stomach have that empty feeling or it turned into nausea. Try something like tea in with the mini snacks too.

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G.E.

answers from Milwaukee on

in my experience, not too much, but older then you, 48, I'll definitely not have pills.
Think that is going to be only for few months, you need to be strong, what ever you do now it could affect your baby for the rest of his life. Don't please.
I remember they give a saltine crackers, drink water, and if you don't feel good, try to talk with your husband and ask for help is a lot of good neighbords around or in church that could give a hand. Remenber after few months they will pass and you will feel so proud of your self.
Stay in bed, you are a walking machine, you have a beautiful scone in your belly baking. Take care of you like the precious opportunity to have a baby, how many women will die to be in your situation.
Be strong girl, you will appreciated in the future. And you will never will have a reason to blame your self.
god bless you and your baby

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R.B.

answers from Duluth on

I was throwing up three or four times a day with my second. The only thing that helped me was as soon as I started getting hot or sick was to pop a lemon drop - made with real lemon juice - in. It worked almost instantly and it was the ONLY thing that helped. I sometimes had to take one right after the other, but it sure helped!! Good luck!!

K.B.

answers from Milwaukee on

Here are a few things I did, as some of the other moms below and you I had it pretty bad through out my whole pregnancy (had to go in a few times to get an IV) but everything turned out ok.

--in the morning before I even sat up I rolled over and nibbled on saltine crackers (or the like) and took a sip of water or flat ginger ale... wait a few minutes (if possible) then get up. This would help make the nauseous feeling more bearable and could actually eat a little for breakfast without it coming back up!

--If you do drink soda the carbonation can actually irritate your stomach so let it fizz out a little, some fizz is ok. I ended up really liking a scoop of ice cream in my soda to cut down the fizz quickly and during the summer it is refreshing!

--PrgoPops were a life saver, and really worked for me. This product works for some and not for others but worth a try. They come in hard candies or suckers. Can pick them up at most specialty baby stores. Here is a web pic of what they look like, so you know what to look for.
http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=155150&amp...

--try sucking on different hard candies... it seems it be different for everyone what works for them. Some peppermints, others butterscotch... so just try various kinds to see what helps sooth your stomach.

--My doctor also prescribed me nausea meds latter in my pregnancy since it started to interfere with gaining weight, but they try to use that as a last resort.

Hope you find something that works for you... I can not imagine having a little one to run after while having horrible morning sickness that lasts all day. Find a good support system and maybe have someone on hand that come over for a while just so you can take a break and regroup, that might help any stress melt away also.

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C.P.

answers from Eau Claire on

Congrats on your 2nd baby being on the way! My hubby and I are thinking it's time for us to start trying, too. =)

With my first pregnancy, I had very mild nausea every once in a while. I found that grazing throughout the day helped keep it away. Also, if I did start to feel nauseous, anything minty would help - gum, wintergreen life-savers, etc. I have a friend who had more severe morning sickness, and ginger ale helped her. She said it had to be the "real" stuff, whatever that means. Maybe there is soda flavored with real ginger vs artificial flavoring?

Hope this helps!

C.

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M.G.

answers from Minneapolis on

Vitamin B6. Try a B-Complex. Make sure it is high quality.

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J.S.

answers from Minneapolis on

I feel for you. I was miserably sick with my daughter for the first 18 weeks. I was sick at all times of the day..morning, mid-day, even all night long. Once the puking rally started it lasted for hours. My Doctor put me on ZOFRAN. It was a LIFE-SAVER! Completely safe and I was able to do things other than be sick. I started out taking it every day as recommended then slowly weaned off it until I wasn't sick any longer. The only downfall - it is expensive but so worth it!! Good Luck!

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S.G.

answers from Minneapolis on

Hi B.,

Talk to your doctor. I am in the same situation with my second pregnancy, and I was not able to keep any food or liquid down, sometimes even for the whole day, and I felt really dehydrated at night and the next morning. When the morning sickness escalates like that, it is hard to get out of that cycle, it's easier to prevent it. For myself, my doctor suggested promethagan(promethazine). Works great for me. I am taking it 3 times daily, suppositories. It removes any nausea altogether, and makes me able to eat and drink. Makes me sleepy too, but it's fine as long as I get enough sleep during the night, then I don't feel sleepy during the day. Sometimes I can still throw up once in the morning, and feel fine during the rest of the day. I can even drive fine, which was a big problem without the medication. Sometimes the medication upsets my stomach for a short time, but nothing major, nothing to refuse using it. The very first time I took this medication, I was fast asleep in half an hour, because I was so exhausted from the morning sickness for the previous two weeks; and I slept for I think 3 hours straight, and then I was able to eat dinner, and I went back tp sleep; I was mostly sleeping for the next two days too (luckily Saturday and Sunday). Since then, as long as I am sleeping at night, I am totally fine on the medication during the day. I have been taking it for a couple of months already, and now I am finding that I didn't need the medication to get me through the past couple of days. My doctor said there are no known sideeffects to the baby for taking it. I had my first trimester ultrasounds a week ago, and the baby was very normal, very active, looked fine.

Sorry for all the details, but I thought it could be useful for you to know all the information. :)

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L.L.

answers from Des Moines on

Have you thought of going to see an Acupuncturist? I have been seeing one for about a month and she has helped me out tons!

