Jackie Fletcher speaks to many mums-to-be who are overwhelmed by information around pregnancy and childbirth. As co-author of ‘Secrets of Confident Childbirth’, she loves helping them feel less daunted about what’s to come.You were so excited: You found out you are expecting a baby, but now you feel ill. Just the wafts of food or the smell of coffee send you running. Maybe it isn't too bad and you just have a lingering nausea. You are not the only one, it is estimated that 66% of women experience 'Morning Sickness' during the first few months of pregnancy. It still doesn't make you feel any better. Morning sickness does not only occur in the morning, you can feel its effects any time, day or night. You may vomit or just feel nauseous. It is also commonly regarded as a symptom of the first trimester, yet for some it continues until 18 weeks and for a few, will continue throughout the whole pregnancy.
In this article
- So why do women suffer with “Morning Sickness”?
- What is hyperemesis gravidarum?
- How do I know if I am dehydrated?
- Should I call the midwife or doctor?
- Can I reduce morning sickness?
So why do women suffer with “Morning Sickness”?
There is no definite answer and nothing has been proven, it is different for everyone. It could be a combination of different aspects. Here are some of them:
- Hormonal changes
- Emotions and emotional changes
- The body needs to slow down
- Protection from food borne illnesses
- Change in the body's requirements
- Low blood sugar
What is hyperemesis gravidarum?
Put simply it is when a women experiences morning sickness so severely that she either vomits excessively and dehydrates or feels so ill that she cannot eat or drink enough to avoid dehydration. Dehydration then becomes a concern. So if you are suffering with severe morning sickness you must contact your GP.
How do I know if I am dehydrated?
I am going to sidetrack a moment. Now here's a very important point that applies to everyone, morning sickness or not, pregnant or not, female or not; If you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated!.
So thirst is a sign of dehydration, as is dizziness and if you are urinating less and your urine is dark in colour. When you have enough fluids in your body, your urine will be very pale, almost clear.
Signs that you need to get medical attention due to morning sickness?
If you:
- Vomit more than 3-4 times per day
- Notice that the vomiting is not getting any better
- Feel weak and faint
- Are losing weight
- Feel thirsty and are unable to keep any liquids down
- Haven't been able to eat or drink in 24 hours
- Have eaten but haven't been able to keep anything down for 24 hours
- Are urinating less and your urine is a darker colour than usual
Should I call the midwife or doctor?
If you feel you may be dehydrating then get in touch with your medical caregiver. You can contact your midwife and if she is not available, then contact your doctor. If you do not have easy access to a Midwife, browse through Greatvine where you'll find a fantastic list of Midwife's who are waiting to help you.
There are many things you can do to ease morning sickness whether severe or slight. I have 22 tips to lessen morning sickness; combining them with some understanding about morning sickness hugely increases the response. One tip is to listen to the relaxation CD ‘Simply Reducing Morning Sickness’.
(Image: Louisa Stokes / FreeDigitalPhotos.net)
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