What Causes Morning Sickness at Night? (And What Can You Do About It?)
Many women find the phrase “morning sickness” a little misleading. Just ask any expecting mum who’s looking a bit greener than usual after dinner, or has leaped out of bed at midnight hoping they can hold it in a little longer. You see, it can be a pain to clean in the middle of the night. ????
Vomiting and nausea, that awfully revolting side effect of pregnancy hormones, can start as early as 3 weeks into pregnancy and normally vanishes by the 12th to 16th week. But some mums-to-be experience it much longer.
When does morning sickness peak? Nausea is usually worse in the morning when an empty stomach and pregnancy hormones can make waking up feel like getting off a rollercoaster. But some women feel much sicker at night.
Causes of Morning Sickness at Night
Doctors don’t really know why morning sickness occurs. Pregnancy-related hormonal changes and how you react to them may have something to do with it. In rare cases, some unrelated conditions like liver or thyroid disease may cause very severe vomiting or nausea. In addition, women carrying more than one child can have more severe sickness.
Pregnancy sickness usually begins before week nine. In certain women, it can even begin as early as the second week of pregnancy. Some women experience nausea early on, later on, or never experience it at all. Morning sickness can last for several weeks to a few months but usually dissipates before the end of trimester one.
Some women may struggle with vomiting and nausea throughout their pregnancy. This more serious form of sickness is known as hyperemesis gravidarum. It affects only around 3% of women and is diagnosed once a woman has shed 5% of their pregnancy weight and requires medical attention to treat dehydration.
What to Do About Morning Sickness at Night
If you have mild vomiting and nausea, some simple lifestyle changes can help. If not, your doctor may prescribe some safe, effective anti-nausea medicines.
Eat small meals: Eating small portions of food may help decrease night sickness. However, always keep something in your stomach as an empty stomach may worsen nausea feelings.
Keep a snack at your bedside: An empty stomach often triggers nausea. If possible, try eating a small nighttime snack that contains protein and carbohydrates. A smoothie, cereal with milk, or half a sandwich with milk are all excellent options.
Try to avoid sugary or cold drinks though, because these might make you feel even worse. And if you feel nauseous due to the smell of a certain type of food, steer clear of it.
Ditch spicy foods: Eating non-spicy foods like milk, broth, white rice, bananas, toast, or clear soup may help prevent morning sickness at night.
Drink ginger tea: Several studies show that sipping ginger tea at night can help reduce the vomiting and nausea of pregnancy. While the research reported no side effects, it’s best to consult your healthcare provider before taking ginger tea, ginger chews, or any herbal medicines during pregnancy.
Consult your healthcare provider about alternative medicine: Aromatherapy, acupuncture, acupressure, and even hypnosis can help.
Get fresh air as often as possible: Something as simple as taking a walk around the block can help prevent nausea.
Nighttime pregnancy sickness can be upsetting, if severe. It can stress you out and stop you from sleeping all night. So, you should try to prevent it early on. If you experience severe night sickness, let your doctor know so it’s treated right away.
Conclusion
Mums can only do so much when dealing with morning sickness. We’ll just have to be smart and practical when dealing with it. Yes, you can’t prevent it, but there are many other ways to ‘control’ it. Speaking of which, we listed the products we heard were amazing for expecting mums. You can also head onto Amazon to see what others say about it!
- What to Expect When You’re Expecting: 5th Edition of the world’s bestselling pregnancy book – Paperback by Heidi Murkoff
- QUEEN ROSE U-Shaped B ody Pillow, Pregnancy & Maternity Pillow with Removable and Washable Cover by QUEEN ROSE
- Maternity Belt | Breathable Belly Band For Pregnancy, Cotton Lining, No Rolling Down, Secure Fastener | Lower Back and Pelvic Pain Relief – One Size – Nude by DonnaElite
- BellyBuds, Baby-Bump Headphones | Prenatal Bellyphones Pregnancy Speaker System Plays Music, Sound and Voices to the Womb by WavHello
- The Best Cookbook for Easier and Healthier Pregnancy: Healthy and Tasty Recipes That Will Help You with Morning Sickness and Cravings by Martha Stone
Have you experienced morning sickness before? Are you experiencing it now? Share your thoughts and wisdom with our fellow mums in the comments below!
