Congratulations on your pregnancy! You are probably bursting with excitement, fear, and nausea!
If you are getting queasy at everything, rest assured you are not alone. Up to 80% of first time pregnant women report morning sickness during the first trimester.
So it's okay, momma, you are not dying. In fact, this constant nausea is a sign of a healthy pregnancy!
What Does Morning Sickness Feel Like?
So, how does morning sickness feel? It feels like a combination of being "hung over" with mild to intense nausea and a strong aversion to certain smells and foods. Some women experience vomiting while others don't.
Yes, It Sucks, But You'll Get Through it
Morning sickness sounds amazing, doesn't it? (sarcasm) Welcome to your first taste of mommy-hood! You might be one of the lucky ones and just experience mild nausea.
Since this is more than likely your first pregnancy, you probably have a ton of questions and concerns. Therefore, you need to know about morning sickness and how to handle it.
When Does Morning Sickness Start?
It's very common for morning sickness to start around week 6, although it will vary greatly from woman to woman and even from pregnancy to pregnancy.
Morning sickness at 4 weeks is also possible. If you have concerns, talk to your doctor.
When did your morning sickness start? Share your experience in the comments below!
When Does Morning Sickness Peak?
A common concern for new mommies is when is morning sickness the worst.
Morning sickness generally peaks between week 6 and week 18, according to Cornell University. In addition, Cornell also provides some great insight into why this is.
Cornell's analysis suggests that this period is when your baby's organ development is the most sensitive to chemical disruption. In addition, they suggest that morning sickness might be your body's way to protect your baby. Pretty neat, right?
When Will Morning Sickness End?
One of the most pressing questions for new mommies suffering from morning sickness is "when does morning sickness go away?". Unfortunately, the duration of morning sickness will differ from woman to woman, and even from pregnancy to pregnancy.
The most commonly reported stopping point is somewhere between the end of the first trimester (week 12) and the first half of the 2nd trimester (week 20). Again, it varies significantly on the woman, and each pregnancy can be different.
Some women may experience morning sickness for much longer. It's very natural to want to know exactly what week does morning sickness end, but you have to be patient.
There's plenty of tips and tricks to relieve the symptoms. We'll discuss these below.
When did your morning sickness end? Please let us know in the comments below!
Is Morning Sickness Hereditary?
While each woman will have a different experience with morning sickness, and it will differ from pregnancy to pregnancy, there's definitely a hereditary component to it.
Ask your mom, sister(s), grandmother, and aunts what their experiences with morning sickness were like. Try to determine an average of these collective experiences. This will give you a good idea of what level of intensity to expect.
Does Morning Sickness Come and Go?
Yes, it's very common for the nausea to come and go, so don't fret.
Can You Have Morning Sickness at Night?
Yes, the name "morning" sickness really confuses new mommies. The symptoms can occur at anytime, and it will differ from woman to woman.
What Is Morning Sickness?
Morning sickness is defined as “nausea that occurs during pregnancy.” Although it is called “morning” sickness, it can strike at any time. Keep a trashcan or bag within reach.
Although most women experience both nausea and vomiting, it is common to experience nausea only.
What Causes Morning Sickness?
Many different things contribute to morning sickness. It cannot be narrowed down to just one thing, as it's a combination of multiple factors.
Morning sickness can be caused by anything from stress to fatigue or even by your heightened sensitivity to smells and even genetics! Thanks mom…
Speculations indicate that the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) triggers nausea during pregnancy. Since your body is not used to producing this hormone, it reacts negatively. This hormone is being produced at high levels during the first trimester.
Elevated levels of estrogen and progesterone are also to blame for nausea. The relaxation of the muscles of digestive tract makes digestion less efficient.
Going for long bouts of time without eating is another factor that causes nausea. This is the reason it occurs in the morning. You have not eaten in eight to ten hours.
Although you will not feel like eating, it helps to reduce nausea. It is recommended to keep some crackers on deck. Keeping some saltines, lemon heads and ginger candies for morning sickness on your bedside table will seem so cliché. But don't knock it, honey, it helps.
Morning Sickness and Gender
55% of women who experience nausea and vomiting in the first trimester have a girl! So, your body may just be baking up a little mini-me to steal your heart!
Morning Sickness at Night Gender Prediction
There's an old wife's tale that morning sickness occurring mostly at night means you'll have a girl. While there's no scientific evidence to back this, some people swear by it.
I've heard several moms describe this pattern of morning sickness yet they had boys. It's fun to think about it, but it's not a great predictor.
