Morning sickness

Majority of women experience nausea or vomiting, known as morning sickness, during their first trimester of pregnancy. The first trimester is the first twelve weeks (3 months) of pregnancy. The surprising fact is that morning sickness is because of what makes a healthy baby, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). When HCG is released by the placenta it doubles every 2 days until the 10th week of pregnancy, when the placenta is fully formed. Symptoms may be intensified if a woman is carrying twins or if a hydatidiform mole is present. Some women may lose weight and have an electrolyte imbalance which may hurt the fetus and the mother. Morning sickness is classified by:

  • Nausea accompanied by vomiting, sometimes
  • Nausea subsiding at 12 weeks – third trimester
  • Vomiting that does not cause dehydration
  • Vomiting allows you to keep some food down
  • Passing small amount of urine
  • Urine dark in color
  • Feeling dizzy
  • Heart races
  • Vomiting blood.

The rick factors are:

  • Experiencing symptoms from:
    • Motion sickness
    • Migraines
    • Smells or taste
    • Estrogen
    • Previous pregnancy
    • Twins or other multiples.

This is a disorder that has a clinical diagnosis aside from checking for another underlying cause for an individual to have nausea or vomiting. Majority of these cases do not have a treatment, however vitamin B6 is a very good supplement. Antihistamines, anti-nausea, and pyridoxine combined with doxylamine may be prescribed to help soothe the symptoms. Women should choose food carefully, snack regularly, drink fluids, find the triggers, regularly take outdoor walks, take prenatal vitamins, and some alternative medicine:

  • Acupressure
  • Acupuncture
  • Ginger
  • Hypnosis
  • Aromatherapy.

Some do’s:

  • Eat small meals often
  • Drink fluids throughout the day
  • Eat soda crackers in the morning
  • When there is cooking in the house, open a window
  • Avoid cooking your own food
  • Nap, rest
  • Avoid warm climates
  • Sniff or eat lemons, ginger, eat watermelon
  • Eat salty potato chips
  • Exercise!

Some don’ts:

  • Lie down after eating – may cause GERD and other reflux diseases and GI symptoms
  • Skip meals
  • Let the condition go untreated
  • Cook or eat spicy food.

Women residing in Denver should visit the Denver Holistic Center for more information. No pregnant woman should have to deal with the symptoms of morning sickness without any intervention. At times morning sickness may subside on its own in a matter of weeks within the first trimester, but in case it does not, pregnant women should seek medical attention.