Morning sickness is a common occurrence amongst pregnant women. Here is a list of tips to provide you with morning sickness relief. 

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Morning sickness (nausea, with or without vomiting) might be the first indicator of pregnancy in many women. It commonly occurs in the early weeks of pregnancy and usually subsides between 12 and 14 weeks of pregnancy.i

Almost 50% of pregnant women experience nausea and vomiting. 25% of pregnant women experience nausea only and the remaining 25% experience no symptom at all.ii 

The intensity of nausea varies, and usually does not cause enough problems to seek medical attention. However, 1 to 2% of pregnant women get a very severe form of nausea and vomiting, called Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG).i This causes a lot of vomiting and as a result the patient loses nutrients and fluids. This condition requires specialist treatment, sometimes in hospital.i

Morning Sickness Causes

What causes morning sickness is exactly not known. However, researchers have pointed out several factors such as increased estrogen levels, increased human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) levels, nutritional deficiency (a lack of vitamin B6 in the diet) and gastric problems.i 

Here are a few things about morning sickness that you may want to know.

  1. Do you know that what you ate in the year before you got pregnant may cause morning sickness in you? If you consumed high amounts of saturated fat (such as the fat that is found in cheese and red meat), you may experience severe morning sickness during your pregnancy. The natural advice is: if you plan to get pregnant, reduce the intake of such foods. To lower your risk of suffering from morning sickness, you may also want to take a multivitamin regularly before you get pregnant.i

  2. Morning sickness can occur in the morning or later in the day.ii

  3. Morning sickness can affect your weight gain during pregnancy (it can delay the weight gain).i

  4. Here is some comforting news: women who experience morning sickness may have a lower incidence of miscarriage.ii Some researchers believe that morning sickness is caused by a rise in pregnancy hormone levels needed for a healthy pregnancy.iii But a lack of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy itself isn't a cause for concern as there are women with healthy pregnancies that never experience morning sickness.

  5. You should call your doctor right away if your nausea or vomiting is severe and you can't keep your fluids down,  your urine is in small quantities but often very dark, you feel dizzy or faint, have a racing heartbeat, or are vomiting blood.

Here are some tips for coping with your morning sickness:

  • Get plenty of rest.
  • Get out of bed slowly.
  • Avoid an empty stomach.
  • Eat light meals and snack healthily throughout the day. Meals that are high in carbohydrates (such as bread, rice and pasta) and low in fat may help reduce symptoms.i
  • Drink lots of water or other fluids. Avoid drinks that are cold, tart (sharp) or sweet.i
  • Avoid odors that bother you.
  • If you're nauseous, try crackers, toast, or bananas. (Keep crackers by the bed)
  • Try sipping on ginger tea or peppermint tea. Ginger supplements may help reduce the symptoms of nausea and vomiting in some pregnant women.i Besides Ginger, chamomile, vitamin B6 and/or acupuncture or acupressure may also help in the relief of nausea in early pregnancy.iv Acupressure involves wearing 4 a special band or bracelet on your forearm.i
Loss of appetite due to morning sickness? Opt for maternal milk which is scientifically formulated with highest DHA & choline for pregnant and lactating moms that is lower in fat compared to full cream milk to help support weight management while meeting the expert-recommended amount of folic acid, protein and calcium. You can also join the Enfamama A+ Club today to access exclusive content around pregnancy nutrition and growing baby's development, plus get FREE samples, vouchers and other amazing club benefits!

 

 

References:

iNausea and Vomiting during Pregnancy (Including Hyperemesis Gravidarum) in Maternity Information Leaflet, Western Sussex Hospitals, NHS Trust, http://www.westernsussexhospitals.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Naus...

iiGlade B. Curtis & Judith Schuler, Your Pregnancy Week by Week. Philadelphia: Da Capo Press, 2016 (8th edition). Pp. 12, 48, 49

iiiIs nausea during pregnancy a good sign? (2016, August 4). Retrieved April 07, 2017, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/exper...

ivWorld Health Organization, WHO recommendations on antenatal care for a positive pregnancy experience. Geneva: WHO Press. 2016. http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/250796/1/9789241549912-eng.pdf