When does morning sickness start?
Congratulations on your exciting news! We bet you can’t wait to meet your little one and begin the journey of parenthood!
Morning sickness is a very common symptom associated with pregnancy.
This blog includes:
- What is morning sickness?
- When does morning sickness start?
- What does morning sickness feel like?
- When does morning sickness end?
- Can morning sickness hurt?
- What is severe morning sickness?
- Why do I have morning sickness?
- Risks of developing morning sickness in early pregnancy
- Ways to ease morning sickness
What is morning sickness?
In early pregnancy, women can often either feel sick or physically vomit, this is called morning sickness. Morning sickness is a common 4 weeks pregnant symptom.
Despite its name, it can occur at any time of the day, not just in the morning. There is also no time of the day when it is most common. It can happen anytime depending on your body.
Morning sickness is not a pleasant symptom to experience and it can make you feel a little down in the dumps. Especially if you are experiencing severe morning sickness.
When does morning sickness start?
Morning sickness usually begins around week 6 of pregnancy but can start as early as week 4. It is usually a first-trimester symptom of pregnancy. It is a good idea to purchase a calendar for tracking pregnancy symptoms. Then you can see any symptom patterns and keep track of your baby’s development.
For many pregnant women, there can be triggers for nausea and vomiting. Unfortunately, the only way of finding out about a trigger is to be exposed to it. This trigger may come from the taste or smell of something.
To stay healthy during pregnancy, many women choose to take a prenatal vitamin, such as folic acid. This can help to reduce the risks of some medical conditions.
What does morning sickness feel like?
Feelings of morning sickness can include being sick or even just a mild queasy feeling. Morning sickness can lead to other symptoms such as feeling groggy and feeling like you have lost your appetite.
It is important to try and eat properly even if you feel sick, as it may just be a feeling and you may not actually be sick. Your eating is very important during pregnancy as it supports your baby’s growth.
When does morning sickness end?
For most pregnant women, morning sickness tends to end in the second trimester, between weeks 16 and 20 of pregnancy. So, it is unlikely that you will experience this symptom throughout your entire pregnancy. How long morning sickness lasts depends on a range of factors, so it’s tricky to say.
Sometimes, those experiencing severe morning sickness, known as a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum, may have symptoms throughout the whole pregnancy.
Can morning sickness hurt?
Morning sickness should not hurt. If you do start feeling pains associated with severe nausea and vomiting, you should seek medical advice.
What is severe morning sickness?
More severe morning sickness symptoms can include:
- Struggling to keep food or drink down over a 24-hour period
- Vomiting blood
- Reduced urination or a change in colour
- High temperature
- Pain in the stomach
- Dizziness
- Weight loss
These severe symptoms will need medical attention as they will be affecting your health as well as your baby’s. This severe form of morning sickness can impair your baby’s growth as they are not receiving the nutrients they need.
If you believe that you are suffering from severe morning sickness, you should speak to your doctor or midwife. Many pregnant women feel anxious leaving the house or doing anything when dealing with hyperemesis gravidarum. It can affect your daily life significantly.
Why do I have morning sickness?
Many women who experience morning sickness often question why it is happening. On average, around 8 in 10 women experience nausea and vomiting during early pregnancy.
The reason why most women experience morning sickness is still unknown. However, there is evidence to suggest that hormonal changes can have an impact and cause morning sickness. Pregnancy hormones can cause many changes in the body.
Sometimes, other conditions can cause sickness, you may have been experiencing these long before pregnancy. If you do have regular sickness, you must ensure that your doctor and midwife are aware. This can help to eliminate other reasons for your sickness during pregnancy.
Risks of developing morning sickness in early pregnancy
Unfortunately, some women are more likely to experience morning sickness than others. While some women experience mild morning sickness, others can really suffer with it.
You may be at a higher risk of morning sickness if:
- This is your first pregnancy
- You are pregnant with more than one baby
- You experienced morning sickness in a past pregnancy
- Morning sickness is common in your family
- You are overweight
- You have experienced sickness previously due to oestrogen in a contraceptive pill
- You suffer from migraines
- You tend to experience motion sickness
Chat to your midwife if you believe you are at a higher risk of morning sickness.
Ways to ease morning sickness
If you’re struggling with morning sickness, it’s quite likely you’ll want to find ways to ease the sickness.
Before you try these methods, mention the sickness to your midwife. This means that if the sickness continues, they may be able to offer a better solution. Trying to ease morning sickness is very trial and error so try to be patient. There are various suggestions that you could try:
Try and get a little more rest
Sleeping helps to give your body time to heal and rejuvenate. It is important for muscle functions and strength. Rest can help to keep you healthy as well as your baby. Some women feel more nauseous if they are feeling tired. While it’s often hard to sleep during pregnancy, you should try to take things slower and set a sleep routine.
Eat plain foods
When experiencing morning sickness, eating plain foods in the morning can help to settle and line your stomach. These may include a plain biscuit such as rich tea or dry toast. This can reduce morning sickness and make it easier to eat later in the day.
You should try to avoid spicy foods, and acidic foods as these can make morning sickness worse. Additionally, if there are certain smells or tastes that make you feel unwell, you should try to avoid these.
In addition to eating plain foods, you should try to eat little and often. You should avoid fatty foods and eat foods that are high in carbohydrates. Eating frequent meals will mean that your stomach is always lined.
Stay hydrated
When you are experiencing vomiting, your body will naturally be less hydrated as liquids tend to come back up.
Unless you are suffering from severe morning sickness, you should be able to keep water down. You should try to stay hydrated through small sips of water. This can help to relieve nausea and ensures that your developing foetus is also hydrated.
Consider acupressure
Acupressure is often used by people who get car sick or experience motion sickness. To control these feelings, people can use bands which apply pressure to the wrist area. This pressure allows energy to flow more freely, reducing the feeling of morning sickness.
Ginger
Ginger is often referred to as an acquired taste, but it can help to reduce the symptoms of morning sickness. Ginger can be consumed through either drinks such as ginger tea or food, the choice is yours.
Ginger works by maintaining the function of your digestive system and also keeping your blood pressure consistent, which can play a role in the feeling of nausea.
Anti-nausea medication
If you are struggling with nausea and vomiting, you should speak to your midwife or doctor. They may be able to prescribe you an anti-sickness medication. In the first instance, they may ask if you have tried any of the above methods. It may be helpful to keep a diary so you can record how each change made you feel.
Dealing with severe morning sickness can be tough and draining, so it’s important not to suffer in silence. Remember that it won’t last forever and soon you’ll have a little bundle of joy!
Hey there, I’m Abigail!
In 2022, I graduated with a First Class Degree in Marketing and since then, I have been working as a blogger and Marketing Assistant. Before heading to university, I also achieved a BTEC in Children’s Play, Learning and Development.
I have been blogging for over four years and have covered many topics during this time. My focus has been on pregnancy, babies, sleep and baby name ideas.
I am passionate about learning new things and helping others. I hope that you find my blogs useful and informative. See you in the next article!