What Is Morning Sickness?

Morning sickness refers to the nauseous feeling you may have during the first trimester of pregnancy and it can be accompanied with vomiting. For many women the symptoms of morning sickness are their first signs of pregnancy. Morning sickness can occur as early as 4 weeks after conception and fertilization, or around the time of missed period. Morning sickness seems to stop after the 12th week of pregnancy.

If you think you might be pregnant, contact First Choice for a free pregnancy test and options counseling at 973-840-8924.

The exact cause of morning sickness is not known, but the sudden increase of hormones is thought to be the primary cause of morning sickness, specifically estrogen and progesterone. As estrogen fluctuates women often see changes in their sense of smell, which may be linked to nausea. Progesterone contributes to slowing of the digestive tract, which causes the food to stay longer in the digestive tract that can increase the risk of nausea.

According to American Pregnancy Association the following Do’s and Don’ts may alleviate your symptoms:

Do:

  • Eat small meals often.
  • Eat soda crackers 15 minutes before getting up in the morning.
  • Drink fluids ½ hour before or after a meal, but not with meals.
  • Eat whatever you feel like eating, whenever you feel you can.
  • Sniff lemons or ginger, drink lemonade or eat watermelon to relieve nausea.
  • Avoid warm places; feeling hot adds to nausea.
  • Ask someone else to cook for you; open the windows, or turn on fans if the odor bothers you.

Don’t:

  • Do not lie down after eating.
  • Do not skip meals.
  • Do not cook or eat spicy food.

You should contact your doctor if you are experiencing excessive nausea and vomiting that prevents you from keeping your food down, if vomiting is accompanied by pain or fever, or if nausea and vomiting persist well into second trimester.

Ana Cenit, RN

First Choice Women’s Resource Centers

Sources:

http://americanpregnancy.org

www.medicalnewstoday.com

www.babymed.com

www.medicalnewstoday.com

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