Are You Sick?

When to Call for Morning sickness

Care Advice

Treating Morning Sickness (Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy)

What You Should Know:

• Nausea and vomiting are common during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. About 4 out of 5 of pregnant women have nausea. About half of pregnant women have vomiting.
• These symptoms are called morning sickness. For some women the symptoms are worse in the mornings. But for many women these symptoms can occur any time during the day.
• Pregnant women with vomiting need to stay hydrated. Women who become dehydrated should call or see their doctor.
• Most women with morning sickness can treat it at home.
• Here is some care advice that should help. Follow this step-by-step approach.

Step 1 - Clear Liquids:

• Sip small amounts of water, soup broth, or sports-rehydration liquid (Gatorade or Powerade).
• Other choices: ½ strength flat lemon-lime soda or ginger ale; Pedialyte popsicles
• Goal: The goal is to drink 6-10 cups (1,000-1,500 mL) per day. You can do this by drinking ½ cup (4 oz, 120 mL) per hour for 12 hours.

Step 2 - Diet - Crackers:

• Starchy foods are most easily handled by the stomach
• Eat small frequent meals ("grazing throughout the day")
• Try eating dry crackers or bread before getting out of bed in the morning
• Try crackers, ginger snap cookies, white bread, white rice, noodles, mashed potatoes, cereal, or apple sauce.
• Other choices: clear soup with rice or noodles.

Step 3 - DIET - Starches, Chicken, Fish:

• Advance diet as tolerated.
• Eat small frequent meals. Divide your food into 6 smaller meals per day.
• Try soups, pasta dishes, mashed or baked potatoes, or rice.
• Try baked chicken or baked fish.
• Eat foods that taste good to you
• Avoid fatty and spicy foods, and foods with strong aromas.

Take your Prenatal Multivitamin with Food:

• Take your prenatal vitamin with food. This may help decrease stomach upset.
• Some women find taking it at bedtime causes less nausea.

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine):

• Has been shown to help reduce symptoms of morning sickness for some women.
• It is available over-the-counter.
• Dose: 10-25 mg by mouth two or three times a day. Do not take more than 50 mg a day. Take it with food.

Additional Diet Suggestions:

• Try eating dry crackers or bread before getting out of bed in the morning.
• Eat small frequent meals ("grazing throughout the day").
• Eat foods that taste good to you.
• Avoid fatty and spicy foods, and foods with strong aromas.

What to Expect:

• The symptoms typically start around the 4th-8th week of pregnancy. They get worse until the 11th week.
• The symptoms then start to get better and usually go away by the 20th week of pregnancy.
• Morning sickness does not harm the baby and does not cause birth defects. However, it is important to stay hydrated.

Call Your Doctor If:

• Severe vomiting (6 or more times)
• No urine for more than 12 hours
• Fever, stomach pain, diarrhea, or vaginal bleeding occur
• You think you are dehydrated
• You think you need to be seen
• You get worse

What to do When Morning Sickness Gets Worse

What You Should Know:

• There is no risk to the baby from morning sickness.
• However, it is important to stay hydrated.
• Here is some care advice that should help.

Clear Fluids:

• Drink clear fluids in small amounts for 8 hours.
• Water or ice chips are often the best source of fluids.
• Sports-rehydration liquids (Gatorade or Powerade) are also good. Other options include ½ strength flat lemon-lime soda or ginger ale.
• Sip small amounts often (1 tablespoon every 5 minutes).
• After 4 hours without vomiting, increase the amount.

Solid Foods (after 8 hours without vomiting):

• Begin eating bland foods after 8 hours without vomiting. Start with foods like saltine crackers, ginger snap cookies, white bread, rice, mashed potatoes, cereal, and apple sauce.
• As you improve, slowly return to your normal diet in the next 24-48 hours.

Avoid Meds:

• Stop using any over-the-counter medicine for 8 hours. Reason: Some of these can make vomiting worse.
• Do not take ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) or aspirin. These medicines (NSAIDs) should not be used when pregnant and can irritate the stomach.
• Call your doctor if you vomit a needed prescription medicine.

Stop Iron Pills:

• Iron pills are prescribed to prevent and treat anemia.
• Iron can irritate your stomach. Stop taking iron if you have morning sickness and are vomiting.
• Your doctor can tell you if and when you should re-start the iron.

Sleep:

• Try to go to sleep. Reason: sleep often empties the stomach and relieves the need to vomit.

Call Back If:

• Unable to keep ANY liquids down (without vomiting) for more than 24 hours
• No urine for more than 12 hours
• Fever, stomach pain, diarrhea, or vaginal bleeding occur
• You think you are dehydrated
• You think you need to be seen
• Your symptoms get worse

Ginger and Acupressure Wrist Bands

Ginger:

• The spice ginger may help lessen nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
• Available over the counter as a capsule. The dose is 250 mg by mouth four times a day.
• Another option is to drink a glass of ginger ale (or ginger tea) as needed.
• Studies suggest that ginger is probably safe in pregnancy. Talk to your doctor first before using ginger supplements.

Acupressure Wrist Bands (such as SeaBands or AcuBands):

• Some people think that acupressure bands decrease nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. However, so far studies have not shown for sure if they help.
• A button in this elastic wrist band puts pressure over the "Neiguan point". This point is located about 3 fingers above the wrist joint, on the palm side of the wrist.
• Wrist bands may be worth trying. They cost about $10 and have no known bad side effects.

Call Your Doctor If:

• Severe vomiting (6 or more times)
• No urine for more than 12 hours
• Fever, stomach pain, diarrhea, or vaginal bleeding occur
• You think you are dehydrated
• You think you need to be seen
• Your symptoms get worse

Remember! Contact your doctor if you or your child develop any "Contact Your Doctor" symptoms.

Disclaimer: this health information is for educational purposes only. You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it.