Pregnancy brings many wonderful things and some not so great things, one of them being nausea. Some women experience pregnancy symptoms at a much greater strength than others. Some insist that the power of nausea is dependent on the sex of the child.
If you feel your symptoms need to be quelled, your OB-GYN may prescribe anti-nausea medication. However, if you are trying to keep your body toxin free, you may want to try some of these more natural, and potentially more affordable alternatives.
Magnesium oil
Magnesium is one of the most important minerals for the body’s health. Each cell in your body relies on an adequate supply of magnesium to function properly. Magnesium can also help with morning sickness, fatigue, constipation and gestational diabetes. I suggest rubbing magnesium oil on the skin rather than taking it internally, as it will more quickly enter the blood stream and because your body will regulate the absorption of the oil so you get exactly what you need.
HCL/Pepsin
Digestion can get a little weird during pregnancy. Hormones slow down the digestive process, which can lead to nausea as well as heartburn and acid reflux. That’s where HCL and Pepsin come in. HCL is something our stomachs secrete naturally during digestion, so these pills simply help a natural process along rather than pushing your body to do something artificial. A capsule a two per meal can help kickstart your body into a more regular digestive routine.
Crackers
No, this isn’t the name of some fancy new supplement–I’m talking about good old fashioned crackers. The starch soaks up stomach acid, which makes you feel better. I recommend keeping a sleeve or two in your nightstand so when you wake up with that gut wrenching feeling and a rush of saliva in your mouth you can quell your queasy gut. Other great places to stash crackers: the car, the diaper bag, and the office.
Prenatal vitamins
Hopefully you are taking these anyway, but make sure to take your pill after you munch on some crackers. Your nausea may be due to an deficit of certain vitamins in your system, and your prenatal may have exactly what you need. A little bit of food will help you absorb it better.
Ginger
Ginger promotes the secretion of various digestive enzymes that help to neutralize stomach acid. It also contains phenols which help relax stomach muscles and speed up the digestive process to help move digested food and toxins through your system faster. There are many different ways you can take ginger: in capsules, lozenges, tea, or purely raw. You can even grab a ginger ale, though I suggest looking for the real stuff rather than the overly sugary soda.
Essential Oil
Put a few drops of an essential oil onto a cloth to carry in your pocket, and inhale the scent if you feel nauseous. Lemon and mint oils seem to be favorites, however any scent that you find soothing will work. Just make sure that you are checking with your doctor to be sure that the oils you are using are safe for both you and baby.