From the Herald Sun: “FORGET pills and potions – morning sickness may just be something pregnant women have to live with, research suggests.
Irish scientists have concluded there is no cure for the condition that can make early pregnancy miserable.
The researchers reviewed studies of more than 4000 women who were up to 20 weeks’ pregnant.
All were given common treatments for their nausea, but when the women were asked how they felt, it appeared most treatments had little effect.” See full story.
Has any treatment worked for you?
Most doctors believe that the increase in the hormone HCG is what causes morning sickness. Also, remember that morning sickness, more often then not, is actually “all day” sickness. HCG levels decrease around 14 weeks of pregnancy, so women should begin to feel better around that point. The most common way to combat morning sickness is to eat at regularly spaced intervals (every 2 – 4 hours).
Another cause of morning sickness you may not know about is a circulatory system issue called “underfill.”
In the first trimester, the circulatory system expands so quickly the blood supply has a hard time keeping up. The increased size of the blood vessels with the same amount of blood running through them can cause “UNDER-FILL” – suddenly there is not enough blood to fill up the heart, arteries and veins. The amount of blood the heart pumps out decreases, and the amount of blood returning to the heart decreases. Blood pressure changes during this time can be drastic – leading to feelings of nausea, dizziness or lightheadedness. Many of the symptoms of morning sickness can be attributed to this under-fill issue.
A good way to explain the effects of under-fill on the body is the straw/garden hose analogy. Imagine the blood vessels in the non-pregnant body to be a system of drinking straws filled with a set amount of blood. As the circulatory system expands, the drinking straws expand to the size of garden hoses, but with the same amount of blood running through them. The increased size of the blood vessels with the same amount of blood running through them can cause “UNDER-FILL”
By the end of the first trimester the body will increase its blood volume 30-50% to counterbalance the under-fill issue. That’s a lot of blood! The imbalance in blood volume in the first trimester can cause drastic changes in blood pressure.
Exercise increases circulation, and it can actually help alleviate some of the feelings of morning sickness. Pregnant woman should change positions slowly and carefully, especially in inverted positions when the head is below the heart. Also, avoid standing still for too long during your first trimester. Lower blood volume (under-fill), coupled with standing still, can lead to fainting.
I’m in the throes of morning sickness right now, but it is nothing to the morning sickness I had with my first. Truly nothing helped for very long at all. I lost weight and had to be put on medication.
With number three, thankfully there are things that are helping. Staying still for an hour after eating, not eating in or near the kitchen (the smells of food preparation really bother me), avoiding the refrigerator, and mint tea!
I tried this bean theory for a few days, but couldn’t stick it out… got too sick of beans~ http://www.karenhurd.com/concern_morning_sickness.html
lots of our moms are saying that sucking on lemon drops, ginger drops and peppermints really helped. Have you tried that, Natalie??
Zofran ODT!