No Morning Sickness Boy or Girl
Another wife's tale is that if you don't have morning sickness, it could indicate a boy. Again, it's fun to think about, but there's lots of cases with women having both genders with mild or no morning sickness
Morning Sickness at Work
During pregnancy, morning sickness comes and goes. It's rough, but you'll get through it! Dealing with morning sickness at work can be a real challenge; however, from my experience, coworkers are typically supportive and understanding.
In terms of the best advice for how to deal with morning sickness at work, it's best to let your coworkers know as soon as possible. If they're unfamiliar with what you're going through, educate them.
How to Ease Morning Sickness Symptoms
There is no way to ward off morning sickness other than nausea medication. However, this medication is not recommended unless you have something severe like HG.
If you are looking for relief, then it is important to keep a few things in mind:
1. Eat Something
I know you do not feel like it, but it WILL help.
Having something in your stomach is much better than walking around hungry. When your stomach is empty, the acid aggravates the lining. This causes…you guessed it…nausea.
So, instead of putting yourself through this never-ending cycle, put something in your stomach!
Nibble on some saltines, dry cereal, and frozen grapes. Eat whatever you can manage to get down and keep down.
It is best to eat frequent, small meals throughout the day to keep something in your stomach. Even if you just grab a handful of peanuts, some crackers, or a bowl full of fruit. Keeping something in your stomach can help reduce the chance of malnutrition and dehydration.
For your meals, you should stick to bland foods such as bread, rice and pasta. I know, it is not your typical diet. However, you are trying to keep yourself nourished.
The baby is too small to be affected by a lack of diet variation. So bring on the ginger ale and lemon heads! Avoid anything greasy, dense, spicy, fatty and fried to prevent further aggravating your stomach.
2. Drink Up!
No, not those types of drinks. Do NOT drink alcohol.
Water is your best friend. Be sure to keep yourself hydrated. The constant vomiting contributes to dehydration.
Be sure to drink something right after vomiting. If water nauseates you, try carbonated drinks like ginger ale, club soda, or seltzer water.
If you dislike carbonated beverages, drink juices with electrolytes. Some choices include Gatorade, PowerAde, Vitamin Water or coconut water.
These drinks hydrate you and replace the electrolytes you have lost through vomiting.
3. Ginger Helps
This spice reduces nausea and vomiting in pregnant women. The smell of freshly cut ginger eases your stomach. Be sure to grab a root or two the next time you are browsing the produce section.
Pro Tip: The best way to use ginger is by grating it finely with a cheese grater. Pour hot water over and let it steep like tea. Add some honey and lemon juice to get some added anti-nausea benefits and sweetness. The sweetener will curb the spiciness of the ginger.
Not only does this ginger “tea” taste good, but it relaxes your gastrointestinal tract. This reduces that “uneasy” feeling. Ginger also improves blood flow. This provides more red blood cells to the whole body and makes you feel better, overall!
If you are not a fan of ginger tea, try grating some ginger into your rice. Use ginger when you are seasoning your chicken or fish. Drink ginger ale or Jamaican ginger beer. Eat ginger snaps and ginger candies. The possibilities are endless!
Severe Morning Sickness (Hyperemesis Gravidarum)
If you cannot keep anything down and are constantly nauseous, you may have hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). If you think this is the case, then you should see your doctor asap.
Symptoms of HG include:
Severe Nausea
Vomiting
Fainting
Jaundice
Extreme Fatigue
Low Blood Pressure
Weight Loss
Decreased Urination
Severe Dehydration
Hyperemesis gravidarum can be treated with dietary changes and antacids. But contact your obstetrician before trying to take matters into your own hands. Typically, HG is treated in the hospital where you are given IV fluids and nutrients. This supplements what you could not consume naturally.
Severe dehydration during pregnancy can cause blood clots. It is best to treat HG as early as possible in order to avoid other complications.
Morning Sickness in Men
Yes, ladies, male morning sickness is real. Some men can experience sympathetic pregnancy symptoms by watching the mother of their baby suffering from morning sickness.
Conclusion
Even though you feel like the nausea will never end, it will. Morning sickness is horrible, but you are not dying.
Creating a human being is a tough job to which your pregnant body must adjust. Do not fret.
Once all of this nausea and puking has subsided, you will meet your little bundle of joy. Focus on that. It's worth the pain!
You will love the baby like you have never loved before. You will even go through all of this a second and maybe even third time! So hang in there, mama! It will be over before you know it.
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