Have More Babies
We discuss tips that help new parents succeed with raising their child based on pediatrician advice and best practices. We also talk about products that may be beneficial to the new parents.
Our goal is to make raising children be a seamless, smooth exercise. We have the tools, we have the experience and indeed we have the passion.
Having a career does not mean one should truncate the desire to have children no matter how many. With the guidance that we give on this platform, I can assure you there is no need to worry. There are literally hundreds of episodes that are coming out to help provide that guidance that every family needs and the reassurance to help us through the steps.
I have more than 28 years' experience as a physician and everyday, I talk to parents and cater to the health of families. Since I cannot take on all the babies in the world as patients, with this podcast I can guide parents in all corners of the world.
Have More Babies
Ten Proven Ways To Calm Pregnancy Nausea
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Nausea can steal the glow from early pregnancy, but it does not have to run the show. We break down why morning sickness often lasts all day, how surging HCG and estrogen fuel the “chemical storm,” and what actually helps when your stomach and senses revolt. From the moment you wake up to the commute, the office kitchen, and the dinner hour, we map a realistic plan that trades endurance for strategy.
We start at the bedside with the eat-before-you-rise routine and move into a grazing approach that pairs bland carbs with steady protein to flatten blood sugar swings. Hydration gets a makeover with slow sips, liquids between meals, ice chips, and infused water to avoid the dreaded slosh. Then we open the pantry: real-ginger tea, chews, and sodas, plus vitamin B6 sources like bananas, avocados, nuts, seeds, and whole grains—with notes on when to talk to your provider about B6 and doxylamine. For drug-free relief, we demo the P6 acupressure point and share how wristbands can blunt nausea signals on the go.
Your senses are part of the solution. We cut scent triggers with ventilation, cold meals, and workspace tweaks, and we use aromatherapy—lemon and peppermint—to interrupt nausea fast. One surprising winner: switching from minty, foamy toothpaste to gentler flavors to avoid gag reflex. We round it out with lifestyle levers: rest as a nervous system reset, fresh air and gentle movement for circulation and endorphins, and communication strategies at work and at home so partners and managers can support you with simple, high-impact changes.
We also draw a bright line around red flags for hyperemesis gravidarum—persistent vomiting, inability to keep fluids down for 24 hours, weight loss, dizziness—and urge immediate medical care when those signs appear. The real takeaway is a mindset shift: build a personalized toolkit, test what works, and claim back small wins that add up to real relief. If this helped, subscribe, share with someone who’s expecting, and leave a review with your best morning sickness hack so others can try it too.
Visit the blog: https://www.omegapediatrics.com/morning-sickness-coping-pregnancy-nausea/
🎧 Thanks for Listening!
If you found this episode helpful, be sure to subscribe, download, and share it with friends, family, or colleagues who might benefit. Your support helps us reach more listeners and spread valuable knowledge on pediatric care.
🌐 For more expert insights, resources, and services, visit Omegapediatrics.com — your trusted source for compassionate, comprehensive pediatric care.
💬 Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Leave us a comment or message us through our website — we’d love to hear from you!
📲 Follow us on social media for tips, updates, and behind-the-scenes content.
Naming The Beast: Not Just Morning
StellaHello and welcome back to Have More Babies. If you are tuning in right now, uh, there is a very good chance that you or maybe someone you care about very deeply is currently sitting in the dark, clutching a ginger ale and just wondering why nobody warned you it would be quite this bad.
MatthewYeah, it really is the one thing everyone warned you about, but um somehow you are never actually prepared for the reality of it.
StellaExactly. It is that specific, joy-stealing fog that descends in the first trimester. You know, you are supposed to be glowing, but instead you are just trying to keep down a piece of dry toast.
MatthewRight. And it can feel incredibly isolating.
StellaIt totally can. But look, we are not here to just complain about it today. We are jumping straight into our deep dive, and we are here to solve it, or at least, you know, make it livable. The topic today is 10 effective morning sickness remedies, how to cope with pregnancy nausea.
