Anyone know how long food has to stay in your stomach for nutrients to be absorbed?

Question

I am 12 weeks pregnant and suffering from very bad morning sickness - all day and every day. My first pregnancy.. was nothing at all like this. Since about 6 weeks, the nausea has simply been getting worse and progressing to vomitting. I've tried EVERYTHING including: ginger tea, different ginger tea concoctions/flavours, Angel Mama's Morning Wellness tea, papaya, granny smith apples, and I now wear the Queaze Eaze bands for seasickness. Although the bands work best and I feel better.. I still feel pretty bad. I need to know if anyone knows how long food has to stay in your stomach for your body to absorb the most important nutrients. I typically vomit about 1.5 to 2 hours after eating lunch and/or dinner.

Please DO NOT suggest medication. In Canada, my midwife said the only one they prescribe is Dicletin which has been scientifically proven to be harmful and is no longer prescribed in the US as the FDA forced the manufacturer to pull it from the market. It was called another name then - I think Bendectin.

Thank you.

Answer 1

I can't say I know exactly how long it takes to absorb nutrients for your baby, but I can tell you that it doesn't matter yet. Your baby wont be relying on your nutrients, really, until the 16th week. I asked my doctor about that, too, because I had terrible morning sickness until week 12. Right now, the baby is getting his/her nutrients from the yolk sac and placenta.  

Once he/she does need your nutrients, you will know. You will be a lot hungrier (I am eating every 2-3 hours lately), and the nutrients will get to him or her. If there is a problem, then your doctor will be able to tell by the baby's growth and movement via ultrasound.

What I have read, is that it only takes a little while for the actual nutrients to reach you and your baby... like 30 min or less. Digestion is the longer process that you may be thinking of... that takes hours!

Good luck!!

Answer 2

Nutrients start to be absorbed as soon as they enter your stomach. The problem with vomiting is that you're not getting all (or even most of) the nutrients from a meal. But as long as its down there even if its only for a couple hours, your baby will be okay.

In most cases morning sickness subsides after the first trimester so try to hang in there and keep eating every 3 hours like you have been. If you can find even one food you can stomach and not throw up, stick to that food.

If it makes you feel better, my mother was sick the entire time she was pregnant with me, to the point she actually lost weight. Because of this she had to have monthly ultrasounds to make sure I was growing okay. But I was born a normal weight and I turned out fine. Your baby will be okay. And hey, you might get extra ultrasounds (slight upside perhaps?)

Answer 3

If the food's in your stomach for a few hours you are definitely getting a high percentage of the nutrients.  Typically food only stays in your stomach 4-6 hours anyway.  I don't know if this will actually work, but one of my professors swears that women only get morning sickness because of vegetables!  I know that sounds strange, but he says vegetables have evolved so that they make animals that eat them sick, so that the animals won't eat them and the vegetables survive.  He says normal people aren't too affected, but that pregnant women are especially prone.  Apparently fruits are a-okay, though.  Just throwing that out there :P

Answer 4

I think I was told 3 hours.  And although I did vomit a lot, I always tried to put it off until later in the day so that at least my prenatal vitamin would be absorbed.

I know sometimes you just can't control it, though.  With me brushing my teeth was a horrible trigger.  I haven't thrown up since 19 wks but I sometimes still fight it when brushing my teeth.

I lost 3 lbs in the beginning of my pregnancy.  Putting me down to 97 lbs.  Since the vomitting let up I've been continually gaining and at almost 24 weeks had gained 8 lbs putting me at 105.  My doctor seems really happy with how I'm doing.  And my baby actually measured 3 days bigger than expected.

Answer 5

I know how you feel - I  puked multiple times every day but maybe 7 to 10 of my entire pregnancy, and was hospitalized for dehydration twice.

Your body will absorb at least part of the nutrients, even if you vomit one - two hours later.

1] do keep eating a nutritious snack or small meal every two - three hours

2] get plenty of sleep! That seemed to help a lot

3] carry hard candy [ sourballs, life savers ] in case you can't eat right away

4] the only thing I never 're-cycled' was bananas - I hate bananas!

5] eat what you can - avoid fried, greasy, or spicy foods

6] try a piece of toast with honey at bedside before you get up - helped me a lot!

I wound up gaining about 40 pounds [ eating every two hours ],and he weighed 9 pounds, 1 and 1/2 ounces!