on the left there is the title ' a simple guide to morning sickness' under the title is the logo for mothership and me ( a lgbt parenting blog) on the right there is a photo image of a woman in green leggings and a white top sitting on her bed with her hand over her mouth.

Morning sickness

illustration of female with her head over the toilet and her knees bent. she appears to be vomiting.

Although often called morning sickness, nausea with or without vomiting can happen at any time of the day. As many as 8 in 10 women experience nausea and/or vomiting at some point during their pregnancy, usually during the first trimester. For most symptoms are mild and they can go about their daily lives but for others morning sickness can have a significant impact on daily life. 

Symptoms vary and include:

  • Nausea with or without vomiting
  • Aversion to certain odours and foods
  • Retching
  • In rare cases persistent vomiting can lead to dehydration. 

Not every woman will experience morning sickness and not every pregnancy is the same. Just because it was experience in a first pregnancy doesn’t mean it will be the same the next time round and vice versa. 

How long will it last? 

Nausea and vomiting usually starts to get better after the first trimester (around week 12) however some women will experience it up to week 20 and few experience morning sickness the whole way through pregnancy. 

What causes morning sickness?

The exact cause of morning sickness is unknown but its thought that the changing hormones play a part. These hormones include:

  • Increased hCG. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone the body produces after conception.
  • Increased oestrogen levels. The female sex hormone level increase can cause nausea and vomiting.
  • Increased progesterone levels. Progesterone helps prepare the womb for pregnancy and protects the womb lining. This may affect the firmness of the lower oesophagus, affecting the valve into the stomach causing nausea.  

Increased risks of developing morning sickness

You may be at increased risk of developing morning sickness if:

  • It’s a twin pregnancy
  • Your first pregnancy
  • There is a family history of morning sickness
  • Have a history of nausea when using contraception that contains oestrogen
  • You are stressed

How to manage morning sickness

Making small changes to your diet and keeping well rested can help with nausea and vomiting. Having support from family, friends and work colleagues can make managing morning sickness a little easier. 

Its important not to take any medication without talking to your doctor first. 

Some things you can do to ease symptoms are:

  • Eat little and often. Keeping something your stomach will help try and eat smaller meals more often. Skipping mills will only make nausea worse. 
  • If possible ask a partner of friend to prepare food. Strong odours can make you feel nauseous 
  • Try eating a dry biscuit first thing in the morning. 
  • Limit your consumption of spicy, fatty or fried foods. 
  • Try ginger or peppermint tea. 
  • Eat a small heathy snack before bed. This might be tough art, frets fruit or cheese and crackers. 
  • Sucking a sweet or chewing gum can help some people find relief from their symptoms. 

Keep your fluids up and stay hydrated. This is particularly important if you are experiencing vomiting. It will probably be easier to have many small drinks rather than the occasional large one. 

When should I see the doctor?

If you are unable to keep down or take in fluid,  feel weak dizzy and unwell you may be dehydrated and should seek medical attention urgently. 

If you nausea an vomiting is worrying you talk to your go or midwife.