While it may be called morning sickness, nausea and vomiting can hit any time of day or night and are one of the most common and dreaded pregnancy symptoms.
Nausea can wreak havoc on your life during the first trimester, sometimes into your second trimester, and in some cases, throughout your entire pregnancy.
What Causes Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy?
Hormones - progesterone, estrogen, and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) rise significantly in pregnancy. As the placenta develops throughout the first trimester, the body is in charge of producing these hormones. The placenta begins to produce hormones toward the end of the first trimester, and nausea and vomiting start to fade for many women. Vomiting and nausea are thought to be caused by the body's strain from the quickly rising hormone load.
Genetics - Morning sickness appears to have a hereditary component. You are more likely to develop severe morning sickness or vomiting if your mother or sister did. Anecdotal evidence led to additional investigation, and the results point to the existence of specific genes linked to nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
Vitamin deficiencies - Even though hormones almost surely contribute to morning sickness, your prenatal nutrition status may impact how severe your nausea and vomiting become. The severity of nausea and vomiting has been linked to nutrient deficiencies. Although many vitamins can help, the most frequent vitamin deficits are those of B6, B12, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin D.
What Can Help?
Morning sickness is a common occurrence during pregnancy, and while there is no one-size-fits-all solution, there are some helpful tips that can help to alleviate the symptoms of morning sickness. Keep trying various combinations of remedies to help find the relief that works best for you.
A small percentage of pregnant women will develop hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), a severe form of morning sickness. It is characterized by constant vomiting, inability to keep food or liquid down, and weight loss. HG often needs medication treatment and hospitalization.
Contact your healthcare provider to make a treatment plan if you are experiencing any of these symptoms.
Here are some tips that may help relieve morning sickness:
1) Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day - consuming high-carb and bland foods frequently helps maintain blood sugar levels, which often dip due to hormonal changes in early pregnancy.
2) Stay hydrated – increase your electrolytes, especially if you are vomiting often.
3) Have ginger candy or tea on hand
4) Avoid certain smells or tastes that trigger nausea.
5) Acupressure: try wearing Sea-Bands – Pressure point P-6, also called Neiguan (nay-gwann), is found on your inner arm near your wrist. Doing acupressure on this point can help with nausea and prevent vomiting.
6) Vitamin B6 - Increasing your B6 levels may help with morning sickness. If you can keep down food, try bananas, chickpeas, or a supplement that may work best for you. A combination therapy of vitamin B6 and Unisom may help reduce nausea associated with morning sickness during the first trimester. Always check with your healthcare provider first.
Read more about the importance of electrolytes in pregnancy: https://lilynicholsrdn.com/electrolytes-pregnancy
Here are some available options for helping to alleviate morning sickness.
Supplements & Tea
Pink Stork
Earth Mama Organics
Tummy Drops
Traditional Medicinals
MegaFood Baby & Me 2
Electrolytes
GOODONYA HYDRATE
Liquid IV
Nuun
HydroMom
Sea-Bands
Talk to Your Midwife or Doctor About Anti-Nausea Medication
If none of the above remedies work and morning sickness negatively impacts your day-to-day life, ability to work, and care for yourself and other children, your doctor or midwife may prescribe anti-nausea medication.
Morning sickness often feels like it will last forever when you're experiencing it, but for most pregnancies, it will pass. Exciting pregnancy milestones and significantly more pleasant days are expected in the second trimester. Until then, ask for help if needed, and be kind to yourself.
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