MatthewYes. And we are basing this on a really comprehensive guide from Omega Pediatrics.
StellaAaron Powell Right. And I have to ask right off the bat, because I know people are wondering, is this just something you have to grit your teeth and survive? Like, is remedy even the right word, or is it just wishful thinking?
MatthewAaron Powell It is definitely not just wishful thinking. And honestly, that is really the core mission of this deep dive today. The guide makes a very strong case that while the nausea is a biological reality, and we can talk about exactly why that happens, the suffering part is often optional. Aaron Powell Optional. That is a bold claim. Well, at least manageable. The goal here is to move you from a mindset of just endurance to active management. You want to actually enjoy the pregnancy journey, not just count down the days until the second trimester.
StellaI really like that active management. Because when you are in the thick of it, you feel completely helpless, like your body has just been hijacked by a tiny alien.
MatthewPrecisely. Reclaiming even just a little bit of that control can make a huge psychological difference.
StellaYeah, and we have 10 specific remedies to cover today, ranging from dietary tweaks to some honestly bizarre advice about oral hygiene that I was very skeptical about. But um we will get there. First, though, I have a bone to pick with the terminology.
MatthewI think I know where you're going with this.
StellaMorning sickness. Can we just agree that this is the biggest marketing lie in medical history? Why do we still call it that?
MatthewIt is a massive misnomer. And frankly, it causes a lot of unnecessary anxiety for expecting parents.
StellaBecause it happens all day long.
MatthewExactly. If you are feeling sick at eight at night, and it's called morning sickness,
Why Nausea Happens: The Hormone Spike
Matthewyou immediately start Googling to see if something is wrong with you. But if we look at the data from the source, about 70% of pregnant people experience nausea, and 50% experience actual vomiting.
StellaThat is basically a coin toss on vomiting. Those are not great odds.
MatthewThey are not. But for a huge chunk of that, 70%, it is not just a morning event. It can be all day, it can peak in the evening, which is often called evening sickness, or it can hit strictly when you are just really tired.
StellaSo if you are nauseous at midnight, you are not doing pregnancy wrong.
MatthewNot at all. You are just statistically normal.
StellaOkay, so if the clock does not dictate it, what does? Is the baby just doing gymnastics in there? What is the actual biological reason our bodies decide to revolt against food just when we need to be growing a human?
MatthewIt is essentially a chemical storm. The science is not 100% settled on a single smoking gun, but the leading theory points to the rapid escalation of hormones.
StellaWhich hormones specifically?
MatthewSpecifically, human chorionic denetotropin, which we call HCD and estrogen. Think of ACG as the fuel that keeps the pregnancy going in those early weeks right before the placenta takes over. It spikes very rapidly.
StellaAnd that spike is the culprit.
MatthewExactly. The correlation is pretty clear in the medical data. The higher the ACG, the more nausea people tend to report.
StellaSo, in a twisted, really unfair way, feeling terrible is actually a sign that the hormones are doing their job?
MatthewIn many cases, yes. High levels of ACG are generally a sign of a viable, strong pregnancy. Now, that does not make it pleasant, and I certainly would not tell someone hugging the toilet bowl, congratulations, but it might offer a tiny psychological comfort.
StellaA very tiny comfort. Yay, my hormones are working. Please pass the bucket.
MatthewExactly.
StellaOkay, give us the timeline. When does this chemical storm
Timeline And Mindset Shift
Stellausually break?
MatthewGenerally, you are looking at an onset around week six. That is when the HCG really starts climbing. And for the vast majority of people, the clouds part by the end of the first trimester, so around a week 12 to 14.
StellaOkay, so we have a six to eight week window we really need to manage. Let us get into the toolkit. The guide from Omega Pediatrics lists dietary adjustments as the first line of defense. But this is not just eating healthy, right? Because I feel like a kale salad would completely destroy me in that state.
