Congratulations! You're pregnant!One minute you're overjoyed with your news, thenext you're brought back down to earth witha thud. And with it,the rude awakening that soon afterconception, your body begins undergoing a series of major changes to help prepare it for yourbaby's growth and development. Mother Nature loves irony. How else to explain taking the happiest time in a woman's life andcausing her to become physically ill and miserable? And, what's with using the term, "morningsickness"? Actually, the correct term is"nausea and vomiting of pregnancy". Which iscloser to the truth since the condition canand will occur anytime of the day. Facts about the condition: 1. 50-95% of pregnant women suffer from it 2. dehydration can happen in extreme cases 3. occurs in first month of pregnancy 4. continues until 14th-16th week 5. 50% of women will suffer for another month Although nobody will say for sure what the definite causes are, the theories are: 1. estrogen level increase 2. low blood sugar 3. increased sensitivity to smells where many odors instantly trigger the gag-reflex 4. rise in progesterone level . This hormone helps relax the uterus in order to prevent early labor but it also relaxes the stomach and intestines which cause excess acids in the stomach and slower waste removal. 5. eating unhealthy foods. Seems the body has a sure-fire way to make sure you don't ingest anything not good for you or baby. 6. and this doozy. an increase in human chorionic gonadotropin! Now you know why they prefer to call it (hCG) This is a peptide hormone produced by the embryo soon after conception and later on by the placenta. It's role is to maintain crucial levels of progesterone production vital in human pregnancies. 7. excess salivation which nauseates some women It's difficult to spend time on the causes when all you want is relief. As with anything to do with thehuman body, there's no one-size-fits-all remedy. There will be a period of trial and error as you find whatworks for you. Of course it goes without saying, youwill be consulting with your doctor/care-provider. So here are some corrective measures used by many women: 1. eating small, frequent meals. An empty stomach produces an acid which aggravates the stomach lining. 2. foods should be high in proteins and complex carbohydrates. Yogurt, cheese and eggs for example. Whole-grain breads and cereals. Don't make the mistake of thinking of whole-wheat as being whole- grain. You want the product label to say " 100% whole-grain". Big difference and healthy for mother and baby. 3. drink fluids. Dehydration makes everything worse. Extreme cases need to be hospitalized. If you can't stomach fluids, try eating fruit which has high water content and low acid like grapes and watermellon 4. ginger (zingiber officinale) The age-old remedy for upset stomachs. Either capsules, tea or ginger- snaps, candy. Try to get ginger ale made with real ginger. Usually not supermarket brands. You may have to try the health-food section in your grocery or an actual health-food store. 5. brushing teeth after vomiting will decrease excess saliva and lessen stomach turmoil. And, prevents tooth decay and makes you feel better. 6. get proper rest. Fatigue and stress will cause morning sickness to worsen. If able to, nap often. 7. stay away from fatty, spicy, rich, acidic and fried foods 8. eat crackers before getting out of bed. Get up slowly. 9. take prenatal vitamins later on in the day 10. try vitamin B6 11. microwave cooking produces less odors. Better yet, have someone else do the cooking while you, lucky girl,stay away! 12. go smell lemons. Believe it or not, relief may be found by sprinkling essential oil of lemon on a handkerchief and holding it to your nose. 13. warm places can trigger nausea. Try to stay cool. If not in air conditioning, install fans around you. Even a battery-operated hand-held fan can bring relief. 14. if your stomach agrees, eat what you want when you want it. Your special cravings are trying to tell you something. Although it can be downright annoying when well-meaningfriends and family tell you, "This too shall pass".Especially when you feel miserable. Usually after the first trimester, you will again be concentrating onhappy, future events. Again, Congratulations!
It's ironic: the most common side effect of a healthy pregnancy is nausea (note: not experiencing morning sickness doesn't mean your pregnancy is abnormal, some women simply do not experience it). Morning sickness is common, as over half pregnant women have had to deal with it, and it becomes hard to deal with, as it usually occurs multiple times throughout pregnancy.
One theory as to why women experience morning sickness is that it is a result of the hormone HCG. HCG is secreted by the egg, and causes a rise in progesterone. Progesterone is the main cause of nausea and how sick you feel can vary based on the amount of how much HCG is being released.
If you are pregnant with more than one child, you are at the receiving end of double the hormones! In the first trimester, you will feel double sick. Past experiences don't necessarily reflect the present situation, either. If you experienced morning sickness in other pregnancies, you may have a better chance of experiencing it again, but nonetheless there is a chance you will not.
Women who became nauseous while on birth control are likely to have morning sickness, since the hormones are the same (but higher dosed during pregnancy). It is also linked to genetics, so if your mother or other relatives had it, you may be next in line. Also, those who experience migraines are at a higher risk to feel morning sickness.
A Common misconception is that morning sickness arrives in the morning. This is not true! Most women experience it at different times of the day, and it generally depends on the individual.
Avoiding discomforting smells (such as fish, waste, coffee etc.) to help alleviate your nausea. If you smell something that is making your stomach turn, leave the room, dispose of the item, or take a shower. Another thing that will help alleviate nausea, is taking a prenatal vitamin.
There are some tips collaborated by doctors and moms alike to avoid morning sickness all together, ranging from certain foods to acupuncture.
The best accommodation to make has everything to do with what you eat. Citrus fruits, crackers are good for fighting nausea. Try to keep crackers next to your bed at night.
Also, try to avoid having an empty stomach. Smaller, carbohydrate-rich foods (such as rice or potatoes) seem to help. Eat foods that don't smell bad to you, and eat them throughout the day. As you are eating throughout the day, try to avoid rich, spicy, acidic, fatty, fried foods when you are feeling nauseas.
Take prenatal vitamins at night with a starchy meal. If it has too much iron, ask to have another type of pill instead. Also, talk to your doctor about taking vitamin B6 and doxylamine.
Drink a ton of liquids! And, if all else fails, try checking into acupuncture. With all the available advice on how combat morning sickness, you're sure to enjoy the most comfortable, morning sickness free pregnancy as possible.
Both Karen Cook & Gregg Hall are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Karen Cook has sinced written about articles on various topics from Morning Sickness, Computers and The Internet and Blogging. Karen Cook works the main desk at her town's Public Library.Her greatest satisfaction comes from researching information for her patrons to help improve their lives. Visit her weblog at:. Karen Cook's top article generates over 18100 views. to your Favourites.
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