Throwing up isn’t fun for anybody, not the person doing it, and nor anyone else. Unfortunately, nausea and morning sickness are common during pregnancy, so any women who hopes to be a mother someday will have to get used to the idea of spending a few months worshiping the porcelain god. It’s not all bad news though.
Getting ’sick’ can be a sign that you’re healthy
Nausea is a sign that a woman’s hormones levels are high enough to sustain the fetus and to help it grow. Pregnancy sickness is most common during the first trimester, so you may only have to tough it ou
t for a few months. Also, eight out of 10 women reported that they felt nausea during their pregnancy without vomiting. Every cloud has a silver lining, as the saying goes.
When a woman gets pregnant, all kinds of crazy things start happening to her body, but not to worry, even some of the less pleasant side effects of being pregnant are for your own good and the good of the fetus. Once you become pregnant your body begins producing a hormone called human chorionic gonadotrophin in very large amounts. Pregnancy nausea can be exacerbated by a number of factors including stress, lack of sleep, hunger and anxiety.
It’s impossible to avoid each of these all the time, but making efforts to minimize stressors and get more sleep will help you have a healthier pregnancy. Women who are having twins or triplets produce more hGC than women who are pregnant with a single child, and are thus more likely to experience vomiting. Despite morning sickness being an accepted right of passage for pregnant women, if it gets too intense, it can cause severe dehydration. Contact your doctor if you’re vomiting numerous times a day and can’t keep food or drink down.
Eventually, the placenta takes the wheel and provides nourishment to the growing fetus. Once this happens, the hGC levels in your body will decrease and the nausea should begin to subside as well. This usually happens 12 to 14 weeks into the pregnancy.
Taking care of your morning sickness naturally
Seventy percent of pregnant women experience nausea while pregnant, but there are steps you can take to minimize vomiting. The popular term ”morning sickness” is a bit of a misnomer as pregnancy induced nausea can occur at any hour of the day. Many women are wary of chemical treatments, and while you should by no means shun modern medicine in favor of birthing your baby cave woman style, there are some natural remedies you can test drive before looking for a medicinal solution.
We’ve all been told to eat three healthy meals a day since we were babies ourselves, but when you’re pregnant, try to eat smaller and more frequent meals over the course of the day. Start the day off with a little bit of food in your stomach by keeping a stash of soda crackers on the bedside table and eating a couple before you get up. Give your body couple of minutes to digest the crackers, and it’s likely to settle your rumbling tummy before you get out of bed.
Women who prefer their food on the creamy side might have to forego some of their favorite foods while pregnant. Stick to more plain selections like dry toast or a plain baked potato. Steer clear of rich toppings like butter or sour cream. Sniffing lemon or ginger can also help relieve nausea. If you’re still suffering from rough bouts of vomiting, ask your doctor about the potential benefits of taking a B-6 vitamin supplement.
Morning sickness is no fun. Here’s a free download of our Morning Sickness Diet with tips on foods you can eat to stop or at least alleviate the nausea that goes with morning sickness.
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