Useful information on the causes of morning sickness in pregnancy plus remedies and treatments designed to beat the nausea.Discuss morning sickness in pregnancy on our forums, right now! Or, post a comment below.Morning sickness (also called "nausea and vomiting of pregnancy," or "NVP") affects between 50 and 85 percent of all pregnant women. It is not confined to the morning: nausea can occur at any time of the day. The cause is not known, and there are a number of theories to explain it: - An increase in the hormone progesterone relaxes the muscles in the uterus, which prevents early pregnancy labour, but may also relax the stomach and intestines, leading to excess stomach acids.
- An increase in hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin).
- An increase in sensitivity to odours.
- Eating vegetables. One theory is that the small amounts of toxins vegetables produce to deter insect infestation are normally harmless to humans but extremely dangerous to embryos; therefore, becoming nauseous during pregnancy was an evolutionary measure to protect the embryo. Other studies however have linked consumption of fruits and vegetables to higher birth weights (higher birth weights tend to mean healthier babies).
For 50% of all sufferers, it ends by the 16th week of pregnancy. Studies have shown that women who suffer from NVP are less likely to have miscarriages. Nausea can be one of the most trying problems in early pregnancy. It comes at a time when you may be feeling tired and emotional, and when many people around you may not realise you are pregnant and expect you to be your normal self. Things that may help with the nausea: - If you feel sick first thing in the morning, give yourself time to get up slowly. If possible, eat something like dry toast or a plain biscuit before you get up. Your partner could bring you some sweet tea.
- Get plenty of rest and sleep whenever you can. Feeling tired can make the sickness worse.
- Eat small amounts often rather than several large meals, but don't stop eating.
- Drink plenty of fluids.
- Ask those close to you for extra support.
- Distract yourself as much as you can. Often the nausea gets worse the more you think about it.
- Avoid the foods and smells that make you feel worse. It helps if someone else can cook but, if not, go for bland, non-greasy foods such as baked potatoes, pasta and milk puddings, which are simple to prepare.
- Remedies containing ginger may be helpful.
- Wear comfortable clothes. Tight waistbands can make you feel worse.
If you are being sick all the time and cannot keep anything down then inform your doctor or midwife. Author : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morning_sickness | 
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Im 8 weeks pregnant for the second time. With my first daughter I lost a whole stone in weight during the first 3 months due to morning sickness and she is now eight years old and almost as tall as myself so I wouldn't worry yourself too much, as long as your mid wife is happy with your progress
Your partner does not want to quit smoking yet ? Are you kidding ?
What is his problem ? You are haing a child-surely he wants them to be as healty & happy as possible?
If he can't stop this selfish behavior from the minute you tell him you're having a baby he's a non-comitted parent. Is this really who you want to father your baby ?
i have really bad evening sickness , its driving me crazy, although iv never been sick the feeling is really over whelming apart from the suggestions on this site (im trying them all to no avail ) as any one got any other suggestions, many thanks michelle
I was one of those "morning sickness" sufferers and would love to share a few tips based on my experience.
However I have to mention that we all are a bit different and what worked for me, might not work for someone else. Still it is worth of me trying, if I can help at least some of you, I would consider it a great achievement.
My sickness started "by the book", on the 5th week. It wasn't just a morning one - I felt notions all day long and even was waking up at night feeling I was just about to vomit.
First I thought that in general it lasts only during the first trimester, so I will survive. However I overestimated myself. I am a sissy and I hate any kind of physical discomfort or pain. After feeling sick non-stop for a week I went for a remedy search. Obviously medicines were out of questions as they can harm a baby, so I looked for natural ways â herbs, diets, exercise.
Firstly I have tried liquid foods â clear soups and with bits. This didnât work. Also I could see that I am not picking a sufficient nutrition for me and my baby - liquids with bits of over boiled veg and meat don't contain many vitamins and fibre.
A few websites suggested eating something like dry ginger biscuits. Other sources mentioned that women often feel worse when they are hungry. Though they don't realize they are. So firstly I tried to eat a bit more often, every 2-3 hours. I ate small snacks for my weight not to go through the roof.