MatthewNo, in fact, eating healthy in the traditional sense might totally backfire here. The most counterintuitive insight from the source is the rule of the empty stomach.
StellaWalk me through that because usually when I feel sick, the very last thing I want to do is put food in my mouth.
MatthewThat is the natural instinct. But it is actually wrong. Biologically, an empty stomach is a nausea trigger. When your stomach is empty, gastric acids have nothing to digest but the stomach lining itself, and your blood sugar crashes.
StellaAnd that
Eat Before You Rise Strategy
Stellacrash makes you feel worse.
MatthewYes. That crash sends a signal to the brain that triggers the nausea center. It is a vicious feedback loop. You do not eat because you're sick, and you are sick because you do not eat.
StellaSo you basically have to force feed the engine to stop the sputtering.
MatthewExactly. The strategy here is preemptive strikes. The guide suggests keeping food literally on your nightstand.
StellaLike before you even get out of bed in the morning.
MatthewBefore you even sit up. The physical motion of moving from horizontal to vertical can trigger dizziness if your blood sugar is low from fasting all night.
SPEAKER_01Right.
MatthewSo you wake up, you reach over, you eat a plain cracker or a piece of dry toast. You wait 15 minutes, and only then do you get up.
StellaThat feels very decadent, honestly, eating in bed. But I guess if it works, it works.
MatthewIt sets the tone for the rest of the day. And once you are up, the old rule of three square meals is completely dead. You need to become a grazer.
StellaWhy is grazing better than a big lunch? I would think just getting the eating over with in one big meal would be better.
MatthewTwo reasons. First, grazing keeps that blood sugar line flat and stable, avoiding the sudden dips that cause sickness. Second, a full stomach is just as bad as an empty one.
SPEAKER_02How so?
MatthewIf you overfill the stomach, digestion slows down, mostly thanks to progesterone, which relaxes your muscles. Then you just feel bloated and sick. You really want to aim for eating small amounts every two to three hours.
StellaOkay, but what are we eating? I assume the spicy curry or the pepperoni pizza is off the table.
MatthewSadly, yes. We are looking for safe foods. The guide references the brat diet concepts bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. Bland is best because it is easy to digest. But there is a key insight from the source here, which is that you need protein.
StellaWhy protein specifically? Why not just live on crackers for two months?
MatthewBecause carbohydrates burn off fast. You get a quick sugar spike and then a rapid drop, and that drop brings the nausea right back. Protein digests slowly.
SPEAKER_02Oh, I see.
MatthewYeah, a piece of cheese, a handful of nuts, or some Greek yogurt will keep your stomach busy and
Grazing With Protein, Not Just Carbs
Matthewyour blood sugar stable for much longer than a simple cracker will.
StellaSo cheese and crackers are the new power lunch. I can definitely get on board with that. Now I have to ask about water. Because personally, when I have felt nauseous in the past, the feeling of water sloshing around in my stomach is an absolute nightmare. But everyone always screams, hydrate, hydrate.
MatthewAnd they are right to scream it because dehydration makes nausea significantly worse. It actually concentrates the hormones and the salts in your body. But the method of drinking really matters.
StellaSo the slosh factor is real?
MatthewThe slosh factor is very real. If you chug a big glass of water, you trigger the stretch receptors in your stomach, which can immediately induce vomiting.
StellaSo how do we cheat the system?
MatthewYou sip, you do not drink, you take tiny, continuous sips all day long. And here is a fantastic pro tip from the guide. Try not to drink with your meals. Drink in between them.
StellaOh, separate the solids and the liquids?
MatthewPrecisely. If you mix food and liquid, you increase the volume in your stomach too much, and again you trigger those stretch receptors we talked about.
StellaThat is a really practical tip I had not heard before.
MatthewIt makes a huge difference. And if plain water tastes metallic, which is a really common pregnancy symptom called dysjucia, you need to trick your taste buds. Ice chips are great because they melt slowly, providing hydration without that volume shock.
SPEAKER_02That makes total sense.
