Morning sickness hit me like a bag of bricks during my pregnancy. And it didn’t just last during the first trimester… it extended well into the second! Making it feel difficult to work and participate in activities I enjoyed.
I didn’t feel like myself and I was worried about getting enough nutrition for me and baby. After taking some time to get pregnant, I thought the pregnancy part would be easy… and boy was I wrong!
I finally understood what women meant when they said they couldn’t eat anything during this time. It really was that bad and I couldn’t just power through (which I honestly thought you could before experiencing it myself).
This is why we want to make sure that we are doing everything we can to make sure that you’re getting all of the nutrition that you NEED to support a healthy pregnancy and your beautiful baby.
First, I also want to say that it is so important to chat with your provider about what’s going on. Depending on the severity of your morning sickness, they may suggest additional medical routes to make sure that both you and baby are supported.
Okay, now for what you can do with your food!
Eat more carbs and start with carbs: Now I wouldn’t normally suggest this, but earlier in your pregnancy you’re more insulin sensitive meaning you may actually need more carbs to keep your blood sugar balanced and keep you from getting nauseous. The trick is to combine your carbs with protein, but in this case it may go down easier if you start your meal or snack with a couple bites of the carb food first.
Keep snacks at your bedside table: similar to the above, we want to make sure that you’re getting enough carbs to keep your blood sugar up. After fasting all night, it may be low and having a couple crackers right when you wake up can help and be gentler on your stomach!
Vitamin B6: This vitamin can be really helpful for morning sickness especially if you aren’t getting enough of it! Foods high in B6 include: chickpeas, bananas, potatoes, and meats. You can also take a supplement form of this vitamin, check with your provider or dietitian for the amount that is best for you!
Sour foods: This is the real life-saver! Sour and bitter foods can make the biggest difference. By keeping these foods on hand and snacking on them regularly, you can settle your stomach and make it easier to eat other foods that may provide more nutrition! Try foods like pickles, green grapes, green apples, sour citrus, and sour candy!
Take a high quality prenatal: This is your backup plan! By taking a high quality prenatal you can be confident that your body is getting the nutrients it needs to help grow your baby and keep you healthy. But taking a good prenatal is key, but many don’t include all of the nutrition that you need.
For more guidance on nutrition in pregnancy you’re in the right place! You can always check out my course, Feeding Fertility to Pregnancy, where I walk you through fertility and pregnancy nutrition so that you don’t have to second guess every bite you take!
xoxo
Erin
Eats with Erin 