The term morning sickness is kind of a misnomer since it can occur at any time of the day. However you might want to eat a few salty crackers before you get out of bed.
Morning sickness is believed to be the result of increased hormone levels to help the placenta to develop properly. So in a way morning sickness is a good sign.
Is there anything you can do to relieve the symptoms of morning sickness? Yes there are. The first has already been mentioned.
Eat soda crackers about 15 minutes before you get out of bed.
Eat six or more small meals spaced throughout the day instead of three big meals.
Drink small amounts of fluids throughout the day.
Avoid strong smells like perfumes as these may trigger the nausea and vomiting.
Have someone else cook if that bothers your stomach and open windows to speed the dissipation of the nausea and vomiting.
Stay away from overly warm places which can add to the nausea.
Sniff lemons or drink lemonade, this helps to quell the nausea and vomiting. Smelling ginger also helps.
Eat watermelon which tends to settle the stomach as does salty potato chips.
Don’t lie down immediately after eating as this can slow digestion.
Skipping meals can make it worse.
Avoid cooking or eating spicy foods. Limit the amount of greasy food you eat as this can cause some nausea and vomiting.
Get plenty of rest and try to get in at least one nap a day, two might be better.
Often morning sickness is the first sign that a woman may be pregnant. It usually starts in the fifth or sixth week and generally goes away by the twelfth week. However we have known women who have developed the symptoms very early on and felt vaguely ill throughout their pregnancies and some who never had any symptoms during their entire pregnancy.
There is a very serious condition that in some ways mimics morning sickness. It is called Hyperemesis Gravada. This condition causes excessive vomiting and the patient can’t keep any food down. She may start to lose weight. Both she and her baby could die.
This illness is due to the lack of nutrients and an electrolyte imbalance from the vomiting. In some cases the woman must be hospitalized to receive intravenous fluid therapy in order to restore the balance of electrolytes in the body.
Fortunately, this is a rare occurrence and eminently treatable. NEVER take any over the counter medications to combat the nausea and vomiting of morning sickness unless your physician specifically orders it. Be aware that whatever medicine, food or drink you consume your baby also consumes and the medicine could have a negative effect on the baby.
When you first experience morning sickness you may think you have the flu or ate something that didn’t agree with you. You can eliminate flu if you don’t have a fever and a reaction to food won’t last more than a day or two.
If you have been trying to get pregnant, than the morning sickness may be a welcome sign. You will probably want to run out and buy a pregnancy test right away. But if pregnancy was not on your mind, you might have taken awhile to realize what was really going on.
Fortunately morning sickness in and of itself does not pose a threat to your precious growing baby or to you. It just makes you a bit uncomfortable, but that may serve to remind you that you need to take good care of your physical health for the sake of your baby, yourself and your husband. Think about it, you are about to form a new family. What an exciting new period of your life is about to unfold.
You may not want to celebrate morning sickness, but just tell yourself that it won’t last forever. While you are dealing with it, you get to pamper yourself and are being told to do so by your doctor. Remember, there won’t be much time to yourself once your baby arrives on the scene. So don’t feel guilty about catering to your own needs for now.
We understand that you may not see your morning sickness as a good thing since it makes you feel so miserable. But it is a sign that your baby is getting what he or she needs to grow to viability. You will slowly begin to feel better and one day you will realize that you aren’t feeling sick anymore.
Now you will start planning your baby’s nursery and when you go shopping you will be drawn to the infant section and will marvel at the tiny socks, shirts and sleepers.
You can now share morning sickness horror stories with your friends who have been through it and commiserate with your cousin who has just entered that stage of her pregnancy. Give her the tips to help deal with morning sickness that worked best for you.
However let her know that what worked for you might not help her. Why not give her a copy of this article so that she can try some other ideas to help her cope with morning sickness.
