Morning Sickness During Pregnancy – 6 Causes & 7 Symptoms You Should Be Aware Of
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When Does Morning Sickness Start During Pregnancy?
Most cases of morning sickness begin at six week’s gestation. But for some unfortunate women, the symptoms can appear as early as four weeks – that’s before you can even do a home pregnancy test! By the time the second trimester comes along, most women find complete relief from morning sickness and related symptoms. But if you are out of luck, you may experience morning sickness symptoms till you give birth.
Is There Anything Positive About Morning Sickness?
Something as uncomfortable as morning sickness cannot possibly do any good, can it?
No matter how uncomfortable morning sickness might feel, it is nature’s way of keeping your unborn baby safe from food borne illnesses. Most food aversions during pregnancy are towards foods that can potentially harm you or your baby. Another interesting fact is that morning sickness peaks between weeks 6 and 18 of pregnancy – the time when your unborn baby is developing at a rapid pace and is most susceptible to chemical disruption (9).
So, morning sickness is your body’s survival instinct, giving your baby the maximum shot at survival.
Not just that! Women, who experience nausea during their pregnancy, are also more likely to give birth to ‘intelligent babies (10)!
Morning Sickness And Miscarriage – Is There A Connection?
Many fortunate women escape the clutches of morning sickness. But they still worry. A number of women associate lack of nausea and vomiting with an impending miscarriage. Is there some truth behind this worry?
It is true that nausea indicates a healthy pregnancy. In fact, studies do show that women, who experience nausea during pregnancy, are less likely to experience miscarriage (11). But this is just statistics. Just because you have no sign of nausea does not mean your pregnancy will end in a miscarriage. It can very well mean that you are just very lucky. The best thing is to see your doctor if you are worried.
Tips On How To Ease Morning Sickness During Pregnancy:
Now that you know all about the basics of morning sickness let’s get to the most important point – Treating or managing morning sickness. Here are some easy tips on how to help morning sickness when pregnant:
1. Medication:
Though it is always advisable to avoid medication when you are pregnant, there are times when you can make an exception. If morning sickness is making daily life difficult and if you are unable to keep anything down, you can benefit from medication. There are a number of medicines that women can try to get relief from the constant nausea. Your doctor may prescribe medications like ‘Gabapentin’, an anti-seizure and anti-pain drug (12).
2. Eat Right:
Instead of eating three big meals, try snacking through out the day to prevent morning sickness. Avoid high-fat foods – go for a protein rich diet instead. Include vitamin B6 in your diet too to keep morning sickness at bay (13).
[ Read: Vitamin B6 For Morning Sickness ]
3. Sleep Right:
How you sleep can also cause morning sickness. Do not lie down immediately after a meal if you want to avoid indigestion and nausea. When you get up in the morning, do so slowly. Take a minute, or so before you head into the day.
4. Avoid Triggers:
Every woman has a set of triggers to can make their nausea worse. For some it is the smell of certain food. For others, it is certain tastes. Once you know the trigger, try and avoid it.
5. Avoid Spicy Foods:
Spicy food may appeal to your pregnancy palate, but it does no good to your morning sickness symptoms. So avoid excessively spicy food during pregnancy.
6. Maintain Oral Hygiene:
Make sure to brush your teeth each time you eat to prevent nausea and vomiting.
7. Don’t Mix Solids And Liquids:
Try to limit your liquid intake between meals. Mixing the two together can make nausea worse.
8. Sip, Don’t Gulp:
Don’t gulp down your favorite beverage. Sip on it instead. You can even use a straw.
9. Watch Your Fluid Intake:
You need to drink at least 2.5 liters of fluid each day while pregnant. You can drink water, or juice – drink whatever is more palatable. In case you are vomiting too much, add electrolyte to avoid dehydration.
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