Waking up to Morning Sickness? Here's What You Should Do

Ask any mother and she’ll tell you that pregnancy is one of the most amazing journeys in the world. While this phase of life is cherished by all women, these 9 months also include problems like morning sickness.

 

WHAT IS MORNING SICKNESS?

During the first trimester of the pregnancy, women often feel nausea and vomit first thing in the morning. However, the situation improves as the day progresses. Here are some of the symptoms that you need to watch out during morning sickness:

 

• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Dehydration
• Heartburn
• Anxiety

 

SO WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF MORNING SICKNESS?

 

HORMONES RAGING

A hormone Progesterone is released to maintain the uterus during pregnancy. However, excessive secretion of this hormone can cause acidity. During the first trimester, high levels of estrogen and human chorionic gonadotropin can also lead to nausea.

 

ENHANCED SENSE OF SMELL

During pregnancy, the sense of smell gets enhanced due to which certain smells can cause nausea for the woman.

 

HIGH-STRESS LEVELS

Many health experts have also related morning sickness to stress, as pregnancy can make women quite anxious. Morning sickness is a result of this reaction to stress that makes women queasy.

 

MORNING SICKNESS IS NOT ALL THAT BAD

Yes, nausea and vomiting might put you off but if you see on the brighter side, morning sickness can be healthy for you and the baby. One reason is that during pregnancy the immune system of the woman tends to weaken, which makes the body susceptible to plenty of toxins and bacteria. Morning sickness is a defence reaction or process to protect the foetus against possible toxins and microorganisms, which can bring harm to the mother or the baby.

 

WILL IT LAST THE ENTIRE PREGNANCY?

This might change from person to person but generally, it has been observed that morning sickness starts from the 6th week and can last all the way to the 16th week. So, there’s good news for all you mothers-to-be.

 

WHAT IS THE CURE?

There is no cure for morning sickness but there are ways to control and curb it in the following ways:

 

AVOID STRONG AROMATIC FOODS

A strong aroma and an enhanced smell can really aggravate your morning sickness. That’s why you need to avoid spicy and oily foods.

 

EAT SMALLER PORTIONS REGULARLY

A lot of mothers-to-be tend to eat larger portions of their meal in the name of feeding the baby. That’s actually a wrong practice as it can cause you even more nausea. Therefore, divide your meals into smaller portions with healthy snacks like nuts, fruits and whole grain bars.

 

TRY MORNING SICKNESS-FRIENDLY FOODS

Women love tasting something sour during pregnancy like pickles and chutneys. Ginger tends to alleviate the nausea symptoms. Try smoothies, which help regulate stomach acids and cool your digestive system. Also, increase your fluid intake and ensure you are drinking enough H20 throughout the day.