Coping strategies

This section contains helpful information and some positive things that you can do to manage your symptoms. However Pregnancy Sickness Support Trust will not be held responsible for any actions that you do or don’t take based on this information.

The information on this page refers to general nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, however, if you are suffering from pregnancy sickness in it's severe form or you do not think the below information is sufficient for the severity of your symptoms please see our page on Hyperemesis Gravidarum.

General Information

If you are suffering from nausea & vomiting in pregnancy there is nothing that you are doing or have done which has brought on these symptoms, apart from conceiving.

It is not known what causes nausea & vomiting in pregnancy (NVP). Rumours and speculation abound in both the medical and lay press. What can be said with certainty is that you are suffering from a common problem that affects women of all psychological types, ethnic backgrounds and types of employment.

Unpleasant or prolonged symptoms of NVP are not to be feared from the viewpoint of a healthy pregnancy. NVP does not mean there is anything wrong with your baby and NVP does not affect the baby. However, NVP can be awful for the mother-to-be and therefore it should not be ignored.

Understanding your symptoms

Nausea and vomiting occurs in episodes throughout each day. 85% of women have two episodes per day and 55% have three or more episodes each day. Between these episodes of nausea there are of course nausea-free intervals. When nausea is at its worst, between weeks 7 and 10 from last menstrual period (LMP) for the majority of women, these nausea-free intervals are shortened but fairly predictable, that is, they occur at approximately the same time each day.

Keeping a daily diary of your symptoms will enable you to be prepared to eat at those nausea-free times. The worse the NVP the shorter are these nausea-free intervals so it is important to be ready for them. Sometimes you may even feel hungry but the hunger is often quickly followed by the onset of nausea, so either hunger or a nausea-free interval gives you a chance to eat straight away so make the most of this opportunity. If you cannot face a meal keep nibbling your favourite food, especially when nausea threatens. Stop eating as soon as your stomach feels full.

Food, drink and vitamins

Avoid certain foods which may contain harmful bacteria such as paté, liver, soft cheeses and undercooked eggs and avoid peanuts. Temporarily straying from what you consider to be your normal healthy diet will not harm you or your baby, eat whatever takes your fancy. It may surprise you that women with NVP may still have cravings for some foods (soil is not a food!) You may happily eat the food you crave while you have NVP. Eating salted crisps may help you to eat a better meal.

Fluids. Remember to keep up your fluid intake to prevent dehydration. Again use your nausea-free intervals to their best advantage alternately with solids, if you cannot take both at the same time. Drink any non-alcoholic fluid you like, but avoid soft drinks with a high caffeine content and not more than three cups of coffee or tea per day. Many women find lemonade or fruit drinks very acceptable. Water is excellent, if necessary as ice cubes or frozen fluids. It is so important to drink plenty of fluid, in small frequent quantities, if that is all your NVP will allow.

Odours. Eat cold food and hopefully your family will agree to do the same. Naturally you will avoid all odours and tastes that make your NVP worse. Your sensitive nose is possibly your worst enemy at present. The smell of cooking, especially fatty foods, coffee and tea, cigarette smoke or perfume are the most common items regularly stated by NVP sufferers to make their symptoms worse. Normal odours can become unpleasantly nauseous, making shopping and cooking a trial, so you may need to get extra help from your family or friends.

Take a pre- pregnancy prepared multi-vitamin which contains 400 microgram of folic acid daily, which is the correct dose in pregnancy but No Vitamin “A” throughout pregnancy, especially if you are not eating much. Avoid iron tablets while you have NVP, as they can make some women’s NVP worse, unless they are specially required, e.g., for anaemia.

Don’t smoke cigarettes. Surprisingly, smoking cigarettes can improve NVP, but smoking cigarettes also has very serious effects on the afterbirth and on the baby, so don’t smoke cigarettes. Indeed try to avoid a cigarette smoky atmosphere which may bring on NVP.

Out and About

If you are able to get out for your normal daily activities you may find it helpful to carry a 'sick kit'. a small pack of wipes or tissues, some sick bags (disposable nappy bags are good), a small bottle of water and some mints or lemon sweets.

Some women find it easier in the car if they are driving while other prefer to be a passenger (especially if you are likely to vomit).

It is a good idea to empty your bladder before going out and regularly whilst out... relaxin produced in pregnancy can cause havoc with bladder control during episodes of vomiting!