Morning nausea or vomiting is a common body reaction to a disease or underlying condition. From gastrointestinal infections to motion sickness, it can be a sign of a sudden change in the body's processes. But oftentimes, in women, it is an indicator of pregnancy.
You might wonder why nausea is common in pregnancy. Or what are other reasons that lead to morning sickness? Please keep reading to discover more about nausea in pregnancy and ways to avoid it. Let's get started with identifying causes for nausea in pregnancy.
What is the Reason for Vomiting during Pregnancy?
Pregnancy brings with it a lot of changes to women's life and their bodies. One of those changes is the alteration of the hormonal cycle. And the difference in the hormonal process is probably the reason for vomiting during pregnancy.
In other cases, the sensitivity to certain smells and tastes also results in morning nausea. In other words, the body uses a hypersensitivity or heightened sense of smell to safeguard the body from the potential substances that harm the body.
Other than this, the elevated levels of stress hormones (cortisol) increase the problem of morning sickness. The women who have multiple, like twins or triplets, also contribute to severe vomiting problems along with vitamin B6 deficiency.
When Does Pregnancy Sickness Start and Peak?
In general, morning sickness in pregnant women can start as early as in the sixth or seventh week in the first trimester (3 months). And this nausea peaks or escalates as the expecting mother reaches closer to the ninth week of her pregnancy. The body does adapt to the changing hormonal conditions and body processes and the sickness reduces. However, the feeling of nausea stays throughout pregnancy.
Myth Buster: One common myth about the onset of vomiting is that it starts within 1 week of pregnancy. But in reality, it does not begin overnight. In rare cases, people might witness the symptoms of pregnancy after being 3 weeks into it.
Now let's have a look at some home remedies that you can try to control nausea in pregnancy.
5 Common Morning Sickness Remedies
Pregnancy hormones and body changes usually impact the digestive system along with the reproductive system. As certain foods and smells aggravate the problem of nausea, you can try the following home remedies for nausea relief.
Ginger
Ginger is very helpful when it comes to treating digestive problems. It is one of the medicinal roots that is used in treating morning nausea during the prenatal stages. You can use ginger in a lot of different ways, such as in tea, candies, lozenge, or soups. You can also consult your doctor if you are doubtful if this remedy would suit your pregnant body. Make sure to use this remedy or ginger in a limited quantity to avoid side effects.
Lemon
Lemon is another safe and effective home remedy that can work for morning sickness. Sour foods that have citric acid, like lemon, help to reduce the symptom of nausea. Lemon water is a great addition to the pregnancy diet, especially in the first and second trimesters. It has properties that support digestion, and its neutralizing acids control morning sickness.
You can take lemon juice as a lemon candy or even mix lemon juice with water. This remedy is also beneficial when it comes to improving immunity due to the high vitamin C content of lemons.
Peppermint
The next natural or home remedy that helps with morning nausea is peppermint or mint. Peppermint has a refreshing smell that helps to calm down the body. You can take mints as chew tablets to freshen your breath. Or you can use peppermint essential oil for aromatherapy.
Some health experts find peppermint pills or mint tablets questionable in terms of their safety for pregnant women. So, a third alternative to using peppermint or mint for morning sickness is in the form of a nasal inhaler with peppermint oil.
Vitamin B6
Studies suggest that lower levels of vitamin B6 in the body also lead to senior morning sickness during pregnancy days. This is one of the essential amino acids that can help reduce nausea by balancing its level in the blood. Generally, medical experts prescribe vitamin B6 supplements as a treatment for excessive vomiting or nausea during pregnancy.
However, you can get ahead with the natural ways by including foods with high vitamin B6 content in the diet. For instance, pregnant women can consume bananas, oranges, fortified cereals, and chickpeas. Or else, if you are a nonvegetarian, adequate amounts of fish and beef liver. This will replenish the B6 vitamin levels in the body.
Fluids
As we know, loss of water from the body due to vomiting or morning nausea might cause dehydration. Dehydration is not safe for pregnant women and their fetus. That's why doctors and gynecologists recommend pregnant women take adequate amounts of fluids and juices. Fruit juices and natural beverages help to balance the level of electrolytes in the body. And the H2O content in the fruits helps to stay hydrated.
Additionally, fluids also support the digestion of food by neutralizing stomach acids. And maintains the blood sugar level that starts to fluctuate because of the hormonal cycle.
In the next section, we will explore reasons other than pregnancy that cause the problem of morning sickness in women or people in general.
Other Possible Causes for Morning Nausea
Even though vomiting is one of the signs of pregnancy there might be other reasons for it too. The problem of vomiting is very common in all people. So let's explore the other reasons that cause this problem if you are not pregnant.
Acid Reflux
Acid reflux is one of the primary reasons that causes people discomfort and vomiting. In case you remain hungry for a long time, the digestive acids in the stomach cause the heat burn sensation and lead to acid reflux. But unlike the pregnancy sickness, nausea due to acid reflux is manageable with antacids tablets or syrups.
Fatigue
Do you feel any discomfort when you don't sleep properly? Well, that is simply because poor sleep routines and insomnia slow down the digestion process. Most people are likely to have a nauseous feeling or morning sickness because of fatigue. That's why a good and deep sleep of 8 to 10 hours is recommended for everyone, including pregnant women.
Blood Sugar Imbalance
Low blood sugar or blood sugar imbalance is another potential reason for the nauseous feeling. Lower levels of glucose or blood sugar in the body make you feel dizzy and weak to some extent which leads to nausea. It is all the worse for diabetic patients with a poor diet because they take heavy medication.
Sinus Congestion
Oftentimes, people have a vomiting tendency when they recover from viral fever for nasal congestion. The reason is antibiotics act on the congestion, and our body's defense mechanism discharges the cough through vomiting.
Also Read: Home Remedy for High Sugar: 8 Effective Ways
Final Thoughts
Altogether, if you are experiencing morning nausea and you don't see a possible explanation for it then you must consult a good doctor. Fortunately, this problem indicates other causes and is not serious in itself. In rare cases, persistent nausea or vomiting can lead to dehydration, so pay attention to the warning signs.
Home remedies are a safe bet when it comes to controlling nausea without medication. So, try changing your diet and lifestyle to relieve yourself from nausea problems.
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