Morning sickness can be one of the most miserable, uncomfortable, and awkward experiences that pregnancy brings. Nausea and vomiting are often some of the first noticeable signs that a woman is pregnant, and symptoms usually begin around the 6th week after conception. Despite its name, morning sickness can strike (and hit hard!) at any time of the day. Luckily, for most women, symptoms stop by the 12th week of pregnancy.

General information on morning sickness

• More than half of pregnant women will experience some degree of morning sickness.
• Morning sickness may or may not always be accompanied by vomiting (vomiting is not harmful to a pregnant woman or her baby as long as it is not excessive).

• The exact cause of morning sickness is unknown. It can be caused by hormonal changes or lower blood sugar during early pregnancy (the most popular theory is that morning sickness is the body's response to the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which is produced in higher levels during the first trimester than at any time). other time during pregnancy).

• Emotional stress, fatigue, travel, or certain foods can make morning sickness worse. Nausea is more common in repeat pregnancies and may be worse in twins or triplets.

• Many doctors conclude that morning sickness can be an indicator that the placenta is developing well and is therefore a good sign of a normal pregnancy.

Here are some steps to help relieve your symptoms:

Dos:

• Eat small meals often
• Drink healthy fluids half an hour before or after a meal, but not with meals
• Drink plenty of healthy fluids throughout the day to avoid dehydration
• Talk to your doctor about a healthy magnesium supplement.
• Eat a cookie/crispbread (try to keep it healthy!) 15 minutes before you wake up (or throughout the day as a snack. Many women swear by this method).
• Eat whatever you want, whenever you want
• Ask someone to cook for you and open the windows or turn on the ventilation if the smell bothers you
• Get plenty of rest and naps during the day
• Avoid warm places (hot feeling makes you nauseous)
• Point to lemons or ginger, drink lemonade or eat watermelon to relieve nausea

Don'ts:

• Don't lie down immediately after eating
• Don't skip meals
• Do not cook or eat spicy food
• Don't eat too much sugar
• Don't eat too much grain