Morning sickness Health Article

Definition

Morning sickness is nausea and vomiting that can actually occur at any time of the day during pregnancy.

See also:

• Hyperemesis gravidarum
• Pregnancy care

Alternative Names

Nausea in the morning - females; Vomiting in the morning - females

Considerations

Morning sickness is very common. Most pregnant women have at least some nausea, and about a third have vomiting. Morning sickness usually begins during the first month of pregnancy and continues until the 14th to 16th week. Some women have nausea and vomiting through their entire pregnancy.

Morning sickness does not hurt the baby in any way unless you lose weight, such as with severe vomiting. The amount of morning sickness during one pregnancy does not predict how you will feel in future pregnancies.

Common Causes

The exact cause of morning sickness is unknown. It may be caused by hormone changes or lower blood sugar during early pregnancy. Emotional stress, traveling, or some foods can make the problem worse.

Home Care

Try to keep a positive attitude. Remember that morning sickness usually stops after the first 3 or 4 months of pregnancy. To reduce nausea, try:

• A few soda crackers or dry toast when you first wake up, even before you get out of bed in the morning.
• A small snack at bedtime and when getting up to go to the bathroom at night.
• Avoiding large meals; instead, snack as often as every 1 - 2 hours during the day and drink plenty of fluids.
• Eating foods high in protein and complex carbohydrates, such as peanut butter on apple slices or celery; nuts; cheese; crackers; milk; cottage cheese; and yogurt; avoid foods high in fat and salt, but low in nutrition.
• Ginger products (proven effective against morning sickness) such as ginger tea, ginger candy, and ginger soda.

Here are some more tips:

• Acupressure wrist bands or acupuncture may help. You can find these bands in drug, health food, and travel stores. If you are thinking about trying acupuncture, talk to your doctor and look for an acupuncturist who is trained to work with pregnant women.
• Avoid smoking and secondhand smoke.
• Avoid taking medications for morning sickness. If you do, ask a doctor first.
• Keep air flowing through rooms to reduce odors.
• When you feel nauseated, bland foods like gelatin, broth, ginger ale, and saltine crackers can soothe your stomach.
• Take your prenatal vitamins at night. Increase vitamin B6 in your diet by eating whole grains, nuts, seeds, and peas and beans (legumes). Talk to your doctor about possibly taking vitamin B6 supplements.