Understanding Pregnancy for Men – Morning Sickness

It’s one of the first signs of pregnancy and sometimes it is the earliest symptom of pregnancy a woman will experience; morning sickness usually occurs in the first trimester of pregnancy when the biggest hormonal changes are taking place. Most women experience some degree of morning sickness but the effects vary greatly between different women.

Some women just feel nauseated while others spend half their time actually vomiting. Morning sickness is quite poorly understood, despite being so common, so here are the facts;

Morning Sickness has nothing to do with mornings!!!

While it is slightly more common for morning sickness to strike during the morning when the blood sugar is low, it can occur at any time of the day or night. Some women get over the sick feeling as the day progresses while others wake feeling fine and feel gradually more and more nauseated. It is completely unique to each woman. So if your partner is being sick at night, don?t worry ? it’s normal.

Fluids are Essential

Sipping water throughout the day can help prevent vomiting and ward off the risk of dehydration.

Eat Little and Often

Smaller meals eaten more frequently might help to ease nausea and help keep the strength up when morning sickness is at its worst. This can keep the blood sugar even and prevent highs or lows which can add to nausea.

Ginger can Help

Many women throughout history have used ginger as a remedy for feeling sick during pregnancy. Ginger biscuits, crystallised ginger and ginger tea can settle the stomach and enable the woman to eat something, which also makes the nausea easier to handle as hunger can make things worse.

RELATED: Understanding Pregnancy Hormones

Sense of Smell

For some women, one of the surprises of early pregnancy is the way the sense of smell changes. The sense of smell becomes keener, so smells may seem very strong. This can affect appetite, and it might help to avoid cooking smells or choose cold meals so that there are fewer smells.

Breakfast in Bed

Even if it is only a cup of tea and a plain biscuit, crackers or dry toast, eating before getting up is one of the tried and tested methods that women use to combat morning sickness. While there is disagreement over why exactly this can help, it is probably due to the fact that eating before getting out of bed allows the blood sugar to rise a little before any energy is required. It’s also a great way to earn extra brownie points, so whether you prepare a full breakfast or just provide a dry snack, it will be worth it!

Look for Signs it might be Serious

Morning sickness can be a serious illness. If the sickness lasts, the vomiting is severe and the woman is at risk of becoming dehydrated and exhausted, then the expectant mother may be suffering from an extreme form of morning sickness called Hyperemesis Gravidarum. If you suspect that the morning sickness is extreme and are worried, it is important to seek advice from a doctor who may suggest ways of dealing with the illness and possibly offer treatment. Giving intravenous fluids is one way that Hyperemesis Gravidarum can be treated.