Author: Dr. Maryam Mahanian, DTCM, RAc
Audio Broadcast of the article is available below:
First of all..Congratulations on your pregnancy mamma!
But if you’re reading this, you’re probably not feeling too hot. I totally get it. I’ve treated many cases of morning sickness over the years and have experienced it myself during both of my pregnancies.
To put it bluntly, morning sickness is horrible!!….constant nausea throughout the entire day (why it’s called morning sickness is beyond me) leaving you to feel exhausted, drained, unable to focus, irritable and anxious. Even on a good day, there can be that constant nausea lingering in the background deep in the pit of the stomach that you just cannot shake.
For the majority of expectant mothers, morning sickness lasts up to about the fifteen week mark of pregnancy. It occurs in approximately one half of all pregnancies and is most intense between 8 to 12 weeks. The intensity of the nausea can vary depending on factors such as fatigue and eating habits.
Nausea is caused by the increase in hormone levels – HcG (human chorionic hormone) and estrogen. Also, fatigue & stress can contribute to nausea. It’s even thought that if a woman is quite stressed and tired prior to becoming pregnant, her intensity of nausea is worse.
Here are some of the most common tips to beat your morning sickness:
- ginger tea
- lots and lots of rest
- don’t skip meals & snacks
- seasickness bands (you can buy these from your local pharmacy)
- supplement with vitamin B6
- try to avoid stress and overwork
- self acupressure points (this one’s my favorite!)
Check out my 15 Favorite Tips to Beat Morning Sickness. Try to follow all of the tips and you’ll be well on your way to feeling better!
In my clinical practice, I sit down with the expectant mother and discuss her diet, lifestyle, stress levels and emotional health and give recommendations accordingly. I then administer acupuncture as it’s my primary tool in treating morning sickness. Acupuncture strengthens the energy of the digestion and treats underlying imbalances. In the majority of cases, acupuncture can dramatically improve morning sickness. Acupuncture is best done twice per week in the first week and then once per week thereafter until the expectant mother feels well and back to herself again. The points needled are typically on the limbs and upper abdomen.
Women are advised to seek acupuncture treatment sooner rather than later. The reason for this being that the morning sickness can be difficult to shift if its pattern is established and already embedded in the body’s responses. Also, why suffer when there is a safe, drug-free and effective way of helping you feel like yourself again!
Chinese Herbal Medicine
If the mother is able to keep things down, I can also prescribe Chinese herbal medicine which helps tremendously with morning sickness. These herbs are often given in tablet or powder form which is mixed with hot water to make a medicinal tea. The herbal formulas aim to ease the stomach, strengthen the digestion, resolve dampness/phlegm, nourish the Qi (energy) of the body and stop vomiting.
Hydrate!
I advise the mothers to stay hydrated as even slight dehydration can lead to increased nausea. I recommend potato soup, veggie or chicken broth, herbal teas, ginger tea and/or peppermint tea in small doses throughout the day. The acupuncture treatments work very well to allow women to tolerate drinking more fluids to begin recovery.
Seek Support…You Shouldn’t Be Alone In This
It’s so important to have a lot of support from friends and family throughout this difficult time in your pregnancy. Try to arrange some rest consistently at the time of day when you’re most prone to having the nausea. For many women this is the end of their day when they’re most tired.
Thank you for reading and best wishes on the rest of your pregnancy!
Dr. Maryam
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