5 Things A Pregnant Woman Should Never Do To Treat Nausea

Although there are plenty of medications available to help relieve an upset stomach, a lot of those options are off the table when you’re expecting. Don’t reach for you normal go-to pills without first consulting with your doctor to make sure those meds are still safe while you're expecting, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

I don’t know about you, but sometimes a strong cup (or three) of coffee can help take away my migraines and nausea, which just wasn’t an option for me anymore during pregnancy. Although items like sushi, deli meat, caffeine, and cheese in general are delicious to most of us, and to be honest, might be the only thing you think you can keep down at the moment, they’re cautioned against during pregnancy for a reason. These types of food contain harmful parasites and pathogens (along with general disease-creating bacteria and viruses) that are far more likely to make you sick, according to Baby Center. And that’s why they’re necessary to avoid no matter how iffy you’re feeling.

Although you might want to resort to sleep if you’re feeling nauseas all the time, the American Pregnancy Association (APA) shared that even a common sleep aid like Melatonin isn’t proven safe during pregnancy. Getting enough rest will often help you feel better, sure, but sleep aids are not the safe route to take. Instead, consider turning to exercise to help your body feel and rest better – which will often alleviate some nausea too, according to the APA.

Eating well and drinking enough water is absolutely key to a healthy pregnancy, but when you feel like you’re constantly going to throw up, consuming anything might feel counterintuitive. Babble shared that you need even more water (and healthy foods) to stay healthy during pregnancy. So, although you might not feel like taking anything in, your body still needs a healthy amount of both each day. If you find that your nausea is getting in the way of being able to eat or drink anything, it’s a good idea to take to your doctor about what you can do to feel better.

Although many people ingest essential oils to help with issues like nausea, this isn't always 100% safe – especially when it comes to verifying the brand you're using. But when you're pregnant, ingestion of essential oils should be avoided altogether, according to author and aromatherpaist Christina Anthis of The Hippy Homemaker. They can actually be toxic to your little one if ingested during pregnancy or while nursing, so avoid partaking in this method to tame your nausea.

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