What Does Morning Sickness Feels Like? All You Need To Know

The journey to motherhood is not always as smooth as most people normally imagine. It is generally filled with ups and downs, and most mothers have to undergo these experiences to qualify to be called mothers finally. Some women somewhere in this world could be wishing for some shortcut to getting a baby without experiencing morning sickness but unfortunately, that is now out of the question.

The only way to get a baby is to face all the challenges it comes accompanied with head on. ‘What does morning sickness feels like?” is a question that normally runs across the minds of many expectant mothers especially the first time mothers.

morning sickness

I can remember I went through the same ordeal when I got pregnant with my first child, and I want to prepare most expectant mothers to know what to expect and how to deal with it in as far as morning sickness is concerned.

1. When Does Morning Sickness Occur?

Research shows that morning sickness plagues up to 85% of pregnant women .During this time, anything around the women like certain perfume scents or just using the toothbrush can induce overwhelming nausea or vomit. Morning sickness is usually the best indicator of pregnancy in women, and it usually starts in the fourth week after conception and can carry on up to week 12 and start solving itself out.

When does morning sickness occur

Some exceptionally unlucky women could experience morning sickness up to the second trimester, and in some extreme cases, a woman can experience the morning sickness for the entire pregnancy period. As its name suggests, morning sickness strikes mostly very early in the morning, but it is not very unusual for some expectant mothers to experience some symptoms of morning sickness any time during the day or at night.

2. Causes Of Morning Sickness

Causes of morning sickness

While the exact cause of morning sickness is still unknown, Scientists claim that morning sickness occurs when your body reacts to the excessive levels of pregnancy hormones in your body during the early pregnancy stages.

  • Progesterone levels: Pregnant women experience a rise in the levels of progesterone in their bodies as well. An increase in the progesterone levels relaxes the uterus muscles as a way of preventing early birth. On the other end, it might as well relax the intestines and stomach leading to the production of excessive stomach acids and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or even acid reflux.
  • Hypoglycemia: This is a case whereby low blood sugar levels causes morning sickness. The low blood sugar levels may be a result of the placenta draining so much energy from the body. Unfortunately, there are not studies to prove this.
  • Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG): This is a hormone that is produced by the embryo immediately after conception then by the placenta later as the pregnancy progresses. A number of experts suggest that morning sickness and HCG may be linked somehow.

3. Symptoms Of Morning Sickness

Symptoms of morning sickness

Have you ever found yourself going through some experinece without realising it? The same can happen to expectant mothers, and it is good if we, first of all, knew what to look out for as a sign of morning sickness. If you are experiencing the following symptoms, it could mean that you are pregnant and therefore it would be ideal if you consulted your personal doctor as soon as possible;

  • Dehydration
  • Severe nausea
  • A rapid heartbeat
  • Failure to add weight or weight loss
  • Persistent and excessive vomiting
  • Headaches accompanied with confusion
  • Decrease in the rate of urination
  • Dark coloured urine

While morning sickness is not life threatening but just uncomfortable, some exceptional women might experience a severe case of morning sickness normally referred to as Hyperemesis Gravidarum. This is a condition that if not checked could endanger the lives of the mother and the unborn child so it should be kept under a constant watch.

4. Diagnosing Morning Sickness

It is usually very easy and straightforward to diagnose morning sickness. It is always just a matter of getting to identify the hallmark symptoms. If the doctor suspects that a victim may be suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, then the doctor will order for various blood and urine tests to be carried out to confirm this.

various blood and urine tests

It is also not so strange for the doctor to perform an ultrasound scan so as to check out for any conditions that could be causing nausea as well as vomiting. The ultrasound scan can also give a clear indication of how many foetuses are in the womb and if that could be the cause of the nausea and vomiting.

If by any chance the urine is found to have high ketone levels then there is a possibility that the mother is becoming malnourished because of the vomiting.

5. How To Deal With Morning Sickness

In most cases, it is not always necessary to visit your doctor to get rid of morning sickness. Some things can help in alleviating the morning sickness symptoms. Here are a few tips that have been proven to work in controlling and minimising the effects of morning sickness.

Take A Good Rest

Take a good rest

It is vital to get a good rest so as to relax your body and get rid of the effects of nausea. Remember when you are tired, the effects of nausea can get worse and complicate your situation.

Increase Your Liquids Intake

Drink water

You should take fluids in small amounts but regularly to minimise the effects of morning sickness. It is not advisable to take liquids less often and in large amounts. This will come in handy in controlling your vomiting. You can also try taking lollipops and sucking ice cubes.

Take Enough Food

Healthy food

it is advisable to consume more meals in a day in smaller portions. Try dry and savory foods while avoiding sweet and spicy foods. It is also good to take cold foods as opposed to hot food because of the reduced odor levels.

Ginger Supplement

Ginger

Most experts suggest that ginger supplements are effective in reducing the nausea symptoms when one is pregnant. There is no harm in trying it out because it has other medicinal purposes in the body as well.

Acupressure

Acupressure morning sickness

This procedure involves the application of pressure on particular points of the body as a way of controlling the morning sickness symptoms. It requires one to wear a sea-band on the arm. Some limited evidences suggest that this procedure may reduce vomiting and nausea symptoms in pregnant women.

6. Wrap up

While morning sickness is feared by most women if not all, it is something that is already here with us, and there is no other way around it other than to deal with it when it occurs. Morning sickness is something that can be diagnosed and controlled without seeking your doctor’s help. If the situation gets worse and you think you might be suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum, it is advisable to seek your doctor’s help as this is a life-threatening situation.

Now that you know when morning sickness occurs, what causes it, its signs and symptoms, how to diagnose it and how to deal with it, I believe that you are ready to become a new mother. Do not fear to get pregnant because you are afraid of experiencing and dealing with morning sickness. While I cannot say dealing with it is a simple walk in the park, all I can say is that it is manageable and controllable.

Kristi Cathey
 

Hi everyone! My name is Kristi Cathey and I’m glad you found your way to my blog. I am a mother of 3 beautiful angels. This blog was created in order to share my personal experiences in baby care and general health care for pregnant women. If you'd like to get in touch with me, please contact me by sending me an email via kristicathey.intelligentmother@gmail.com. Welcome to Intelligentmother.com

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