I wish someone had told me about - Morning Sickness (more like 24/7 sickness!)

I'd heard about morning sickness. So when I found out I was pregnant, I expected to be feeling sick for a couple of hours when I first woke up. I remember thinking "Big deal. I can put up with being a bit nauseous between breakfast and morning tea time for a couple of months"

Famous last words.

I was sick morning, day, afternoon, night and even in my sleep. I would vomit at the sight of McDonalds ads on television. It would take hours of preparation and psyching up to go out in the car. And I carried sick bags with me everywhere.

By week 10 I had lost 7kg, and by week 20 I was down 13kg.

In the end I found foods that suited my weak stomach such as tinned pears, frozen juice poppers and lemonade iceblocks. Unfortunately the only thing that really provided me with a bit of relief was Coke, and I drank about 1 litre a day. Now don't shoot me down before I explain why I drank Coke in my pregnancy. It was my only way of keeping my blood sugar levels high enough to keep going, and it was probably the only thing that kept me awake in my weakened state.

Some other thing I tried were:

• Preggie Pops from www.motherhood.com.au

• Ginger ale and ginger lollies

• Chupachups

• Very diluted lemon in warm water

• Eating crackers or Arnotts Nice biscuits every 2 hours (even through the night)

• Travel sickness wrist bands

• Various homeopathic/naturopathic concoctions

• Maxalon, Stematil and eventually hospitalisation for IV fluids

Morning Sickness is thought to be caused by:

The pregnancy hormone HCG
High levels of the pregnancy hormone HCG in the first weeks is thought to be the main contributor to morning sickness (hyperemisis gravidarium). HCG levels decrease at around 12 weeks, and again at 16 weeks. If you are carrying twins or more, your HCG level will be higher and so unfortunately your risk of experiencing morning sickness is increased.

Low blood sugar levels
Low blood sugar levels (bsl) is also thought to be a contributor. This is a vicious cycle for pregnant women. Feeling sick so you cannot eat, cannot eat because you feel sick. Try to eat something little every two to three hours, with some sugar content.

Changes to smell and taste
During pregnancy many women find that their sense of smell and taste are acutely sensitive. Odours and aromas that were previously tolerable or enjoyable can now make you heave, literally! While these do not generally cause morning sickness, they are certainly capable of making it worse.

Stress and anxiety
Stress can make us sick at the best of times. But when you have the added mental and physical aspects of impending parenthood to contend with,  pregnancy stress can contribute to morning sickness. Try relaxation techniques such as a relaxation CD, or just simply adjusting your current lifestyle to accommodate the big changes ahead.

And finally - Ask for help if you need. Don't try to to do it all, and don't think you need to suffer. Talk to your partner, your family/friends and your care providers if you are struggling with morning sickness.

For more info go to:

http://www.gentlebirthaustralia.com.au/morningsickness.html

www.SydneyBubs.com.au

www.motherhood.com.au