First Trimester

Nausea and vomiting are common during pregnancy. They are especially common during the first trimester (3 months) of pregnancy. Increasing hormone levels may play a part in these symptoms. Often called “morning sickness,” nausea and vomiting can happen during any time of the day.

Most of the time, nausea and vomiting aren’t harmful and do not mean that your baby is sick. However, these symptoms can seriously affect your day-to-day activities. When nausea and vomiting are severe, they can affect your health. It is important to talk to your provider if nausea and vomiting are getting in the way of your everyday life.

What Can You Do to Feel Better?

Lifestyle Changes:

• Get plenty of rest.
• Avoid smells that bother you.
• Eat five or six small meals each day instead of three large meals.
• Eat a few crackers before you get out of bed in the morning. This can help settle your stomach.
• Eat small snacks high in protein (i.e. a glass of milk or a cup of yogurt) throughout the day.
• Avoid spicy foods and fatty foods.
• Stay hydrated. Take small sips of fluids throughout the day or eat ice chips.

Available Remedies:

Sometimes women need more help to feel better. There are remedies available at your local pharmacy. You can buy these without a prescription:

• Ginger capsules: Ginger may help soothe your stomach. Take 250mg by mouth every six (6) hours, as needed for symptoms.
• SeaBands: These work by applying pressure to a certain point on your wrist. This is thought to help with nausea and vomiting.
• Vitamin B6: This vitamin may help relieve nausea during pregnancy. Take 25mg by mouth every 4 to 6 hours as needed for symptoms.
• Doxylamine (aka Unisom): This is a medicine used for sleep, but can safely help pregnant women treat nausea and vomiting. Take 12mg by mouth every 12 hours as needed. If you buy Unisom, break the pill in half. This medicine may cause drowsiness.

Preventing Dehydration:

Nausea and vomiting cause you to lose fluids. If you are experiencing nausea and vomiting, some ways that you prevent dehydration are:

• Drink water
• Drink sports drinks with electrolytes
• Eat ice chips

Call your provider at 617.414.2000 or come to the emergency room if you have the following signs of dehydration:

• Small amount of urine and it is dark in color
• You cannot keep down liquids
• You are dizzy or faint when you stand up
• You have a racing or pounding heart
• You are vomiting blood
• You have pain in your upper abdomen or behind your breast bone that does not go away

Nausea (feeling like you want to vomit)

What Will I Notice?

You may wake up with nausea. Or you may have nausea all day. Notice smells more than before. Feel like you need to spit.

What Can I Do?

Eat some crackers or dry cereal before lifting your head off the pillow in the morning. Keep some food in your stomach at all times. Eat every 2 to 3 hours. Eat plain foods not greasy or fried foods. Drink fluids between meals instead of with your food.

Breast changes

What Will I Notice?

Your breasts get larger and may feel heavy and tender. Your nipples get darker and bigger. Your breasts get ready to make milk. You may leak some early milk (colostrum).

What Can I Do?

Wear a bigger bra that gives you good support.

Feeling tired

What Will I Notice?

You may feel very tired, like you want to sleep all day.

What Can I Do?

Take naps if you can. Go to bed earlier.

Need to urinate (pee) more often

What Will I Notice?

Your growing uterus or womb presses on your bladder. You may feel like you need to urinate more often.

What Can I Do?

Avoid drinks with caffeine that make you urinate more. These drinks include coffee, tea, and soda.

Headaches

What Will I Notice?

Some women get headaches.

What Can I Do?

Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water each day. Eat healthy food every 2 to 3 hours.

Mood changes

What Will I Notice?

You may have feelings that change quickly from happy and excited to unsure or worried.

What Can I Do?

Talk about your feelings. Decide what you need and ask for help.