You would think that after 2 pregnancies, I would know exactly how to handle morning sickness the next time. And you’d be wrong :). Or maybe that’s just me!
The more I learn about health and how nutrition & minerals affect the body, the more I figure out what helps and what doesn’t. This time around I figured out three things that had a HUGE impact on how I got through the first trimester with an almost 5 year old and a 2 year old.
1. Magnesium Chloride foot baths
Apparently magnesium is a mineral that is very hard to get from food since our soil is so nutrient depleted and it doesn’t absorb very well in the digestive tract anyway. Being deficient in it can cause lethargy and exacerbate nausea.
I had read that Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) work, but magnesium chloride works better. I bought a 6.5lb box of Ancient Mineral Magnesium Flakes, which seems to be the recommended brand from what I can tell.
To use them, put a 1/2 cup in a foot bath (I use a $2 dishpan). Make sure the water is around 100-105 degrees; any hotter than that and you will start to expel toxins instead of absorbing the magnesium, any cooler and you will get cold long before the 20-30 minutes is up! You can also use them in a full on bath, but you need 2 cups for a full tub and that would get pretty cold, too.
I use them about every 2-3 days and in 2 months, I’ve used 1/2 the bucket. In the beginning of the first trimester, I probably could have done it nightly, but I did it every other day, until I started to feel better. Overnight, I rarely needed to nap and nausea was MUCH improved. If you are in the group of women who actually DO throw up, this may be worth a try! I still do it 2-3 times a week for the energy alone.
2. Vitamin B-12
I am a vitamin hater and so rather than try to remember to take yucky multivitamins, I would rather take something that had some actual effect so I would remember to take it. I happened to be armed with knowledge of what, specifically I was deficient in and B-12 was one of them and it is also commonly known to help with nausea. I purchased a B-12 with folic acid that didn’t need to be swallowed; it just dissolves in your mouth. Taken about mid-day, it helped keep nausea at bay quite well and I could always tell when I forgot to take it!
3. Vitamin D3
The naturopath also determined that I was low on Vitamin D, so I had some chewables around the house that I added when the other two didn’t seem to be helping. I don’t know if they helped or not, but I’m sure some extra Vitamin D3 didn’t hurt :).
And a bonus help — IRON.
During the first trimester, all I REALLY want is bread and dairy. Which is funny because I almost never eat either! I was also low on iron after 6 years with 2 full-term pregnancies, 2 miscarriages, and 2+ years of nursing for both girls. Imagine that! Especially since I am still nursing my 2 year old a bit, increasing my iron is essential for helping with the fatigue.
I prefer to get my iron from a good pastured beef source (I LOVE me some steak!), but I may have to add an iron supplement. My midwife has recommended Floradix Iron + Herbs. It’s easier on the digestion for lots of people though I haven’t personally witnessed it. Yet.
You can also check my the Top 5 Morning Sickness Tips from my second pregnancy.
How do you get through the first trimester?
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Jami Leigh
19 December 2012 at 2:34 PM (12 years ago)Love these tips! Thankfully I am out of the morning sickness stage (ick!!). I am 35 weeks now but will definitely remember these for next time 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing!!
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