My snacks were dry - a half of cheddar cheese sandwich or a small baked potato and a fried egg. After such meals I felt significantly better. Those made me think about a ginger biscuit advice, the biscuits are rather dry.
I did some changes to my diet - made my foods drier. Excluded were soups and most of the sauces.
I also noticed that if I ate out in the restaurant, I would feel bad for two - 3 days.
So I started avoiding ready or pre-cooked meals. Restaurants, even very good ones, are using lots of pre-ordered ingredients, which are kept fresh by using chemicals, don't forget taste enchantment. I know it from my own experience - I was ITs (a restaurant network in the UK) restaurant manager for a few years. Meal out is often delicious, but a pregnant womenâs body reacts differently to many things.
I experimented for about 10 days and came up with a set of rules what to eat and when to eat. It works for me, I am over 8 weeks pregnant and didn't feel sick for the past two 2 weeks. Apart of once a couple of days ago and it was my fault - I had no time to prepare my lunch box in the evening and had to buy a shop-made sandwich.
These are my rules:
1. Eat every 2-3 hours.
I make it 8am - a breakfast, 10am - a snack, 12:30 - lunch, around 16:00 - another light snack, 19:30 dinner.
I do not leave dinner till too late as if I go to bed with a full belly, I sleep badly. My suggestion is to make sure you are done with eating 2 hours before you go to bed.
2. Foods are simple and dryish.
Oven roast or boiled vegetables, boiled/roasted/grilled beef, beef burgers, meet balls, fried or boiled eggs, cheddar cheese or baby bells, pasta, rice, sausages, mash potatoes, prawns, bread, porridge etc.
Meats
I can eat only plain or herb seasoned sausages, beef steaks medium to well done, stewed beef. Beef burgers and meat balls do agree with me two, as well as lasagne and Bolognese.
All my sauces are home made, no shop bought jars, so I know what I put in the pan.
I recommend making the sauces for the pasta yourself. You would be surprised how easy they are, just google the recipes.
Lamb chops make me queasy - too greasy. Chicken, pork and fish smells are to strong for me too.
So I stuck to beef and, funny enough - sausages.
Here is and idea how to make fast meat balls:
400-500 gramsâ pack of beef, 2 finely chopped onions, 1 or 2 eggs, salt, a tbl spoon of mustard, herbs if you wish. Mix it all; make meatballs the size of a tennis ball. Fry them in a bit of oil. When they are almost done, pure a small glass of tomato juice in the frying pans to cover meat balls. Let them simmer in juice for 15 min. It is a lovely dish.
A mince beef mixture made for meat balls can be used for beef burgers.
Just make the lumps to fry larger and flatter. Suggestion: make them heart - shaped, your other half will love it.
Steaks
I am eating them 3-4 times/week. Obviously if I were buying cut steak, it would have hit my pocket. So I am buying supermarketâs boneless roast beef joints, the ones that are usually wrapped in plastic, but not in a plastic box.. The pack has no air inside and you feel it's softness when you pick it up. They sell chunks are large - 2 or 3 kilos, they cost 8 -9 quid. I use this meat for steaks; itâs soft and juicy and works out about £4 or £5 per kilo. Comparing to steaks from delicatessen it's half price.
There are cock ups, but not very often.
If you buy one of those joints you can cut it in 4-5 pieces and freeze. When you decide to cook it, you won't need to defreeze the whole chunk of meat. I am using such meat for steaks, stews, roasts, stew fries - anything.
Garnishes
Roast vegetables.
My friend saw the recipe on the TV, taught me and now it's one of our favourite family dishes.
How to make it - get any root veg you have handy: potatoes, carrots, parsnips, onions, yams. Can also be pumpkin, mushrooms, swede. This is only the idea what you can bake. I even bake cabbage, but this one is tender and had to be added later.
Cut the vegetables in appx 1 cm cubes, mushrooms can be used as whole. Place all in a bowl, add a bit of salt, some herbs, a couple of tbl spoons of olive oil. Mix the chunks by hands and place on a flat baking tray. In the oven, gas mark 7. Bake for appx an hour, can be a bit longer. You will need to check it once or twice and snaffle the vegetables so they don't get burnt. The indicators are potatoes, when they are ready all the rest is ready too.
