Growing a baby isn’t easy. Mixed with the excitement of impending motherhood, you may notice various discomforts caused by your changing hormones and expanding uterus. A common symptom of pregnancy, nausea can cause you to make frequent visits to the restroom. Known as morning sickness, nausea during pregnancy can occur anytime of the day. Although this symptom usually disappears as your pregnancy progresses, it can cause considerable distress. Understanding what causes your nausea can help you take steps to minimize and reduce your discomfort.

Pregnancy Changes

Although the exact cause of morning sickness remains a mystery, the American College of Nurse-Midwives advises that changing hormones may cause you to feel ill. Not all women experience morning sickness, but if your mother had this symptom, you can expect to experience it also. You may also suffer from morning sickness during your pregnancy if you have a history of motion sickness or stomach problems. Your morning sickness may range in intensity from slight nausea to repeated bouts of vomiting.

Triggers

Certain foods and smells can trigger the feeling of a stomach on the verge of losing its contents. Common triggers include the smell of fried foods and perfumes. Heat can make you feel slightly ill when you are pregnant, as well as being in a stuffy room. Brushing your teeth or smelling certain foods may cause you to gag. Even though these things may not have bothered you before, you may notice they cause your stomach to flip over.

Watch Your Diet

Bland foods may help settle your stomach, while spicy, greasy foods can cause nausea. Eat small meals that contain carbohydrates. Avoid smelly foods and heavy meals with high levels of fat. Some women enjoy sucking on a lemon slice or a piece of lemon drop candy when they start feeling ill.

Remedies

You may find that nibbling on soda crackers helps settle your stomach. Keep a few by your bed and eat them before rising. Allow yourself to get plenty of rest, especially during bouts of nausea. Have someone else prepare meals for you if food smells make you sick. Wait at least an hour after eating before lying down.

Another remedy for morning sickness is ReliefBand^®  a drug-free and FDA cleared wearable device that can alleviate nausea in a matter of minutes. It looks like a watch but when you are feeling ill, you push a button and you feel a small pulse and then soon, relief. And the best part is there are no side effects.

Precautions

Even though many women experience morning sickness, your illness may require a visit to your doctor. See your doctor if you vomit after every meal or several times during the course of the day. Nausea with abdominal pain, fever and difficulty urinating may indicate the presence of an underlying condition. Although rare, repeated vomiting, especially if you are unable to keep down liquids, can cause health problems.

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