Morning sickness refers
to the nausea and vomiting of early pregnancy, and can occur throughout the
day. It affects approximately 50-90% of all pregnancies, and is believed to
be the result of higher levels of the hormones estrogen, progesterone and
human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG), circulating in the woman's bloodstream
as the pregnancy becomes established. Many women compare the experience of
morning sickness to motion sickness. Fortunately for most women, the
symptoms usually subside around 12-15 weeks.
The following measures are safe, and may prevent or reduce the severity of
morning sickness:
- Keep a few crackers by your
bedside. Eat them in the morning before lifting your head off the pillow.
- Eat small, frequent meals
throughout the day.
- High protein foods and fruits help
keep your blood sugar elevated. This helps some women.
- Eat something sweet at bedtime.
- Avoid greasy, fried foods.
- Have someone help with meal
preparation and clean-up, if smells make you ill.
- Opening a window, turning on a
fan, or taking a walk in the fresh air helps some women.
- Sipping lemonade or sucking on
hard, sour candies helps some women.
- Drink raspberry leaf, peppermint
or ginger tea. Chew on a small piece of crystallized ginger.
- Discuss taking a supplement of
vitamin B6, 50-100mg, twice a day, with your health care provider.
- Some women have found relief with
the acupressure wrist bands made to relieve motion sickness. Some
pharmacies carry these.
If you find that you are unable to keep anything down, including water, it
is important that you contact your midwife or doctor. Rarely, intravenous
hydration and medications are needed to avoid dehydration and malnutrition.
Please feel free to copy and
distribute this hand-out written by Pamela Lemke, CNM, MS. May, 1999.
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