Morning Sickness, also known as Pregnancy Sickness is a common ailment associated with pregnancy. In fact, it has been observed that more than half of all pregnant women (50 to 80%) tend to suffer from this illness that generally begins around the sixth week of pregnancy and stops during the mid or later part of pregnancy, that is, around the twelfth week.
The symptoms of Morning Sickness usually differ from one individual to another. Contrary to the popular misconception, Morning Sickness can be experienced not just in the morning but also during the day or night. Morning Sickness symptoms like nausea, vomiting etc seem to be most severe during the eighth or ninth week.
Being a common condition, this illness can be relieved naturally at home with the help of a number of home remedies for Morning Sickness natural treatment. Rare cases characterized by severe Morning Sickness (Hyperemesis Gravidarum) leading to loss of weight, blood in vomiting or repeated vomiting (more than four times in a day) may require immediate medical assistance.
Causes and Symptoms of Morning Sickness
Although the exact cause of Morning Sickness is not known, still more often than not, Morning Sickness is associated with changing levels of hormones and blood sugars. Hormones like estrogen, progesterone and the pregnancy hormone, Human Chorionic Gonadatopin (HCG) are the chief culprits in this regard.
Increased sensitivity to certain types of smells and empty stomach usually trigger the symptoms of Morning Sickness. Pregnancy induced rapid stretching of the uterine muscles and relative relaxations of muscle tissues in the digestive system may also contribute in contribute in causing Morning Sickness. Factors like fatigue, travelling, emotional stress and certain foods tend to aggravate the symptoms of Morning Sickness.
Nausea, vomiting, indigestion and heartburn are the most common symptoms of Morning Sickness. Additional symptoms such as fever, abdominal pain, lethargy, dizziness and weakness may also be present. In most of the cases, Morning Sickness begins early in the morning and gradually decreases as the day progresses.
The symptom of nausea seems to be more troublesome in case of twins or triplets. Morning Sickness symptoms generally last for the first three months of pregnancy but the symptoms may last throughout the pregnancy in certain cases. Interestingly, certain studies point towards a positive correlation between the incidence of Morning Sickness and decreased risk of miscarriages.
Natural Home Remedies for Morning Sickness
- Chewing a piece of ginger or having ginger products like ginger tea, ginger candy etc is one of the most popular and equally effective natural home remedies for Morning Sickness home treatment. However, do not overindulge in this natural remedy.
- Take about 20 or 25 curry leaves and extract their juice. Add one teaspoon of honey and two teaspoons of lime juice in this curry juice. Finally, consume this remdial mixture three to four times in a day to cure Morning Sickness naturally.
- Having a combination of one teaspoon each of mint juice, lime juice, honey and half a teaspoon of ginger juice is one of the best Morning Sickness home remedies. Consume this natural remedy about three to four times in a day to heal Morning Sickness easily at home.
- Drinking a glass of water mixed with one tablespoon each of honey and apple cider vinegar serves as an excellent natural cure for Morning Sickness.
- Eating a dry cracker or digestive biscuit before getting out of the bed in the morning helps a great deal in dealing with Morning Sickness naturally.
- Having a glass of water mixed with lemon juice first thing in the morning is an effective home remedy for Morning Sickness prevention and cure. Simply sniffing lemons is also beneficial in easing Morning Sickness symptoms to a great extent.
- Sniffing a combination of three drops of lavender oil and one drop of peppermint oil through a cloth helps to soothe Morning Sickness related feeling of queasiness. This combination can also be put in humidifier.
- Nowadays, alternative therapies such as acupressure, acupuncture and aromatherapy are gaining a great deal of popularity as efficient home remedies for Morning Sickness.
The key to effective treatment of Morning Sickness is the combination of Morning Sickness home remedies as well as several important dietary and lifestyle measures.
Therefore, eating cheese, cottage cheese, unsalted crackers, nuts, apples, bananas, papayas, strawberries, pineapples, celery, yogurt and other similar foods high in proteins and complex carbohydrates is highly beneficial in dealing with Morning Sickness through diet.
Do not skip meals, especially dinner. Plus, drink adequate amount of water at regular intervals to avoid dehydration because of repeated bouts of vomiting. Also consume fruit and vegetable juices from time to time. Restrict the consumption of spicy and fried foods.
Having about four to six small meals in a day at regular intervals rather than having three heavy meals is highly recommended for reducing Morning Sickness considerably. Snacking throughout the day is also useful in this regard. When feeling nauseated, eat bland foods to get rid of the queasy feeling.
An important tip for avoiding Morning Sickness is to avoid sudden movements when getting out of bed in the morning. Moreover, strictly avoid active as well as passive cigarette smoking. Finally, get plenty of rest by taking short naps during the day to relieve Morning Sickness related symptoms and discomfort.
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