Morning Sickness – Relief Is Available
Morning sickness, the nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy, is generally worse in the morning, but can last all day for some women. For the majority of women, these symptoms generally last through the first trimester of pregnancy. That’s approximately twelve weeks of nausea and throwing up almost every day due to morning sickness. Relief, fortunately, is available.
First, if you are suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, or extreme morning sickness, you should see a doctor. The all-day nausea and vomiting of this condition is so extreme that it leads to a 5 percent body weight loss and dehydration. The dehydration is something you especially don’t want to mess with when you’re pregnant; it not only hurts you, but also your unborn child. That’s why, if you have this condition, or suspect that you do, you shouldn’t try to treat it yourself; a doctor should be consulted to see what your best options are.
For less extreme forms of morning sickness, relief can be found through various treatments, some conventional, and some unconventional. The first thing you should do is take notes of the triggers of your nausea and vomiting. Every woman is different (obviously), and every pregnancy is different.
Just because one woman throws up when she catches a hint of a man’s cologne, doesn’t mean that a different pregnant woman will do the same. And just because a woman vomited consistently when she tasted warm meat during her first pregnancy, doesn’t mean she will during her next one.
If you can pay close attention to the various smells, tastes, and even sights (yes, some women can be affected by such things as different lighting) that cause you to vomit (or even give you the urge), you’ll be much better off in fighting your morning sickness. Relief can come for you just by avoiding those triggers as much as possible.
If you are one of the women who is fortunate enough to be able to avoid your triggers at all times, then congratulations. This is going to be easy for you. For the majority of women, however, functioning in society will get in your way. Things like work, school, and taking care of other kids will make it impossible for most women to avoid all of their triggers. In these cases, there are other options.
One of the conventional forms of treatment is medication. Medication is usually only prescribed by your doctor if your morning sickness is bad enough to cause harm to you or your unborn child. The most common medication doctors prescribe is a combination of vitamin B6 and doxylamine.
The vitamin B6 and doxylamine used to be in a single form called Benedictin (also know as Diclectin) that was prescribed by doctors until enough lawsuits against the pharmaceutical company forced them to stop manufacturing it. It was never proven to cause any birth defects in children, but the bad press was too much for them to keep manufacturing it.
Because of the fear of what it might do to their unborn child, many women are hesitant to take medications. For these women, there are alternative methods to treating the symptoms of morning sickness.
Acupuncture is one such form of treatment. It involves placing needles in designated areas throughout the body that are known to stop feelings of nausea. A licensed Acupuncturist should perform this treatment because they know the correct placement of needles to give relief.
Acupressure is another form of treatment. It works in a similar way to acupuncture, but no needles are used. This treatment is for less severe cases of morning sickness.
Many women also find relief for their morning sickness through herbal remedies. Teas, roots, etc. have been shown to help with the nausea and vomiting of pregnancy.
The best way to find a treatment that will work for you, whether it’s medication, acupuncture, acupressure, or herbal remedies, is to try them all.
