Unpleasant as it is morning sickness or nausea is one of the most common symptoms of early pregnancy. Despite its name, 'morning sickness' can occur at any time of the day or night and can occasionally last all day. It is thought to be caused by the presence of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG), a hormone that is only produced during pregnancy.
The good news is that it rarely persists beyond the 14th week of pregnancy, although there are always exceptions and some women may experience nausea or sickness into the second or third trimester.
There are a number of different ways to cope with this condition and you may have to experiment a bit to find something that works for you.
- Try eating five or six small meals per day instead of two or three large meals.
- Some women find that having tea and biscuits prior to getting up in the morning stops the nausea.
- Ginger is renowned as a remedy for morning sickness or general nausea. Try using fresh ginger in cooking, ginger biscuits, ginger ale, or a pinch of dried ginger sprinkled in tea.
- Research indicates that acupuncture or acupressure can also be an effective treatment for morning sickness. Acupressure bands that can be worn around the wrist are available from most pharmacies.
- Avoid fried or spicy foods as these can aggravate nausea. If you find even the smell of cooking is making you nauseous get someone else to do it and stay out of the kitchen
If you are not vomiting too much and just have lost your appetite don't worry as your body has a store of nutrients that will nourish your growing baby in early pregnancy.
However, if you are almost constantly sick and have difficulty keeping fluids as well as solids down consult your doctor as this could be a sign of a more serious condition called hyperemesis gravidarum. Your doctor may prescribe anti-nausea tablets or injection and you may be advised to spend a couple of days in hospital where you will be given re-hydration treatment and vitamin supplements.
