Ask the OBGYN: How Can I Handle Morning Sickness?

Imagining yourself with nausea and vomiting may not have been your first thought upon becoming pregnant, but for roughly half of all women morning sickness — which truly can happen any time of day — is a reality for the early stages of pregnancy. Whether it’s mild and short-lived or a continuous bout of nausea, every OBGYN will tell you morning sickness is hugely unpredictable; some women have it as bad as their mother did, some don’t. Some women have no morning sickness for their first pregnancy, and experience a lot during their second. Mostly it abates between 12 and 14 weeks, but for some women it can last much longer.

The best thing any pregnant woman suffering from morning sickness can do is take action; excessive vomiting isn’t just unpleasant, it can result in dehydration and weight loss, both of which are harmful to both of you. In many cases your OBGYN can prescribe safe, effective medication to treat nausea, but there are also a few “home remedies” we’ve seen some success with.

Whether they grate it into their tea or pop it as a powdered tablet, many women have found morning sickness relief from ginger. It won’t seem to help immediately; ginger relies upon a cumulative effect to work, and it may take several days of ginger to see results. For a more immediate effect, many find acupressure points to be helpful in getting past nausea, in particular putting thumb pressure on a spot on the inside of your forearm, about a quarter of the way up your arm from the wrist crease. There are elastic bands on the market with small balls embedded in them for a “hands free” version of acupressure.

To learn more about morning sickness and other gynecology topics, make an appointment with us today!