Katrina is over the moon. She and her husband are expecting their first child. She’s nesting, readying the nursery, reading “How to Raise a Healthy Child … In Spite of Your Doctor” by Dr. Robert S. Mendelsohn and eating well. However, Katrina is still in her first trimester, and the morning sickness is taking all the fun out of her pregnancy.
Adding insult to injury, apparently, Katrina’s pregnancy can’t read the clock. If only her nausea were confined to the “morning.” Much to her dismay, she can be hit with severe nausea at any time of the day.
Morning Sickness by Any Other Name …
Whether one calls this condition morning sickness, nausea or by its medical name, hyperemesis gravidarum, it can result in dehydration, weight loss, fatigue and even depression.
In pregnancies plagued by this, homeopathy can be an expectant mother’s best friend. Here are six homeopathic medicines that can help. Some are our more common remedies for nausea — our usual suspects; some are not quite as well known.
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These medicines are not listed in order of most effective. However, they are listed in the order they might be considered. I have used the first three in my practice for years. Consequently, I would naturally turn to them first. They are easier for the sufferer to procure, and, in my experience, once the correct medicine is chosen, these usually act well.
The last three medicines are not generally included in homeopathic kits or widely available in local stores. For this reason, they are not my initial go-tos. However, they are equally valuable. If, like Katrina, one is struggling and the first three medicines have not met one’s expectations, by all means consider moving to the others.
6 Homeopathic Medicines for First Trimester Nausea
Women in need of Sepia may experience nausea that is worse from the smell of food as its cooking so she often can't prepare meals for her family. But it can also be plaguing enough that even just the thought of food can trigger nausea. These expectant mothers may also exhibit revulsion to previously enjoyed bread and certain dairy products such as cheese or milk. They may complain that everything tastes too salty. Sepia is also associated with headaches, allowing it to be a win-win for those experiencing headaches and nausea. I might also add that Sepia is sometimes associated with a history of synthetic hormones such as BC pills.
Ipecac (Ipecacuanha) is another homeopathic medicine that addresses both nausea and headache. Ipecac would be especially worth considering if vomiting occurs, most often triggered by the smell of food.
Tabacum lends itself well to relentless nausea, especially those in which smells become terribly bothersome. Because Tabacum is homeopathically prepared tobacco, we can compare the sufferer’s symptoms to the overwhelming nausea that smoking one’s first cigarette can trigger — that same “makes you turn green,” sickening feeling.
What if persistent vomiting is the sufferer’s issue, sometimes accompanied by violent retching? What should the expectant mother do when the smell — and even the thought of food — is repulsive? Symphoricarpus racemosus is a lesser-known homeopathic that can aid in these cases. Additional symptoms can be a residual unpleasant bitter taste in the mouth or worsening when she lies on her back.
Another perhaps unfamiliar homeopathic medicine, Gossypium herbaceum, might be considered when the mother experiences an inclination to vomit upon waking in the morning, usually before breakfast. The nausea may persist, accompanied by unusually heavy salivation.
Worst of all is the expectant mother who experiences near-constant nausea and vomiting. She may also suffer the resulting gastric irritation caused by this level of stomach upset. This would be a consideration for Amygdalus persica. It can also address a total intolerance of food.
How to Employ Your Chosen Homeopathic Medicine for Morning Sickness and Nausea
I think one of the problems in addressing nausea during pregnancy is that sufferers expect it to take only a dose or two, and with a snap of the fingers, they can call it a day! Instead, it may take a more diligent approach.
We might consider utilizing a priming schedule — what some folks call a loading dose. In other words, use the chosen medicine every 15 minutes for the first hour, and, after that, maybe every few hours. (Scroll down to receive your free Remedy Cards for more specific details regarding each medicine discussed in this post.)
One caveat: Sepia is known to be problematic when overused. Consequently, we should avoid using it for more than a day or two if no improvement resulsts while we determine whether it is the correct medicine. If it doesn't act — even in a small measure — within that shortened time frame, don’t increase the potency. Instead, move on to a different medicine.
Now, I know I’ll get questions asking me what to use if the nausea occurs in the second trimester, rather than the first. My friend, the medicines would be the same. Generally, however, nausea and morning sickness are more prevalent during the first trimester, which is why I worded my blog post thusly.
