Dealing with Morning Sickness By Amanda Ciani
G rowing a human being is a beautiful, miraculous experience. Yet, as much of a blessing it is to carry a child, there are quite a few side effects of the process that are not super fun for the mother-to-be. One of the most dreaded aspects of pregnancy is morning sickness, and we are covering what it is, why it happens, what can be done to ease symptoms, and finally, when to seek help. Happy pregnancy, momma—you’ve got this! What is morning sickness?
way glucose is processed and insulin sensitivity can cause a blood sugar drop, which can also cause nausea. While pregnancy cravings are often talked about, aversions are less so. For many pregnant women, former favorite foods may suddenly become repulsive. Some pregnant women experience so many aversions that they find it difficult to settle on a meal to eat. Not eating while preg- nant or eating something that gives mom the ick both can lead to nausea. What can be done to ease symptoms? Firstly, if excessive vomiting is oc- curring, replacing fluids is important. Stay hydrated as much as possi- ble during those morning sickness episodes and all other stages of pregnancy, too. Chomping on ice or even enjoying some popsicles to keep fluids in is a favorable hydration
hormone that helps the placenta develop; it also helps produce other necessary hormones for viable preg- nancies. The influx of rising hCG, estrogen, and progesterone can cause nausea and vomiting associat- ed with morning sickness in the first trimester. These levels peak around the end of the first trimester, reach a plateau, and then gradually de- crease. This is why some women only experience morning sickness relief in the second trimester. Another cause of morning sick- ness, beyond the first trimester, would be an altered metabolism combined with lowered blood sugar levels. Pregnancy puts a woman’s body in overtime, all systems are working extra hard to create a new life. During the second trimester, a woman’s need for calories increases by about 300 per day to supple- ment the increased basal metabolic rate that pregnancy creates. The
To call pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting “morning sickness” is quite misleading. Morning sickness can happen at any time of the day. And despite being thought of as a first-trimester symptom, it can hap- pen during any and even all stages of pregnancy. It can feel like just a little bit of queasiness in the morning or be all-day unease accompanied by vomiting. It is also important to note that yes, every woman is unique, but so is each pregnancy any woman has. A woman may experience little to no morning sickness with a pregnancy and significant morning sickness with a subsequent pregnancy, or vice versa. Why does morning sickness happen? When a pregnancy test shows up as positive, that is the result of in- creased levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). This is the
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