Soothe Your Stomach in Pregnancy

I have been blessed to not have morning sickness in my pregnancy (just severe food aversions), but there have been two times specifically where I felt really sick to my stomach, and both were completely food related. If you suffer from morning sickness, before you blame it on the baby, take a good look at what you're eating and ask yourself if you'd consider it a clean, wholesome food. Them babies is smart!

My first experience was eating the greasiest piece of garlic toast I've ever had in my life from a pizza place, and the second was after a movie night having eaten what seemed like a harmless quinoa grain salad as my main, and sharing guacamole and chips and cheesecake with my man. Both times I woke up in the middle of the night with an awful feeling of stomach discomfort. Here's what I did to soothe that, and my bonus lesson that I will pass onto you is don't eat crap! Eat at home as much as you possibly can (no I don't mean order in!)

1. Water, water, water.

Both times I am quite sure I had not had enough water either. Water helps keeps things moving--if you pay attention, you'll notice you have the best bowel movements when you're beautifully hydrated. Drink your water in between meals for best results with digestion, and especially avoid ice cold water with meals as that hardens your food going down the digestive tract making digestion more difficult. Bonus points: warm water half an hour after eating.

2. Peppermint tea or hot water with lemon and honey.

Peppermint tea is super soothing for your tummy and you'll often feel almost instant relief after the first few sips. If you don't have any on hand, hot water with fresh lemon juice and 1 tbsp of honey work well too.

3. Rest.

If you wake up in the middle of the night like I did, you'll be tired once the discomfort and nausea subside so take care of yourself by resting; naps are highly recommended.

4. Have a gentle food day.

The last thing you want to do is jump back into the food game with big meals or anything that could aggravate your tummy again. Try some bland foods, like sourdough toast with almond butter or a nice homemade cream cheese, or a piece of fruit (apples are great for fiber). The rest of the day keep meals light, try having broth, and let your partner take care of you.

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