MatthewFrozen fruit bars work well too. Or you can infuse the water with lemon, cucumber, or mint.
SPEAKER_02Cucumber water. Make it feel like a spa day instead of a medical necessity. I really like that reframing.
StellaMoving on from diet to what I am calling nature's toolkit. There are things in our pantry that act almost like drugs. And the king of this category is obviously
Hydration Without The Slosh
Stellaginger.
MatthewThe undisputed heavyweight champion. Ginger is not just an old wives' tale. There is actual clinical data supporting it. It contains compounds called gingeroles that help speed up stomach emptying, which reduces that heavy, sick feeling.
StellaAnd we are not just talking about gnawing on a raw root, right? Because that sounds really intense.
MatthewDefinitely not. The guide emphasizes versatility. You can steep fresh slices in hot water for tea. You can drink ginger ale, but just make sure it is made with real ginger, not just artificial flavoring.
StellaRight. The fake stuff will not help.
MatthewExactly. But my favorite recommendation for working parents is ginger chews or hard candies.
StellaI keep those in my bag for car sickness. They are intense, but they definitely work.
MatthewThey are fantastic for immediate relief when you are stuck in a meeting or driving. Now, if ginger is not cutting it, there is a vitamin that acts as a true pharmaceutical intervention, which is vitamin B6.
StellaVitamin B6. Now that sounds a bit more medical.
MatthewIt is. This is often a first-line medical recommendation. In fact, many providers prescribe a combination of vitamin B6 and doxylamine for severe nausea. But before you jump to supplements, and you should always consult your provider
Ginger, B6, And Real-World Options
Matthewbefore taking any new supplement, you can get B6 naturally from food.
SPEAKER_01I always love a food-first approach. What should we be shopping for?
MatthewThe source lists bananas. There's that banana again, avocados, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. So if you are having avocado toast on whole grain bread, you are actually hitting a lot of these anti-nause targets all at once.
StellaThat is a very trendy way to fight morning sickness. I approve. Now let us talk about the wristbands. I have seen these on people in cruise ships. They are called C bands. How does wearing a bracelet help your stomach? This sounds just a little woo-woo to me.
MatthewIt does sound like magic, I admit, but it is based on acupressure, which has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. The specific spot is called the Naquan Point, or P6.
StellaOkay, for the listener who is driving or sitting at their desk right now, how do they actually find this magic button?
MatthewTake your hand and hold it palm up. Take the three middle fingers of your other hand and place them across your wrist, right at the crease where your hand meets your arm.
SPEAKER_02Okay.
MatthewThe point is directly below those three fingers, right in the center between the two large tendons.
SPEAKER_02Okay, I am pressing it right now. It feels a little tender.
MatthewThat is the exact spot. The theory is that stimulating this nerve sends a signal to the brain that blocks the nausea message. The bands just apply continuous plastic button pressure to that spot.
StellaAnd it really works.
MatthewIt is non-invasive, completely drug-free, and for many people, it provides relief within minutes. It is definitely worth a $10 experiment.
StellaAbsolutely. No side effects, so why not? All right, let us get into the sensory stuff. Because pregnancy gives you the superpower, or maybe it is a curse, of having a highly heightened sense of smell.
MatthewIt is a double-edged sword. You can smell a gas leak from three blocks away, but you can also smell your coworkers' tuna sandwich from three offices over. And that smell can trigger an immediate gag reflex.
StellaSo the strategy is simply avoidance.
MatthewAggressive avoidance. The guide advises identifying your specific
Acupressure Bands And P6 Point
Matthewtriggers, whether that is coffee, garlic, or frying oil, and ruthlessly eliminating them from your environment. Use exhaust fans. Open windows.
StellaWhat if you have to cook?
MatthewIf you cannot cook without feeling sick, this is the time to lean on cold meals or just have someone else handle the stove entirely.
StellaAnd this leads us to that aha moment I mentioned earlier, the tip from the source about toothpaste.
