Morning sickness!
For anyone that has suffered, I feel for you. With my first pregnancy I thought I had it bad. Vomiting, headaches, constantly tired, achy limbs, swollen ankles and that’s just what I remember.
This time around it’s worse! How could it possibly be worse you ask? Well it is. I’m vomiting all day, mostly bile and being graphic it also helps itself out my nose! Still all the body aches and headaches and super tired but hey, I’m growing a baby inside!
So yes, there is my announcement, we are pregnant and although I’m feeling absolutely rotten, I’m blessed and exited and extremely happy that I am having another child. Extending my family and giving my little guy a sibling.
So throughout all my morning sickness I’ve tried multiple remedies and let me say, not much has worked for me.
I’ve tried the dry crackers beside the bed first thing of a morning.
I’ve tried sipping sparkling water.
I’ve tried ginger tablets.
I’ve tried sea sick and travel sick tablets.
I’ve tried sucking ginger.
I’ve tried taking the morning sickness tables.
I’ve even tried maxalon!
Over tried dry toast.
I’ve tried black tea.
Nothing as worked for me.
So what causes morning sickness?
Below is an article by Victorian health that explains why we experience morning sickness and how we can try combat it!
I found it an interesting read, as most of you already know and understand, Morning sickness is caused by the hormones in your body adjusting and growing another little person inside you and with all the change it causes havoc in some women.
I’d love to hear your remedies or morning sickness stories.
Email me – noordinarymummy@gmail.com
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For most women, morning sickness begins around the fourth week of pregnancy and generally goes away around the 12th to 14th week. However, bear in mind one in five pregnant women will suffer morning sickness into their second trimester, and an unfortunate few will also experience nausea and vomiting for the entire duration of their 9 month pregnancy.
In most cases, morning sickness doesn’t harm the woman or the unborn child. However, severe morning sickness that includes weight loss and dehydration needs prompt medical attention. This may also require a drip or even hospitalisation.
Some Symptoms of morning sickness can include:
Nausea
Loss of appetite
Vomiting
Psychological effects, such as depression and anxiety.
The myth of hysteria and morning sickness
Unrelenting morning sickness can have a profound effect on your quality of life, preventing you from working, socialising and looking after your other children.
Pregnant women enduring morning sickness report higher levels of psychological stress, including anxiety and depression. This prompted the false belief that morning sickness is purely psychosomatic, which means that the woman’s fears and anxieties trigger her physical discomfort. However, there is no research to support these claims.
Possible causes of morning sickness
The cause of morning sickness remains a mystery, but it is thought a combination of physical and metabolic factors play a significant role, including:
High levels of hormones, including oestrogen
Fluctuations in blood pressure, particularly lowered blood pressure
Altered metabolism of carbohydrates
The enormous physical and chemical changes that pregnancy triggers.
Morning sickness and your baby
Some women are concerned that the action of vomiting may threaten their unborn baby. Vomiting and retching may strain the abdominal muscles and cause localised aching and soreness, but the physical mechanics of vomiting won’t harm the baby. The fetus is perfectly cushioned inside its sac of amniotic fluid.
Numerous studies have discovered that moderate morning sickness is associated with a reduced risk of miscarriage. However, prolonged vomiting (that leads to dehydration and weight loss) can deprive your child of proper nutrition and increase the risk of your baby being underweight at birth.
If you have nausea and vomiting that will not stop, contact your doctor or midwife.
Severe morning sickness (hyperemesis gravidarum)
Severe morning sickness is known as hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), and can affect around one in 1,000 pregnant women. The symptoms of HG include repeated vomiting, weight loss and dehydration. Treatment usually involves hospitalisation, and the administering of intravenous liquids and nutrition.
The possible complications of untreated hyperemesis gravidarum include:
Electrolyte imbalances
Extreme depression and anxiety
Malnourishment of the fetus
Excessive strain on vital organs, including the liver, heart, kidneys and brain.
Managing morning sickness
Suggestions for coping with morning sickness include:
Don’t take drugs of any kind, unless your doctor knows you are pregnant and has prescribed specific medications.
Eat a few dry crackers or plain sweet biscuits before getting out of bed in the morning.
Don’t eat anything that you suspect will make you nauseous. In general high-carbohydrate meals are well tolerated.
Eat small meals regularly, as an empty stomach tends to trigger nausea.
It may help to avoid cooking or preparing foods.
Drink as much as you can manage. Sometimes sips of flat lemonade, diluted fruit juice, cordial, weak tea, ginger tea, clear soup or beef extract drinks are helpful. If none of these are bearable, try sucking on ice cubes.
Vitamin B6 supplements can be useful, but doses above 200 mg per day can actually be harmful. Follow your doctor’s advice.
Consider acupressure or acupuncture on the wrist.
Wear loose clothes that don’t constrict your abdomen.
Moving around may aggravate morning sickness. Rest whenever possible.
Seeing your doctor about morning sickness
Always seek medical advice if your morning sickness is severe, if you have lost a lot of weight quickly, or if you feel depressed or anxious. Treatment options can include drugs that won’t harm your developing baby.
Where to get help
Your doctor
Maternal and child health nurse
Things to remember
Around half to two-thirds of all pregnant women will experience morning sickness.
Possible causes include high levels of hormones, blood pressure fluctuations and changes in carbohydrate metabolism.
Severe morning sickness, called hyperemesis gravidarum, may require hospitalisation.
Symptoms of morning sickness may be relieved by eating a few dry crackers before you get up in the morning, avoiding foods and smells that make you nauseous, drinking plenty of fluids and choosing high-carbohydrate and high-protein foods.
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