You see, I want to make sure that expectant moms (most in their first trimester) can successfully Google to find this article and discover the power of homeopathy. However, should the nausea continue into the pregnancy, this information remains the same.
In fact, let me leave you with a success story involving lengthy nausea. A client from earlier in my practice came to me after having already given birth to seven children. In each of those pregnancies, she experienced severe nausea … and I do mean severe.
She was hospitalized with hyperemesis gravidarum during all seven of those pregnancies because she simply couldn't accept food orally. Frustratingly, she had to be on an IV for months — way past the first trimester — continuing many months into the pregnancy.
When she found herself expecting her eighth child, she came to me. I directed her towards Sepia, and she never had to be admitted into the hospital for that pregnancy. She still had slight nausea, but it was nothing like what it had been in the previous situations.
Believe it or not, I heard from her much later on that she went on to have a ninth child. She utilized Sepia again, and it worked just as well.
Come on!
That's one of those cases where the results speak for themselves.
She experienced seven pregnancies with seven hospitalizations, but once she discovered homeopathy, the pattern was broken. Sepia enabled her to keep down food and kept her out of a hospital bed. That speaks rather loudly!
Do you see why I can't stop!
Pass on the good news of Practical Homeopathy®.
Warmly,
P.S. For feminine issues like those we’ve discussed here and more, I highly recommend my course, Feminopathy: How You Can Correct Female Ailments Using Safe, Inexpensive and Effective Homeopathy. You can download a free, helpful infographic while you’re there.
Women around the world have benefited from this popular course, which includes educational material not only on the appropriate homeopathic medicines for pregnancy but also for all manner of conditions affecting women and girls. (There are even a few additional remedies to consider for morning sickness.)
And remember, all my Mighty Members qualify for a 10% discount on course purchases.
Hi Joette, love your weekly blog! In this one the description for the 5th remedy, Gossypium herbaceum, is the same as for the 4th remedy, Symphoricarpus racemosus. Oops!
Thanks, Jean.
I made the change.
Very helpful article thank you! I read a previous article you had written on morning sickness and in that article you recommended Pulsatilla 30C, which I have been taking for a few days and has been helpful, but it sounds like it is not preferred for long term use during pregnancy. Is it preferable to use one of the six remedies above instead? Thanks!
I always like to encourage studente to use what’s working. Pulsatilla is certainly another good choice. Most importantly, taper off as much as you can until you find the right tipping point.
Thank you! I will definitely keep that in mind!
I’m wondering if remedies 4 and 5 are supposed to have the same explanation or if it’s a mistake?
Thank you Joette!
Brenda, you should find that inadvertent mistake fixed now. Thanks.
What about nausea from food/eating before pregnancy that carries over. I am so hungry but the minute I take my first bite of food I am nauseous and seem to not be hungry any more. If I sit in front of the TV for distraction that can help and sometimes when I am eating with friends that also seems to distract.
Can Nux Vomica 30 C be given during pregnancy?
I actually have taken NV during my own pregnancies. However, I’m not at liberty to tell someone that a specific homeopathic medicine is safe for every situation.
Thank you so much, Joette, for continuing to teach others.
I share you posts often and I also share how easy it is to search a condition with your name for reference. I was fortunate to be introduced to homeopathy over 35 years ago and learned to use it promptly “at the first sign”.
A friend had shared the quip, “The more you use remedies, the less you need them.” Or something like that. It was true. We had eight children and by our fourth child or certainly our fifth, this nausea was not present at all during the next three or four pregnancies. I simply followed the symptoms. I thank God for people like you near daily. Be assured of my prayers for you and yours.
Thank you for your kind words, Mary and may God bless you and your family.
My daughter experienced (this is her first pregnancy) nausea at the smell of her spouse. He did not have any offensive odor… but “his smell” made her feel sick. Finally, and thankfully! it did pass after the first trimester. Would one of these remedies mention be a good match for something along the lines of morning sickness with smell (like smells of foods?)… curious for next time!
Sepia is specific for ailments women suffer from the “smell” of their husbands.