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A.H.

answers from Appleton on

I was more sick with my second child too.
I ate very bland foods...pretty much just saltines for a while, and took ginger pills which seemed to help. I didn't really eat meals, just grazed on saltines and other small things throughout the day and that really helped.

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C.O.

answers from Minneapolis on

I was given a prescription when I couldn't keep anything down with my first. It worked fabulously, but I was literally falling asleep at work. I felt like a zombie. I only took it once, but that did the trick.
Other people I know have taken various things that work, so it's worth a try. Just be aware of the side-effects and make sure you don't do anything potentially dangerous (such as drive) until you know how your body handles it.
Good luck!

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S.K.

answers from Minneapolis on

As much as you may not feel like eating, I think an empty stomach makes it worse. I would keep a stash of saltines and 7up nearby. Good luck and congrats!

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J.M.

answers from Davenport on

Try keeping something in your stomach all the time. Eat something every couple hours. I had morning sickness all day everyday with my first until I was about 6 months and then it got better and only happened in the morning. I felt the most sick when I didn't have food in my stomach. Milk also made me feel better because it coated my stomach. I also drank a lot of Pepto, my midwife said it was okay to have. Good Luck!

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T.F.

answers from Minneapolis on

Try vitamin B6 25 mg three times a day and for even better results take unisom 1/2 tablet at night as well(it makes you sleepy like benedryl). They are both over the counter and work wonders. Both have been used in pregancy for a long time and are safe.

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L.D.

answers from Minneapolis on

The only thing that really worked for me was taking half a Unisome. It did make me sleepy at first but eventually I became immune to this small amount. Also eating small amounts of food every couple hours. Lemon-aid was the only beverage that tasted good.

Zofran or Zopenex are usually only given to women with hyperemesis. Meaning excessive vomiting causeing weight loss and dehydration.

Talk to your doctor before taking any pills. Even herbal ones. Some herbs can be harmful if you have certain medical conditions or can interact with other meds.

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C.D.

answers from Omaha on

I used to eat saltine crackers and ginger ale to help with my morning sickness that lasted all day long. Try and stay away from strong smells if possible. I would be very hesitate to take any type of medication for sickness during pregnancy but then I can be overly cautious because of the issue that happened in the 50's with a supposively safe medication that caused all sorts of birth defects. Just remember that this too will pass in time.

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I.D.

answers from Minneapolis on

Hi, B.! I took Zofran for about 4 months of my pregnancy for morning sickness, and it was wonderful. It didn't take away the nausea completely, but I'd say I felt 80% better in those first couple of months and able to work, and then about 90% better in my second trimester. And it enabled me to get through the day and eat, which in turn helped me feel better overall. My son was born without incident and completely healthy--he's now 4 1/2. Ask your doctor about it.

Hope you're feeling better soon!

God Bless!

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K.R.

answers from Grand Forks on

I had it really bad too, all day/night and I threw up three or four times a day. My OB said water is hard on your stomache and told me to drink pedialyte for a couple of days to keep hydrated. She did prescribe nausea meds because I couldn't really keep anything down and I didn't have to take them very often, once a day for a week and then every other day. She even gave me suppositories in case I couldn't get the pill down. I have a really easy recipe for ginger lemon honey tea if you wanna try it. Let me know and good luck, just push through the next few weeks!

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M.W.

answers from St. Cloud on

I had all day sickness as well. If I threw up 3 times it was a GOOD day....LOL. I was sick usually 4 to 8 times a day, sometimes more. From about week 6 or 7 till about week 15.

What worked (some) for me:

1.) Suck on hard candy. Don't waste your money on preggie pops. They are just hard candy. Any hard candy will do. It seems as long as you are keeping fresh saliva in your mouth, the nausea stayed at bay.

2.) Morning sickness magic. You dump the packet in some water and drink. This helped at first but I think my body got used to it.... (Got it at grocery store in the natural section.)

3.) Get extra sleep. Take naps if possible. The more catnaps I took, the better I felt.

4.) Whatever sounds good, EAT IT! We don't eat fast food or soda but if that was what I was craving I ATE IT! (I still didn't really have soda. I think I took 2 sips the whole time I was pregnant.) And it actually tasted good.

Things that did not work for me. The doc gave me a prescription and a supository. They did NOTHING! Except make me more miserable!!! Crackers did nothing for me. As did eating small meals....

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K.W.

answers from Cedar Rapids on

Hello!

I have a 17-month-old son and am 8 weeks along and having the same issue! I didn't have morning sickness with the first and this one is terrible! Things that have kept me sane the last few weeks are: Wheat crackers, Lipton Ginger Twist tea, root beer, hard candy, and dry cereal.

I am not a tea OR soda drinker, but I enjoy the taste of the ginger tea and it seems to help. I've found that eating wheat crackers before standing up in the morning helps tremendously! I'm not sure why the root beer helps so much, but I drink it fully-carbonated in the middle of the morning just to get me through until lunch and it really wards off my nausea! I carry hard candy and bland dry cereal everywhere. As an added bonus, most dry cereals are full of added nutrients and some even have folic acid!

Hope this helps!

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