Pregnancy is indeed a beautiful journey, minus the morning sickness, the discomfort, the pressure on the bladder, and pain otherwise. Women have to endure a lot from the very beginning of their pregnancy journey, but initially, the most common culprit is morning sickness that hounds women.
What is morning sickness?
Morning sickness is attributed to haywire hormones. The increase in progesterone leads to the walls of the stomach and the intestines becoming relaxed, causing the process of digestion to slow done, and food to remain in the stomach for longer.
The sphincter that joins stomach and the esophagus also relaxes, causing the food in the stomach to move back up, causing acidity or heartburn, and nausea. It may also lead to vomiting as well then.
Similarly, estrogen levels are also on the rise during pregnancy, adding onto the nausea. Most women are able to tolerate the discomfort, but there are exceptions as well. In extreme case, known as hyperemesis gravidarum, women may need to be admitted to the hospital, and their Gynecologist in Lahore might also then prescribe them medication to control vomiting and nausea, since their condition is serious.
Morning sickness also happens to be a misnomer. Many women feel ill throughout the day, and not just in the mornings. There are also certain factors that exacerbate the situation. Stress, lack of rest, fatigue and having twins etc. might also increase the symptoms.
Helpful tips
The biggest hurdle facing pregnant women is the potential danger to their baby with the use of drugs. Which is why medication should only be taken at the discretion of the doctor alone.
There are some helpful home remedies that can help control the symptoms:
Assess when and what you eat
Morning sickness may become intense during certain times of the day. Therefore, analyze when you experience the symptoms, and eat at hours other than these. This charting will help you keep the meals down, when possible.
Change eating style
You might have been in the habit of lounging as you ate or might not have spared a thought of laying down after eating. However, during pregnancy, with the looming fear of nausea and heartburn, you need to reorient your eating habits.
Sit as you eat; lounging will not let gravity to its job. Similarly, wait a while after eating before you lay down, as then you will get greater acid reflux, which pregnant women are already haunted by.
Explore aromatherapy
We often discount the importance of olfactory system in the greater context of diet, but it is actually very important. Naturally, food that does not smell great might not have that big of a fan club.
Pregnant women are even more vulnerable, due to their increased sensitivity to certain smells that can trigger their gag response.
Aromatherapy, therefore, presents as a unique solution. Certain essential oils that help in curbing the symptoms of nausea include peppermint and lemon oils.
Fluids
Hydration is very important in controlling nausea. It is also important for women who have vomiting to restore fluids lost, otherwise, the fear of electrolyte imbalance and dehydration looms high.
Water itself in the basic form is great, but you can also add mint or lemon slices to make it more refreshing. However, refrain from sugary drinks, as they not only cause a spike in the blood sugar levels, but also are empty calories that everyone should avoid.
Frequent meals
While morning sickness may put you off food, and you might like to take rest from the eating-vomiting cycle, you should not do so as hunger also increases nausea. Therefore, try eating frequent meals.
The meals do not have to be an elaborate affair; a handful of nuts or some of your favorite fruits should suffice if you are not in the mood to eat.
Motion-sickness bands
Motion sickness bands were created to prevent getting sick at the sea. However, they are also effective against morning sickness. The wrist bands help in putting pressure at the P6 pressure point in the wrists, which helps in making stomach less queasy.
Protein
Foods that are high in protein aid in providing relief against nausea, as opposed to fats and carbohydrates. Moreover, as women have greater demand for protein for the development of fetus, the benefits are two-pronged.
Eat snacks like cottage cheese, yogurt, nuts and seeds as they are easy on the stomach and also good for morning sickness.
Rest is important
Since fatigue makes the morning sickness worse, it is pertinent that you get adequate rest. Try to get a good night’s sleep, and that might mean that you take up better sleeping practices. It may be hard at first, but the payoff is great.
Sour for the win
Sourness is good for settling the stomach, and thus helps in curbing nausea. It is suggested that you try eating a sour candy, or food items like lemon, lime, oranges, tamarind to keep the stomach calm through the turbulent morning sickness.
Watch when to brush
Brushing your teeth soon after you have eaten can kick in the gag reflux, leading to puking. Pregnant women, with already sensitive system, should not tempt fate. Instead, try to wait for a while before your instinct for oral hygiene overtakes you.
Getting help
Morning sickness may also require urgent care, if one is not able to eat for at least 24 hours. If you are having weight loss instead of weight gain, that is also a matter of concern. Moreover, if morning sickness is followed with fever, abdominal pain, bloody vomit, you should the Best Gynecologist in Karachi immediately, as these are rather concerning signs.