MatthewYes. This is one that people rarely think of until it is explicitly pointed out.
StellaBecause you have to brush your teeth. You cannot just stop doing that. But the mintiness can be so overwhelming.
MatthewExactly. Think about standard toothpaste. It is intensely minty, and it foams up rapidly in your mouth. That combination, the strong flavor shock and the texture can easily trigger the gag reflex in a sensitive throat. So the morning brush just becomes a morning vomit session.
StellaSo what do we do? Switch to baking soda.
MatthewYou could, but the god suggests something a little more pleasant. Switch to non-traditional flavors, kids' toothpaste, bubblegum flavor, cinnamon, fennel.
StellaBubblegum. I feel like asking a grown adult to use bubblegum toothpaste is slightly degrading.
MatthewIt might feel silly, but if it allows you to maintain your dental hygiene without throwing up, it is a perfectly valid medical strategy. There's no dignity in vomiting. Take the win where you can get it.
StellaThere is no dignity in vomiting. That is definitely the quote of the day. I honestly think that is brilliant. Sometimes you just need permission to do the weird thing if it actually works.
Matthew100%.
StellaAnd on the flip side of bad smells, we have aromatherapy.
Scent Triggers And Avoidance
StellaCan good smells actually fight the bad smells?
MatthewThey absolutely can. Lemon and peppermint essential oils are known to soothe nausea. Even just scratching a fresh lemon rind and inhaling the scent can interrupt that nausea signal in the brain.
SPEAKER_02It just cuts right through the fog.
MatthewIt does. The olfactory system, your sense of smell, is directly wired to the limbic system in the brain. A sharp, clean scent like lemon can physically interrupt the nausea signal before it takes over.
StellaOkay, we have covered food, we have covered senses. Let us talk about lifestyle. Because when you are pregnant, you are tired, like bone tired. Does that fatigue play into the sickness?
MatthewIt is a huge multiplier. Fatigue reduces your body's ability to cope with stress, and these massive hormonal shifts are a huge physiological stress. When you run down your battery, the nausea just gets louder. That is why lying down is actually listed as a remedy in itself.
StellaI love when taking a nap as a medical prescription, but it is not just about laziness.
MatthewNo, it is deeply physiological. Lying down reduces the physical strain on your muscles and organs, but it also minimizes sensory input. If you close your eyes, you stop the world from spinning. It allows for deep breathing, which visibly calms the nervous system.
StellaGreat. So it is essentially a system reset.
MatthewExactly.
StellaBut we cannot stay in dead for nine months. The guide also mentions fresh air and movement.
MatthewIt is a bit of a paradox. You need rest, but staying in one spot with stagnant air can make you feel claustrophobic and actually sicker. Gentle
Toothpaste Tricks And Aromatherapy
Matthewexercise, like walking or prenatal yoga, increases blood flow and releases endorphins, which are natural painkillers and mood boosters.
StellaIt is about finding that sweet spot between rest and movement. Now, let us get practical about the social side of this, because unfortunately, the world does not stop just because we feel terrible. Many listeners are navigating this while sitting at work.
MatthewThis is a major challenge. The guide offers a specific section on coping with morning sickness at work. The very first tip is preparation. Pack an emergency kit. What goes in the kit? Your ginger chews, your blank crackers, water, maybe that lemon essential oil. Having it completely accessible at your desk means you can address the nausea the exact second it hits rather than scrambling around the office.
StellaAnd what are the environment? Office kitchens can be a total nightmare of smells.
MatthewThey can be brutal. The guide suggests modifying your workspace. A small personal fan can keep air moving and blow those odors away from you. And importantly, communication.
StellaTalking to the boss, that sounds terrifying if you are not ready to announce the pregnancy yet.
MatthewIt is tricky, but informing your employer, even if it is early, can allow for necessary accommodations. Maybe you need shorter, more frequent breaks. Maybe you need to adjust your start time to avoid the morning rush if that is a big trigger time for you.
