"Just Eat a Cracker" – Oh, You Mean The Ones I Just Threw Up?"
Pregnancy books, well-meaning relatives, and that one friend who “had no morning sickness at all” (we secretly hate her) will tell you:
"Morning sickness is just a little nausea in the morning. Just eat a cracker and you’ll be fine!"
HAHAHAHAHAHA. No.
Let me tell you about my first pregnancy. It wasn’t just morning sickness—it was all-day, all-night, everything-smells-like-death sickness. I had no idea what to eat because everything smelled awful—especially meat, onions, and garlic. I couldn’t even think about them without gagging. But if I didn’t eat? Boom. Even worse nausea.
So I spent my days playing the most stressful game of "Find a Food That Doesn’t Make Me Want to Die." When I found something that worked (hello, croissants with jam and plain soba noodles with soy sauce and veggies), I would eat it nonstop—only to instantly regret it because now I was stuffed and nauseous again.
Then, fast forward to my second pregnancy: no nausea at all. Not even once. I could eat everything, and nothing smelled bad. Same body, same uterus—completely different experience. If that’s not proof that pregnancy is just one big chaotic joke, I don’t know what is.
So, if you’re in the trenches of morning (aka all-day) sickness, let’s talk about what’s happening, what might help, and why this whole thing is actual hell.
What Causes Morning Sickness?
Morning sickness is your body’s way of saying:
"Hey, congrats on growing a human! Now, suffer."
🔹 Hormones are going crazy – hCG (the pregnancy hormone) spikes in early pregnancy, and for some reason, it makes a lot of us feel violently ill.
🔹 Your sense of smell is now bionic – That perfume you loved? Now it smells like garbage. Your partner’s breath? Don’t even.
🔹 Your stomach is extra sensitive – Even thinking about certain foods can make you gag.
📝 Reality Check: It’s called "morning sickness," but it can happen any time of day or last all day (or in my case, the entire pregnancy).
How Long Does Morning Sickness Last?
Most women start feeling it around week 6 and it peaks around weeks 8-10. For many, it magically disappears by week 12-14.
But for the unlucky ones (hi, it’s me), it can last the entire pregnancy. Yep. All. Nine. Months.
🚨 If you’re throwing up constantly and can’t keep food down, you might have hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), a severe form of morning sickness. If you think you have it, talk to your doctor!
Tips for Surviving Morning Sickness
✔️ Eat small meals often – An empty stomach makes nausea worse, but overeating does too. (Basically, we can’t win.)
✔️ Find your "safe" foods – For me, it was croissants with jam and plain noodles. Find what works and roll with it.
✔️ Ginger everything – Tea, candies, ginger ale—some people swear by it. (Didn’t work for me, but worth a shot!)
✔️ Try vitamin B6 – Some studies show it helps with nausea.
✔️ Stay hydrated – Dehydration makes nausea worse. But, uh, water might taste gross too now (yay, pregnancy).
✔️ Avoid strong smells – If your partner insists on cooking onions, consider divorce.
✔️ Acupressure wristbands – They work for some! (Or at least make you feel like you’re doing something.)
✔️ Medication if needed – If it’s really bad, ask your doctor about safe anti-nausea meds.
Final Thoughts
Morning sickness is brutal, but if you’re in the middle of it, you’re not alone. It will pass (hopefully), and if it doesn’t… well, at least you’re getting a cute baby out of it, right?
💬 What food made you instantly gag during pregnancy? Drop it in the comments!