MORNING SICKNESS
The sensation of being nauseous and having a loss of appetite with a feeling of being very weak, giddy and tired with occasional vomiting and heartburn during the first few months following conception is termed as 'morning sickness'. The amount of nausea and vomiting present will not only vary from person to person, but also from one pregnancy to another in the same person. The condition is considered to be serious if there is violent, ineffectual retching or if the vomiting is prolonged and severe with loss of large amounts of gastric secretions resulting in loss of electrolytes and their complications. Persisting or prolonged nausea and vomiting may also indicate that there is a toxemic condition present that needs medical attention. A few home remedies to relieve the distressing symptoms of morning sickness are having crackers and fresh fruit juice and chewing on anise seeds. In cases where the person is not able to retain anything, ask her to eat a few pieces of chilled watermelon. Eat small, frequent meals when you feel better. Peach leaf tea is also useful for the trouble of morning sickness.
Some Remedies
1. Eat small meals often. Skipping meals can make nausea worse.
2. Drink lots of fluid between meals.
3. Avoid foods with strong smells. Eating food at room temperature or cold foods can help. (Note: remember to avoid the “at-risk” Listeria foods like cold meats, smoked seafood, soft cheeses or left-overs that are cold or more than 24 hours old).
4. Avoid spicy foods and fatty foods.
5. Avoid caffeine-containing drinks (tea, coffee, cola).
6. Ginger has been shown to help with morning sickness. Try ginger tablets, ginger lollies or ginger ale.
7. Vitamin B6 may also help manage morning sickness. Speak with your pharmacist about the correct dose as too much can be harmful.
8. Iron supplements or iron in your pregnancy supplement may upset your stomach.
9. Speak with your doctor about this before changing your supplement or dose
10. Avoid smoking. This can make the nausea worse and is bad for you and your baby’s health.
11. In severe cases, your doctor may need to prescribe some medication to help control your nausea and vomiting.