StellaAnd what about at home, relationships? I feel like partners often want to help but have absolutely no idea what to do. They just stand there looking panicked.
MatthewThe partner's role is huge. And again, communication is the primary tool. Your partner is not a mind reader. They might not realize that their specific body wash or the dinner they just happily cooked is making you miserable.
StellaOr that their breath after eating garlic is a biological weapon.
MatthewExactly. The guide suggests partners can make really simple changes like brushing their teeth immediately after eating strong foods, but also just providing emotional support, understanding that you are not being difficult, you are physically struggling.
StellaEmpathy goes a very
Rest, Fresh Air, Gentle Movement
Stellalong way. Okay, I want to take a serious turn for a moment. We've been talking about managing typical morning sickness, but there is a point where it crosses the line to something much more dangerous. When should a listener pick up the phone and call their doctor?
MatthewThis is a critical distinction to make. We need to talk about hyperemesis gravidarum. This is not just typical morning sickness. This is severe.
StellaWhat are the red flags? How does a listener know that this is just too much?
MatthewWe are looking at severe, persistent vomiting. I am talking about the complete inability to keep liquids down. If you cannot keep water down for 24 hours, you are at serious risk of dehydration. Weight loss is another major sign, dizziness or fainting.
StellaSo if you are losing weight instead of gaining, or if you feel like you are going to pass out.
MatthewYou need medical attention immediately. This is not something to just push through. It often requires IV fluids and nutrients to keep you and the baby safe. The guide emphasizes this strongly. Do not hesitate to contact your provider if you see these signs.
StellaThank you for clarifying that. It is so important to advocate for yourself and not just suffer in silence because you think that is what pregnancy is supposed to be.
MatthewAbsolutely.
StellaOkay, let us unpack this all. We have covered a ton of ground today. From the biology of hormones to the
Coping At Work And Communication
Stellamagic of ginger and bubblegum toothpaste.
MatthewIt really is a toolkit approach. There is no one single magic bullet that works for everyone.
StellaRight. So to summarize, morning sickness is tough, but it is manageable. The toolkit includes dietary changes like the empty stomach rule, eating that cracker before you get up, nature's helpers like ginger and B6, sensory hacks like avoiding triggers and using aromatherapy, and lifestyle shifts like prioritizing rest and communicating your needs.
MatthewThat is a great summary. And I would add the key is experimentation. Try the C bands. If they do not work, try the sour lemon candies. If that does not work, try the protein snacks. Every single pregnancy is unique, so your solution will be unique to you.
StellaAnd remember, you are not alone in this. Seventy percent of us have been there. We have survived the nausea, and you will too.
MatthewIndeed.
StellaNow, if you are listening to this and thinking, I need to read this guide myself, or I need the full list of safe foods, you absolutely must visit omegapediatrics.com.
MatthewYes, that is the go-to resource. The guide we discussed today is right there, but they also have other fantastic articles. There is one on ten common pregnancy symptoms and another called From Bump to Birth. It is a treasure trove for expecting parents.
StellaOmegapediatrics.com, go there, bookmark it, you will thank us later.
MatthewAnd while you are online, please take a second to support this channel.
StellaYes. Please like this video, subscribe to the channel so you do not miss our next deep dive, and share this video with any friends or family who might be expecting. You might just save them from a very nauseous morning.
MatthewIt really helps us continue to bring you these insights.
StellaBefore we go, here is a final thought to leave you with. We talked about how smell triggers nausea. But did you know that the sense of smell is actually the sense most closely linked to memory? Maybe that lemon oil you used to fight the nausea today will, years from now, remind you of the incredible strength and resilience it took to bring your baby
Partner Support That Actually Helps
Stellainto the world. You are doing the hard work of creating life. You have got this.
MatthewThat is a beautiful perspective to end on.
StellaThanks for listening, everyone. Take care of yourselves, and we will see you next time on Have More Babies.
MatthewGoodbye, everyone. Stay hydrated.
