Morning sickness – it’s that dreaded sign of pregnancy. For some, it might be one of the “clues” that leads you to confirming that you are pregnant.

So, what exactly is morning sickness?
It’s a feeling of nausea that is sometimes accompanied with actual sickness. Sometimes you may just feel nauseous while other times you may actually get sick.

Morning sickness is caused by the sudden increase or change in hormone levels. It is more common in the first trimester of pregnancy. It can strike any time of the day but typically is the worse in the morning, often when first getting out of bed, hence the term morning sickness. Sixty to eighty percent of women experience morning sickness. It typically starts in the 4th to 8th week of pregnancy and usually ends between the 14th and 18th week of pregnancy; however it can last the entire pregnancy for some woman. And although it is called morning sickness, some women may experience it all through out the day. One interesting study claims that you are fifty percent more likely to have serve nausea and vomiting if you are pregnant with a girl. I’ve had two boys and still been plenty sick so I’m not so sure if I totally buy that one.

So what are the symptoms of morning sickness?
Well that lovely nauseous feeling is of course the strongest symptoms. You can also feel sick at the smell of certain foods or odors.

How can I prevent morning sickness?
Unfortunately there is nothing you can do to prevent morning sickness and there is no “cure” for it but there are a few things you can do to make things easier.

• When getting up in the mornings, start off slowly.



• Keep crackers by your bed and eat a few before your feet even hit the floor.



• Avoid food smells or odors that may make you feel nauseous.



• Avoid fatty foods. They are harder to digest and can irritate your stomach.



• Avoid caffeinated beverages. Try peppermint or ginger tea.



• Eat small and frequent meals.



• Try drinking fluids primarily in between meals. Don’t drink so much at one time that your stomach feels full.



• Give yourself time to relax. Stress can add to it and make you feel worse.

If you began loosing too much weight or can not keep anything down at all, consult your doctor. There are medicines that can be prescribed to prevent sickness if it becomes extremely bad.

Sources: Baby Center's Morning Sickness Page
Take 2 Crackers and Call me in the Morning