What Is Morning Sickness?
Morning sickness is usually characterized by nausea an/or vomiting in early pregnancy, but, despite the name, morning sickness does not only happen in the morning. Some women experience nausea without vomiting. Morning sickness usually happens around the end of the first trimester, and is believed to be caused by hormonal changes in early pregnancy. By the second trimester, morning sickness is likely to have stopped.
Do I Need Treatment for My Morning Sickness?
As you may have read, the Duchess of Cambridge spent three days in hospital when she was pregnant, but she was suffering from a rare, severe form of morning sickness called Hyperemesis Gravidarum. Usually morning sickness does not require hospitalization, but if you are concerned about the severity of your sickness, you are losing weight, or believe you are becoming dehydrated call your doctor.
Will My Baby be OK?
Morning sickness should not harm your baby. However, if you are vomiting a lot, and find yourself losing weight as a result, seek medical advice as it’s important to stay hydrated during pregnancy.
How Can I Treat Morning Sickness?
While there is no specific treatment for morning sickness, there are things you can try at home which may help to alleviate the symptoms. Simple things such as avoiding foods or smells which trigger the nausea, eating smaller portions more often or wearing more loosely fitting clothes may be enough to ease your nausea. Some people find the bands you can buy for travel sickness, such as these also help reduce morning sickness. The main thing to remember is to always stay hydrated, rest when you need to and discuss any worries with your doctor or midwife. Some women take ginger supplements or medication to help with their morning sickness but, before taking any supplement, you should always speak to your midwife or doctor, to ensure it’s right for you. Before taking medicine, try some of the non-medicinal methods mentioned above and you may find them sufficient on their own.
Above all, do take good care of yourself, and remember that your morning sickness should pass by around the 12th week of pregnancy, meaning you can look forward to a much more comfortable second trimester after a few weeks!
