Why Am I Throwing Up Yellow Vomit During Pregnancy?

You tend to witness the most bizarre things when you are pregnant. From a magnified sense of taste and smell to wanting to eat chalk or paper, pregnant women have gone through the weirdest changes during pregnancy. Another odd thing you may experience is throwing up yellow vomit. Morning sickness is indeed common, but what is all that yucky yellow substance?

Some women puke yellow vomit first thing in the morning, while others experience this throughout the day after they’ve vomited a few times previously (1). Whatever be the case, the chances are that you are freaking out because all that yellow probably doesn’t seem very normal to you. We’re here to tell you what you’re dealing with and if you should be worried. Read on to know more:

Yellow Vomit During Pregnancy: Is It A Cause For Concern?

Although you’re probably worried sick, the good news is that yellow vomit isn’t something you should be concerned about, as what you’re seeing is just stomach acid. The chances are that your stomach is empty, but thanks to morning sickness, you’ve been puking anyway. Now when your stomach is empty, but you’re still throwing up, what comes out won’t be food but stomach acid and bile. In case you’re wondering what bile is — your stomach produces this acid so it can help break down all the food you’ve eaten (2), (3).

During pregnancy, many women suffer from morning sickness. Although annoying, this condition is a part of most pregnancies. It is caused due to all the hormonal changes your body is going through. If you’ve been throwing up regularly or have thrown up first thing in the morning, it is common to throw up yellow vomit as there is no food in your stomach (4).

Why Does This Happen?

Now that we have established that all that yellow you’ve been puking isn’t something to worry about, let’s look at why it happens in the first place. During pregnancy, your hormones are bound to wreak havoc on your entire body. Your hormones are the troublemakers behind most of your pregnancy woes, from acne and hair fall to morning sickness and pregnancy brain. When it comes to throwing up yellow liquid or even morning sickness as a whole, your hormones are to blame here as well (5).

In most cases, women begin to develop morning sickness in the first trimester of their pregnancy. This is because, during this time, there is a sudden surge in the progesterone and estrogen hormones. Additionally, your body is developing what is known as the human chorionic gonadotropin or hCG hormone. This hormone plays a vital role in preparing your body for pregnancy. While on the one hand, the hCG hormone helps your body prepare itself for a baby; on the other hand, it can cause a lot of turbulence in your system, and vomiting is one such side effect.

Other Accompanying Symptoms To Watch Out For

The consistency of the yellow vomit will vary from person to person, and it depends on how often you’ve been throwing up and if you’ve eaten or drank anything recently. In some cases, the consistency is liquidy, foamy, and transparent. At other times, it could be mucus-like and thick. Don’t worry about what you’ve been experiencing, as they are both normal. In addition to this yellow vomit, it is also normal to experience cramps in your stomach, a loss of appetite, a metallic or bitter taste in your mouth, and a queasy feeling. You may also feel dehydrated, so drink plenty of water and other fluids, even if you don’t feel like it.

What You Can Do To Prevent Yellow Vomit

Morning sickness is a part of most pregnancies, so you can’t completely do away with it, but there are a few things you can do to prevent at least all that yellow bile from coming out. Read on (4):

• Snack Before Bedtime: Try eating something light and healthy just before you’ve hit the bed at night. Almonds or a warm glass of milk are excellent options. This way, even if you feel like vomiting and you do, it won’t be the yellow bile acid.

• Stay Away From Spicy Foods: Your pregnancy cravings might get the best of you, and you might want to reach out for your favorite black-out sauce, but don’t do that. Spicy foods are known to be acidic, so you might end up triggering more yellow vomit.

• Don’t Skip Meals: As mentioned above, yellow vomit is usually observed when your stomach is empty. Firstly, your body, as well as your baby, needs nutrition at all times. Secondly, an empty stomach can trigger nausea and vomiting. You may not feel like eating much, but you should.

• Get Enough Rest: All that morning sickness is bound to make you feel tired. Pregnancy can take a toll on you, and vomiting can make that worse. Your morning sickness will get worse if you are tired or left with no energy.

• Sip On Nausea-Friendly Beverages: You may not feel like drinking anything, but try your hand at nausea-friendly drinks such as peppermint tea or green tea. It will keep you hydrated and help with nausea and vomiting as well. Drinking sugar rich beverages may worsen the condition.

• Refrain From Brushing: That disgusting aftertaste that comes with nausea and vomiting might urge you to grab your toothbrush, but don’t. Yellow vomit or bile acid can soften your enamel — toothpaste can damage your teeth further. It is best to wash your mouth with plain water.

Now that you know what all that yellow vomit is, take measures to manage your morning sickness. If it is too bad, ask your doctor to prescribe safe medication for the bad days. Take good care of yourself, eat healthily, drink plenty of water, and rest whenever possible. This is just a phase and will pass soon! What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments below!

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