Morning Sickness

So you have found out your pregnant and may be wondering if your vomiting and nausea are part of your pregnancy and how long it will last and what you can do about it, and what goes along with it. morning sickness is a very common sign of pregnancy and is often triggered by certain odors, spicy foods, heat, excess salvation or ( which is often the case) no trigger at all and one of the most common signs that occurs during the first trimester and usually starts between 4 and 9 weeks after conception.

Physical symptoms of morning sickness

A nauseous queasy feeling that can be likened to carsickness or sea sickness, can come on often in the morning but not uncommon to happen at any time of the day or night, you can have a strong aversion to certain smells or foods that are so powerful they can make you sick to your stomach( with my daughter it was the smell of coffee, and i worked at Timmies during my first trimester which didn't help), seasickness that can often be accompanied or followed immediately by hunger pangs, can even strike right after eating, nausea can be so strong it can lead to vomiting.

*Morning sickness itself doesn’t harm your baby. However you should see your doctor if you can’t keep foods or liquids down and are starting to lose weight. Your doctor will want to rule out hyperemesis gravidarum, or serious morning sickness that may require medical attention and possibly hospitalization to protect you and your baby.*

How to cope with morning sickness

There are many different things you can try to ease the symptoms, your care provider may recommend a vitamin b6 supplement, ginger and over the counter options like Unisom.

Choose your foods carefully, You want foods that are high in proteins and low in fat so they are easy to digest, avoid greasy, spicy and fatty foods, bland foods like bananas, rice, applesauce and toast are easy to digest salty foods can sometimes be helpful or foods that contain ginger, for eg ginger lollipops or ginger snaps.

Snack often, Before you get out of bed try snacking of a few soda crackers or a piece of dry toast, nibble through the day instead of only eating a couple big meals so you stomach doesn't get too full or on the opposite end, get too empty which could make the nausea worse.

Drink plenty of fluids, Sip water or ginger ale, aim for 6-8 cups of non caffeinated fluids a day.

Pay attention to your triggers- So you can avoid the foods or smells that seem to make the nausea worse.

Breathe fresh air, This is of course weather permitting but you could open the doors to your home or workplace, or take a daily walk outside.

Take care with prenatal vitamins, If you seem to fee queasy after taking your vitamins, try taking them with a snack or just before bed( this was my go to as i found i could sleep through the symptoms) if these don't help you may need to talk to your health care provider about other ways to get the iron and vitamins you need during your pregnancy.

Rinse your mouth after vomiting, The acid from your stomach can damage the enamel on your teeth so if you can try to rinse with a cup of water mixed with a teaspoon of baking soda, this will help neutralize the acid and protect your teeth.

c. When might it end?

Most women find relief from morning sickness by the time they hit their second trimester( around the 14-20 week mark), only 15-20 percent of women with morning sickness continue to have symptoms beyond that point and only 5 percent deal with it for their entire pregnancy, if you go past 20 weeks or it starts happening for the first time after week 9, or lessens then returns, play it safe and talk to your health care provider.

Morning sickness typically lasts from weeks 6 through 12 and peaks around the 8-10 week mark, 90 percent of women have resolved their morning sickness by 22 weeks, though this may feel like forever when your going through it, rest assured it means the hormones are doing their work and your baby is thriving.

d. What if it doesn’t?

But what do you do if you don't get any relief? if you have morning sickness further into your pregnancy than the typical time, or if you have severe vomiting, a call to your doctor is in the cards, you may have a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum which occurs in .5-2 percent of pregnancies and will need to be monitored as it can lead to hospitalization for dehydration and i will cover this in another blog.