Everything You Need To Manage Nausea in Your First Trimester—And Beyond
written by Catherine Barry, Edited by Maya Bach, MPH, RDN
While not experienced by all-vegan mom-to-bes, “morning sickness” or nausea is an uncomfortable yet common side effect of pregnancy.
It can vary from one day to the next and doesn’t only happen in the morning! If you’re reading this, you may know what “morning sickness” feels like. One minute you’re fine; the next, you feel like you’ve been hit by a bus.
Why do you experience nausea?
While the exact cause is not entirely known, your hormone levels that fluctuate during pregnancy may be responsible for how you feel. Expecting more than one baby? You may be more at risk for experiencing nausea. Know that nausea is normal!
What can you do to find nausea relief?
While you can’t eradicate nausea, you can reduce its severity and frequency. Try incorporating these easy tips into your routine to help ease your nausea and make your first-trimester nausea a little more manageable!
Drink ginger juice.
Ginger may reduce your feelings of nausea and promotes healthy digestion.
Tea fan? Try adding freshly grated ginger or a splash of ginger juice to hot water for a DIY pregnancy-safe tea.
Love ginger ale? Make your own by mixing in fresh ginger juice with sparkling water and a sweetener of your choice for your version of ginger ale to enjoy.
Enjoy smaller meals more frequently.
Compared to larger meals, smaller meals are simpler and more accessible for your body to digest.
Be sure to include a carb, protein, and fat to create a meal. For example, try sliced avocado on top of whole-grain toast with chia seeds for an easy no-cook meal.
Eat something within an hour of waking up.
While it may seem counterintuitive to eat, eating something small when you wake up may help settle your stomach by preventing acid buildup that can lead to nausea.
Examples of morning-friendly snacks include fiber-rich crackers, a small piece of bread, a handful of roasted nuts, or a sip of something you find soothing.
Enjoy a protein-rich snack.
Vegan-friendly protein sources may help reduce feelings of nausea because they may improve your body’s ability to break down and digest foods.
Love smoothies? Try drinking a soy milk protein shake or add a scoop of pregnancy-safe protein powder to a simple smoothie or oatmeal.
Prefer to graze throughout the day? Enjoy a snack of hummus with your favorite cracker and veggie, add nutritional yeast to a slice of bread and vegan cream cheese, or grab a vegan protein bar like these to go!
Eat cold foods.
Cold foods are less small and may not trigger nausea as much as warm foods.
Think cold soups, smoothies, pasta salads, and bean-based dishes.
Short on time? Opt for a low sodium tomato or bean-based soup as a base and add tofu on top for an easy snack or meal.
Avoid taking your prenatal on an empty stomach - or try taking it at night!
Taking your prenatal at night or with food may help to reduce nausea.
If you’re taking your prenatal with food, avoid taking it with tea, coffee, or calcium-rich food like soy milk, as compounds in these foods may inhibit iron absorption from your prenatal supplement.
Bottom line:
A certain degree of nausea is to be expected. If you’re experiencing frequent nausea and it’s impacting your daily life, talk to your doctor to discuss medication options. When you change what, when, and how you eat, you can take action to manage nausea in your first trimester and beyond. And remember - sometimes these strategies will work, sometimes they won’t. Do the best you can, seek support from your provider, and be kind to yourself. 💚
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