Sometimes I get carried away and prepare too much . Adding a bit of everything I end up with a huge amount to bake. Here is an indications of the amount for
2 people - I cut 2 largish potatoes (not as large as baking though), 4 medium carrots, 2 parsnips, 1 yam the size of a small apple, 3 onions.
Also if the level of veg on the baking tray is too thick, they remain soggy for a long time. So first try the portion suggested above and then see for yourself.
I love it with some ketchup. This is the only shop bought sauce I use.
Also things like rice, spaghetti, bulgur, mash potatoes.
They make a tasty addition to your dinner or lunch. Make sure you eat carbs. Carbs were the once to stop me from feeling sick..
One more recipe â baked rice
Pre-boil some rice, the grains should stay a bit hard.
Fry some beef in a frying under the closed lid. Fry some chopped onions and carrots â separately from beef. Mix it all, add salt and herbs, place on the tray and in the oven for 30 min, gas mark 7. It tastes lovely.
Fibre
I suggest fresh vegetable salad
Chop some tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers, lettuce, carrots - whatever you have in the fridge. Squeeze a quarter of a lemon on the top, add a bit of olive oil, salt.
Boiled vegetables
Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, string beans, Brussels sprouts, peas pods etc.
What we often get in the restaurants is over boiled and soggy. I cook them the following way â cut the vegetables if needed. Boil water in a pan, add a bit of salt if you need it. Once the water is boiling, chuck the vegetables in. Let the water boil again - it will only take 2-3 min, and take the veg out. Such a way of cooking will keep the vegetables aldente, but they wont taste raw. Also lots of vitamins will be saved.
Do not worry if the above recipes sound complicated. I cook every day, and my principle is never to spend more than an hour. This is from the moment I opened my fridge to the very moment I and my husband are at the table. It works. The remains of the dinner will make you a lovely lunch box for the next day.
3. To summarize my main principles:
- my food is be simple
- eating slowly
- no restaurant meals if possible
- no shop bought sauses
- limit or exclude salt and spices (chilly, black pepper). This will makes me thirsty, and the water I drink increases my water retention. Hence I feeling bloated, fat and tiered. This advise has to be taken with a lot of care, as it goes against all known rules - I drink a bit less water. I can have 3 mugs of tea /day, and a glass of water if I feel thirsty. But I am not a doctor and cannot go against world wide theory about drinking 2 liters of water a day. It works for me, but I am not suggesting it to anyone else.
- Another important thing, I move a lot. Sometimes I have to push myself a bit. But I go up and down the stairs to pick up something from the top floor, do the hovering, go shopping, walk to work â itâs 2 miles for me.
You don't need to do rock climbing. But make those small attempts to move more. When I felt sick and was trying to lay down, I felt even worse.
I also bought myself a yoga CD. The exercises are very easy â simple bends and stretches. I feel much better afterwards.
4. To conclude
I will briefly write down what I did and ate yesterday:
07:30 very light porridge - a glass of milk, 2 tbl spoons of porridge, a spoon of raisins, microvawe for 5 min till boiled.
10:00 a Prett a monger pretzel and a tea
13:00 - mash potatoes, steak, tomato salad
16:30 - a very small cheese sandwich and an apple
19:30 - rice, beef stewed with carrots and onions, fresh veg salad, a cup of tea.
I walked to work (but was lazy and took a bus home ), did 20 min of yoga in the evening.
I think that's all from me. Good luck!
Im 7 weeks pregnant and have spent the past 3 weeks living on water! Occasionally i can force the odd dry biscuit or piece of bread down, but im sure this cant be healthy! I have tried other foods such a fresh fruit and yohurt and although they provide a brief period of relief within an hour they are coming back again so it feels pointless eating them!
The morning sickness tablets sound a good idea, i will give them a try and let you know how i get on!
It's very uncomfortable not being able to tell my work colleages that Its pregnancy that's making me ill. Roll on 12 weeks!! Those Blackmores morning sickness tablets sound good, I'm going to try those, thanks for the tip! xxx
Go to your local chemist and talk to them they are educated in medications and remindies. Goodluck!