Morning sickness is one of the signs of early pregnancy. Normally, this sickness occurs around the 4th week of early pregnancy and gets resolved between the 12th and 14th week. In some cases, 1 in 5 women, suffer from morning sickness throughout their second trimester. Some pregnant woman, experience morning sickness throughout the whole pregnancy period.
If you have travel motion sickness, then you are more likely to experience morning sickness.
Unrelieved morning sickness can disturb your quality of lifestyle by stopping you from working, socialising or taking care of other family members.
During morning sickness pregnant women suffer from psychological problems such as mood swings, anxiety, stress and depression. They experience quick changes in their behaviour like anger to happiness or sadness. False myths are making the rounds that morning sickness is psychosomatic, which means that it is a physical illness caused by internal metal conflicts. Though there are, no research to confirm these beliefs.
Possible causes of motion sickness during pregnancy
- Motion sickness occurs when you travel by car, aeroplane, boat or bus and the body’s sensing system sends conflicting signals to the brain through eyes, ears, mussels and sensing nerves.
- If you travel quickly after having full stomach meal then, constant up and down, it disturbs the digestion system and causes motion sickness.
- While travelling, you have to deal with a lot of air and that makes it difficult to breathe which may make you nauseous.
- Increasing levels of hormones.
Signs of motion sickness during pregnancy
Nausea and vomiting are the signs of motion sickness. Apart from that, you may experience few more signs such as:
Dehydration: Extreme morning sickness can harm both mother and baby’s health because of the loss of fluids and stomach acid that happens during vomiting which causes electrolyte imbalances.
Discomfort: Severe vomiting, multiple times causes a pregnant women to feel discomforting pelvic pain and stomach pain.
A headache: Low blood sugar and hunger prompts a headache. Often pregnant women are likely to feel a sharp pain or a constant dull ache on both sides or the back of the head. If one experiences tension headaches, then pregnancy can make it even worse.
Fatigue: In the early days of pregnancy, pregnant women may feel extreme tiredness occurring from mental or physical exertion.
Dizziness: In 5 to 6 weeks of pregnancy, the body expands the blood vessels and relaxes, because of hormonal changes. These conditions increase the blood flow to the baby, but reduces blood pressure that may make pregnant women extremely tired and weak.
How to manage morning sickness?
One can talk to doctor as every pregnancy is different, but can follow few steps such as:
- Breathe fresh air and avoid the cooking smell, any room freshener and fragrance which can triggers nausea.
- Ask the doctor before taking any medicine.
- Eat small meals or snacks for good digestion.
- Drink enough water, to be hydrated.
- Take vitamin B6 supplement lesser than 200 mg by consulting the doctor.
- Wear comfortable clothes, avoid tight cloth around abdomen.
- Rest as much as possible.
Remember to seek medical help if the morning and motion sickness get severe and if one sees quick weight loss or is feeling stressed all the time.
