MORNING SICKNESS SYMPTOMS AND REMEDIES
What is morning sickness?
Morning sickness is the commonly used name for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy.
It is primarily caused by hormone changes in your body. For those scientists out there – it’s the effect of rising levels of GDF-15 during pregnancy. Some people are more sensitive to this hormone than others, which is why some lucky mammas sail through pregnancy without any signs of morning sickness whilst others can’t tear themselves away from a sick bowl!
When does morning sickness most commonly occur?
Morning sickness most commonly begins around week 6 of pregnancy. For most, it peaks between weeks 8 and 12 and usually starts to improve by the end of the first trimester (around week 12 to 14). However, some people may experience morning sickness earlier or later than this general window.
Here’s a timeline overview:
- Weeks 4-6: Some mums-to-be start feeling mild nausea, but it’s less common to experience intense symptoms this early.
- Weeks 6-12: This is the most common period for morning sickness. Symptoms often peak around week 9.
- Weeks 12-14: Symptoms usually start to lessen for most people by the end of the first trimester.
- Second Trimester (Week 14+): While rare, some expectant mums continue to experience nausea and vomiting into the second trimester.
- Throughout Pregnancy: In rare cases, some people experience morning sickness throughout the entire pregnancy.
If you have morning sickness and it is severe or persists beyond the first trimester, it may be worth discussing your symptoms with your midwife of doctor, just to check it’s not hyperemesis gravidarum a more serious form of pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting.
But, it’s important to remember for most mums-to-be morning sickness doesn’t put your baby at risk. And if you’re worried because you don’t ever feel nauseous - don’t be – every pregnancy is different and luckily for you this is just one of those pregnancy symptoms you don’t have to worry about.
TRIGGERS AND REMEDIES
Many pregnant women find their nausea and vomiting is worse when they first wake up, hence the label morning sickness! However, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but feeling sick or being sick can happen at any time of day. It’s worth being aware of the triggers, day or night, as understanding why you’re feeling so sick will allow you to change up your daily rituals and try out some well-known remedies to manage your nausea better. Your fluctuating hormones you can’t control but some of the other triggers can be treated quite well.
Most common morning sickness triggers
- An empty stomach – especially when you first wake up
- Certain foods –these vary for everyone but are often spicy, greasy or strong smelling foods.
- Strong smells – yep even your favourite perfume might make you want to barf
- Sudden movement – a perfect excuse to get some help with the housework!
- Pregnancy hormones – just remember, they’re all about growing your baby
Common Symptoms of Morning Sickness
Believe it or not morning sickness isn’t just about being sick! It can affect you in other ways too:
- Nausea: Often the primary symptom, typically occurring in the morning but can happen any time of day.
- Vomiting: While not everyone with nausea will vomit, it’s common in many cases.
- Fatigue: Feeling tired or drained is a common accompanying symptom.
- Sensitivity to Smells: Increased sensitivity to certain smells, which can trigger nausea.
- Food Aversions: Some foods, especially those with strong flavours or smells, may become intolerable.
- Excess Salivation: Some experience an increase in saliva, known as ptyalism, which can worsen nausea.
- Dizziness or Light headedness: This can result from low blood sugar or dehydration linked to nausea or vomiting.
Common Treatments for Morning Sickness
This will depend on your triggers and symptoms but if at first you don’t succeed try, try again. Snacking really helps as one of the pregnant mammas in our team here at Secret Saviours found out. She could be found munching her way through a bag of fruit and nuts whenever she felt sick, after discovering this worked wonders – even if, for us, it was like working with a little squirrel!
- Dietary Adjustments:
- Eating small, frequent meals rather than large ones.
- Choosing bland foods (e.g. crackers, toast, or dry cereal).
- Avoiding greasy, spicy, and strong-smelling foods that can trigger nausea.
- Trying cold foods, as they often have a milder smell and are easier to eat.
- Hydration:
- Sipping water, electrolyte solutions, or ginger tea throughout the day.
- Staying hydrated is essential, especially after vomiting episodes.
- Ginger:
- Ginger is a well-known remedy and can be consumed as tea, ginger ale, capsules, or candies.
- Vitamin B6 Supplements:
- Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is often recommended as a natural remedy for nausea.
- Studies suggest it can help reduce symptoms, and it’s generally safe in appropriate doses.
- Acupressure:
- Wristbands that target pressure points (like those used for seasickness) may help reduce nausea.
- Applying pressure to the P6 acupressure point on the inner wrist has shown some benefit.
- Prescription Medications:
- If symptoms are severe, a doctor may prescribe medications like doxylamine-pyridoxine (Diclegis).
- In more extreme cases, anti-nausea medications may be used, but always under a doctor's supervision.
- Rest:
- Resting and avoiding sudden movements can sometimes alleviate symptoms.
- Fatigue can worsen nausea, so prioritizing rest can be beneficial.
- Make sure you get 8 hours sleep a night – a good pregnancy pillow is a must.
- Avoiding Triggers:
- Identifying and avoiding specific triggers, like strong perfumes or cooking smells, can help prevent nausea.
Whatever morning sickness remedies you have found work best for you, just remember that self-care is so important at this time. Take time to work out what your triggers are and test out some of the remedies we’ve mentioned here.
Being in control and stress free will really help too. Talk to family, friends and other mums-to-be. And if stretch marks are on your list of top worries – then you’ve come to the right place, because we have the highest success rate of any stretch mark prevention product you’ll find anywhere in the world. Our 3-step system was invented by doctors, has been clinically proven, is loved by mums midwives and doctors and most importantly will give you an 82% chance of coming out of pregnancy stretch mark free. Find out more here
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