About one in three pregnant women experience what’s known as morning sickness, which not only affects their daily routine, it can land some women in the hospital. A University of Iowa study finds one simple solution: mothers-to-be shouldn’t let their stomachs get empty. Professor Jennifer Niebyl, head of obstetrics and gynecology, says the stomach reacts with more nausea if the stomach is empty. She says expectant mothers should save some of their lunch for a mid-afternoon snack and have a bedtime snack, especially protein snacks at bedtime, like cheese. Niebyl says a well-known vitamin may also help keep morning sickness at bay.Vitamin B-6 has been studied at length and is safe to take during pregnancy in significant doses up to 25-milligrams, three times a day. She says it’s been studied in thousands of cases and causes no birth defects or other problems with the baby. Niebyl says another inexpensive pill can be popped that may help prevent morning sickness.The over-the-counter sleep aid called “Unisom” is effective at combating nausea. Some recommend munching ginger, ginger tablets or drinking ginger ale, but Niebyl says it’s not clear how the baby might be affected. Other pregnant women have tried remedies ranging from acupuncture to wristbands, but she says data on their results is conflicting.
