What Does Morning Sickness Feel Like and How Do You Prevent It?

In the months leading to your pregnancy, you might have had the foresight to ask questions such as ‘what does morning sickness feel like?’ Many of these concerns are very quickly followed by what might just be the happiest moments of any parent’s life. Bringing life into this world is by far one of the most glorious acts of love.

However, for about 80% of mothers-to-be, this joyous occasion is quickly followed by a few months that can be rather tough. This is especially true when they suddenly find themselves nauseated by the sight or even smell of certain types of food. Also known as NVP (Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy), morning sickness happens to be one of the most common conditions affecting mothers-to-be the world over. Here is what you need to know about morning sickness and how you can survive it.

What is it and what does morning sickness feel like?

Because it is called ‘morning sickness’, many moms-to-be often erroneously assume that it strikes exclusively in the morning. The truth of the matter is that it can begin at any given time of day. Morning sickness basically refers to the nauseous feeling that many women get during their first trimester of pregnancy. Sometimes, this feeling might lead to vomiting and is often more intense during the morning. That is probably why it is commonly refereed to as ‘morning sickness’.

It is believed that morning sickness occurs due to the increase in hormonal levels during pregnancy. In a majority of the cases, this sickness does not present any kind of danger to the mother or the baby. There is, however, a small percentage of women (about 1%) who are affected by the most extreme type of morning sickness called hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). This type of morning sickness could lead to:

• Extreme electrolyte imbalance within the mother’s body
• Dehydration
• Hospitalization

In this case, it is often best to stay on top of the situation with the guidance of your OBGYN.

When does morning sickness start?

In a majority of the cases, morning sickness tends to start around week 6 of pregnancy. It also tends to end around week 12 – 16. There are, however, some cases of morning sickness that persist throughout the pregnancy right up to when the baby is born.

Can you prevent morning sickness?

Because it is believed to be caused by an increase in hormones during pregnancy, it is not likely that you can prevent morning sickness. That, however, does not mean that there aren’t certain things you can do to prevent the symptoms from getting worse. There are several measures that you can take to survive this kind of nausea. The most common preventive measure is to ensure that you are taking plenty of fluids and eating well because your nausea will get worse the longer your stomach stays empty.

1. Eat small portions of food

You are advised to eat small portions of your favorite food as well as to drink about two liters of liquid every single day. The smaller portions are meant to prevent the feeling of nausea from getting worse as it tends to happen when you feel fuller.

You can eat just a small portion of your favorite food and then follow it up by some liquids about 20 minutes later. This should ease your nausea considerably and even keep it at bay.

2. Have a lot of healthy snacks nearby

In many cases, you will find that making the food yourself will make your symptoms worse. The thing about this kind of nausea is that anything can set it off:

• Different types of smell
• The sight of food
• Sometimes even touching the food.

If you decide to make yourself a sandwich, you might not like the sight of ham or whatever filling you intend to use and that will bring on the sickness. In some cases, you are advised to simply go out and buy the sandwich that you are craving. But since the longer you stay without food, the worse your nausea may get, you might not have the time to get to the sandwich store before you buff.

That is why you are advised to keep a healthy serving of snacks nearby. Things like dried fruits, trail mix and granola might just be better options when compared to eating full meals.

3. You could try liquid supplements

In some cases, simply eating any kind of solid food might bring about the onset of nausea. In these kinds of cases, you can try liquid supplements. This will help give you an energy boost as well as infuse some nutrients into your body.

Tips on how to soothe your morning sickness symptoms

There are many different types of remedies that various pregnant women have used to soothe the symptoms of their nausea. But just because one thing works for your neighbor does not mean that it will work for you as well. That being said, here are some options to consider when looking for ways to soothe your nausea.

• Use mouthwash to dry up the extra saliva in your mouth
• Eat cold foods and fluids
• Sniff a bit of citrus. This type of odor tends to soothe nausea
• Take ginger tea to calm your tummy
• Try taking iron-free multivitamins
• Take OBGYN recommended antacids
• Try eating bland foods such as rice cakes or dry cereal
• Ask your OBGYN about the supplements that may work
• Use acupressure wristbands, because they relieve sea-sickness, they might just work for this type of nausea.

These methods may all be trial and error methods until you find one that specifically works for you.

So, what does morning sickness feel like? It is that nauseating feeling you get in your first trimester of pregnancy. It can be brought about by smells or even taste of food and the ways listed above can help you prevent the symptoms from getting worse.

Resources:

• http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-health/morning-sickness-relief/
• http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/37757.php