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Home > Patient Information

Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy (hyperemesis)

Introduction

Nausea and vomiting, sometimes called morning sickness, is a common complaint during the first three months of pregnancy. About 50% of all pregnant women have nausea; of these, about one third experience vomiting. Hormone changes and altered digestion are often linked to nausea and vomiting. This pamphlet provides some helpful information in dealing with this problem.

Food Selection

Sometimes the hardest part about the Nausea/vomiting is finding a food item that appeals to you. Are you craving any particular food item? Does anything sound like it may be good to eat? Think of the different good qualities and try to find one that appeals to you.

          Salty                     Wet                      Mushy

          Sour                     Dry                       Earthy

          Bitter                   Hot                      Spicy

          Sweet                   Cold                     Fizzy

          Crunchy               Lumpy                 Aromatic

          Fruity

If nothing in particular sounds good, what foods do you have on hand? To give you some ideas, here is a list of food or liquids that have worked for others:

                   Crackers              Juice bars/Popsicle_s

                   Pretzels                Chilled orange sections

                   Dry Cereal           Teas _ raspberry, mint, chamomile, etc

                   Dill Pickles         Lemonade

                   Grapes                 Coca-Cola

                    Watermelon        Ginger ale

If there is nothing that appeals to you, try starting out with small sips of a liquid supplement or an instant breakfast product.

Although a balanced diet is extremely important during your pregnancy, right now the most important thing is to break the nausea/vomiting cycle. Tastes, cravings, nausea, and vomiting will change throughout the pregnancy. Take it one day at a time. Try a few different foods each day.

You may need to start out with small, frequent feedings or meals. Small, in this case, may mean only one or two bites. Start wit a few bites every 15 minutes. When this is working, try a few more bites every 30 minutes, then a few more bites every 45 minutes. In this way, slowly work your way to mini-meals every two hours.

In the beginning, especially _thin liquids_ like water, liquids may be a problem. Unless you crave specific liquid, start your meal with a food item. However, don_t forget that liquid intake is important! To boast your liquid intake, try ice chips, or frozen juice bars. Sometimes a sour liquid like lemonade or a _flat_ soda seems to stay down. You need to experiment to see what works best for you.

Triggers

Another important way to ease nausea and vomiting is to identify those things that may trigger this problem. Here is a list of common triggers and some suggested way to deal with them.

Triggers	Solutions
Heightened Sense of Smell	Remove or avoid bothersome odors. Strong cleaning agents, heavy perfumes, and cigarette smoke are some examples.
	If you can_t remove the odor _ put a fan on, open a window or leave the room.
	Carry a fresh lemon or fresh mint with you to mask the offensive odor.
	Sip drinks through a straw or from a cup with a lid.
	If the smell of hot goods bothers you, eat cold foods- sandwiches, main-meal salads, cheese and crackers, etc.
	If you can_t stand the aroma of the food you have just cooked _ eat something else.
Empty Stomach	Don_t let your stomach _get empty._ If you have to wait until you feel hungry _ it can be too late.
	Eat small meals frequently
	Carry snacks with you that don_t need to be refrigerated: peanut butter crackers, cheese crackers, raisins, dry cereal, etc
	Have a snack before you go to bed at night (you should never go longer than 10 hours over night with out eating.)
Fatigue	Get plenty of rest.
Stress	Try to reduce your stress by doing away with unnecessary tasks, enlisting help or spending 15-30 minutes a day relaxing. Light exercise, such as walking, may help ease tension.
Sudden Movement	Try to wake up to soothing music instead of a jarring alarm. Let your stomach settle before you get out of bed. Sometimes it helps to eat saltines before you get out of bed.
Vitamins	If they really upset you, talk with your doctor or nurse. Later try taking them before bedtime. If they still bother you, a children_s chewable vitamin may be an option to discuss with your doctor.
Toothpaste	Brush your teeth after breakfast, brush with water, or try a fruity flavored children_s toothpaste.

 

Contact your doctor, clinic nurse, or nurse practitioner if:

• nausea/vomiting does not improve or becomes worse
• you are losing weight
• you are unable to eat anything

You may gradually be able to resume a more normal diet or you may still require small, frequent meals. Your dietitian/diet technician can help you with this.

For follow-up or if you have further questions, please make an appointment to see a registered dietitian 312-926-WELL.

 

Northwestern Memorial Hospital
900719 (09/01)