Morning Sickness

You know you should eat but you have morning sickness. The nausea is overwhelming, and you have spent more time vomiting than you think could possibly be good for the baby. You are suffering from the same misery the majority of pregnant women experience during the early weeks of pregnancy.

Causes

No one knows exactly what causes morning sickness. It could be caused by any of the following or a combination of all three:

• Sensitivity to odors
• Physiologic changes
• Increased hormone levels

Morning Sickness Isn't Just for Mornings

Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy is not just confined to the morning. It can hit during any time of the day.

How Long Does it Last

Thankfully, most women only experience morning sickness for a few weeks, usually beginning around the fifth week of pregnancy, and tapering off around the fifteenth week of pregnancy.

Relieve the Symptoms

Women have been suffering from nausea and vomiting in pregnancy for centuries, and during that time, many remedies have been passed down through the generations. Here are just a few tips to relieve your symptoms:

• Eat small meals or snacks every two to three hours, rather than relying on three heavy meals a day.
• Avoid dehydration by drinking at least eight 8-oz. glasses of liquids a day.
• Avoid strong odors.
• When you wake up, eat a few dry crackers before trying to get out of bed.
• Avoid getting over heated.
• Get plenty of rest. Include naps into your schedule if needed.
• Avoid greasy and spicy foods.
• Drink non-caffeinated herbal teas, like peppermint, to relieve the nausea.
• Take your prenatal vitamin during or after you have eaten, rather than on an empty stomach.

In general, listen to your body, eat when and what you can palate, and get ample rest. For every suggestion you receive from family or friends on how to relieve the symptoms of morning sickness, there are fifty more that have worked for different women over the ages.

Vomiting and Your Baby

In most cases, nausea and vomiting in pregnancy will not hurt your baby; however, if you experience the following, you may be suffering from more than common morning sickness. You may be experiencing hyperemesis gravidarium (HG). HG can be life threatening to you and your baby, and you should be under medical supervision. The symptoms of HG are:

• Severe nausea;
• Persistent vomiting of more than three times a day;
• Dehydration;
• Weight loss or failure to gain weight;
• Headache and confusion;
• Pale, dry skin;
• Decreased urination.

Medicinal Cures

Your OB provider can prescribe medications to help with the morning sickness, and also help you stay hydrated with extra fluids and sometimes IV fluids. There are medications to relieve the symptoms, but unless your nausea and vomiting in pregnancy is severe, most providers are reluctant to prescribe medication. Remember, this is the time when the pregnancy is very susceptible to any outside inflences, and some medicaitions can be harmeful to a growing fetus. Discuss your concerns with your health care provider.

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