What's Morning Sickness Like?

Morning sickness may be accompanied by symptoms of nausea and vomiting. In fact, morning sickness is the initial symptom of pregnancy. During the early hours of the morning you will suddenly feel nauseated. Despite the name of the condition, it can occur at any time during the day or night. One of the commonest symptoms of morning sickness is an aversion to smell. A female suddenly experiences aversion to certain smells such as coffee, cigarette smoke, alcohol, or any food item.

When do symptoms of morning sickness start?

According to health experts, approximately 90% of the females suffer from morning sickness during pregnancy. The majority of the females experience morning sickness in the first trimester. Mostly morning sickness begins during the 6^th week of pregnancy. Females whose menstrual cycles are regular will begin to experience symptoms of morning sickness 3 weeks after they conceive.

What does Morning Sickness Feel Like-Experience of Other Women

• I was caught off guard by severe fatigue. I was vomiting multiple times in a day and it was really difficult to function as a human. I was told at 7 weeks that when I reach 13 weeks, I will start feeling better. That felt to be a long time and so far away to be miserable. I am currently 17 weeks pregnant and still vomiting at least 1 or 2 times on most of the days.

• I was severely exhausted and my whole life was taken over by it. During my entire first trimester, I was working, sleeping, working, sleeping and repeat on most days. I stopped cooking dinner, making plans with friends, volunteering and traveling. It was difficult to do even the bare minimum. I was consumed by just getting up in the morning and going to work. I have never experienced anything like this before.

• I never vomited, but the taste in my mouth was always horrible and it made my nausea worse. My nausea was also aggravated by smells of cigarette smoke or coffee. I couldn’t even enter my own kitchen as the smell would make me nauseous.

• I vomited at least 4 or 5 times every day for the initial 20 weeks of my pregnancy. It always felt as if vomit was present in the back of throat, which I could not swallow. I felt sick every time I saw chicken, heard chicken or smelled of chicken. I worked as a teacher and I had to make excuses to leave the class all the time.

• What does morning sickness feel like? The nausea began very suddenly. The nausea would go away sometimes after vomiting; however, at other times, it would not. This happened over the summer when there is extra disgusting smell in the city and my symptoms aggravated from any type of scent.

• I was well until my 7^th week when I began to feel so nauseated and dizzy that I couldn’t get up and do anything. I had to take prescription medicine for nausea so that I can eat and do other activities without dry heaving-it was a constant symptom that was present even when I brushed my teeth. It felt like the worst hangover without the headache. You hope vomiting will make you feel better, but very often you can’t vomit. All this was associated with crippling exhaustion.

What Are Other Symptoms Associated with Morning Sickness?

Symptoms of early pregnancy can be observed and felt even before the pregnancy test becomes positive. Some of the early signs and symptoms of pregnancy are morning sickness, frequent urination, increased appetite, sleepiness, increased sensitivity to smell, irritability, diarrhea and/or constipation, breast tenderness, spotting, hot flushes and fatigue or feeling lethargic.

After discussing what does morning sickness feel like, let us discuss some tips to deal with morning sickness.

1. Eat small meals at regular intervals as morning sickness can worsen on an empty stomach. Nibble on bland snacks throughout the day.

2. Eat food rich in vitamin B and proteins such as nuts. Avoid spicy, rich, fatty, acidic or fried foods that can aggravate nausea.

3. Smell of cooking may trigger nausea so try to avoid that if that’s your case.

4. Eat a snack such as a cracker or dry toast in bed before getting out in the morning.

5. Track when your symptoms of morning sickness aggravate and when you are better. This can help you determine the best time to eat and drink.

6. Avoid drinking fluids during mealtimes. Instead drink between meals and stay hydrated.

7. Morning sickness can be made worse by tiredness and stress; hence, get enough rest and relaxation.

8. Sniff a piece of cut lemon to ease nausea. You can also put slices of lemon to sparkling water or iced tea and sip it throughout the day.

9. Nausea can be relieved by drinking ginger tea in moderation. You can prepare ginger tea by boiling grated ginger root in water or you can use ginger capsules, syrup or tablets.

10. Certain complimentary therapies such as aromatherapy and reflexology may help ease your morning sickness. Ensure you visit a qualified and trained therapist who has experience of treating pregnant females.

11. Sharing your feelings with your family or close friends may also help as they can offer their support and sympathy.