Causes of Morning Sickness

Morning sickness is one of the most common concerns during pregnancy. They usually occur during the first and third trimesters of pregnancy. Although it is called morning sickness, this can occur at any time of the day. If you find yourself getting dehydrated or are not able to retain any food that you take, contact your doctor immediately. You must also watch out for rapid loss in weight. All these can harm your baby.

Remember to consult your doctor before taking anti-sickness tablets.

Causes

Some key causes for morning sickness can be identified as follows:

• Increase in levels of the Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) hormone during pregnancy
• Increased sense of smell during pregnancy can make you sensitive to certain food smells.
• Rapid decline in blood sugar levels
• Other nausea triggering hormones such as serotonin and estrogen
• Iron content in the vitamin supplements.

Symptoms

The symptoms of morning sickness are - nausea, vomiting and food aversions.

Prevention

You can try and prevent morning sickness by adopting the following:

• Ensure a healthy balanced diet.
• Eat a large number of smaller meals throughout the day which help you maintain a steady blood sugar level. This eating pattern also ensures that you are neither too hungry nor too full.
• If you find that a particular food triggers morning sickness, avoid it.
• Keep some salted food near your bed and bite into them before you get off your bed.
• Avoid drinking liquids during meals.
• Do not allow your stomach to remain hungry for long periods of time.
• Carbohydrates-rich and bland food can ease the nauseated feeling.
• Avoid spicy food that can cause indigestion.
• Get out of bed slowly.

Video on Morning Sickness Cures and Remedies

• Include a lot of yoghurt in your diet.
• Take rest whenever you feel tired and keep a pillow under your head.
• Maintain a relaxed state of mind.
• Do not consume alcohol.
• Reduce the intake of caffeine.
• Avoid sudden movements that can cause you to bring up food.
• Do not brush your teeth immediately after a meal as this may induce vomiting.
• Go for a walk every day and breathe in some fresh air. Sleeping with the windows open to get some fresh air is also a good choice.
• Licking or smelling a lemon may help to control nausea. You may also consider drinking mint tea.

Treatment

If you find yourself subject to morning sickness, try out the following tips:

• Maintain a healthy diet with lots of proteins, carbohydrates and Vitamin C.
• If the iron in your vitamin supplements seem to trigger morning sickness, request your doctor to change the supplements.
• Drink a lot of liquids to avoid dehydration.
• Avoid food that causes the vomiting sensation.
• Wear acupressure wrist bands that are usually used to prevent sea sickness. They may help in some cases.
• Relax for a while before getting out of bed.
• Eating salty food subsides morning sickness.
• Ginger or cinnamon tea help in combating morning sickness.
• Sit down for a while after eating to ensure that gravity helps you to retain your food.