Methods to Treat Morning Sickness

There are many wonderful changes that happen to a woman's body when she is pregnant. Her belly swells as the child grows, and she will probably have extra shiny hair and glowing skin from prenatal vitamins. However, one negative change can be the way her stomach reacts to food and smells of food-morning sickness.

No one is really sure why morning sickness happens. However, about 80% of women suffer from this problem at some point during their pregnancies. While it usually goes away 12-14 weeks after conception, some women suffer from this problem even longer. Mothers expecting twins typically have it worse than soon-to-be moms with singletons. Moms with twins have higher levels of estrogen and a greater amount of hormonal changes, so doctors think that morning sickness may be attributed to these fluctuating hormones.

Morning sickness causes nausea and vomiting. This can be unpredictable, although many moms report that certain foods or smells always triggered the sickness. Thus, despite its misnomer, morning sickness does not always arrive in the morning. If you are one such expectant mom who is affected by specific foods, you can avoid these items to keep from setting off your gag reflex.

While avoiding trigger foods is a good method of at-home treatment for some expecting mothers, it does not help everyone. There are some other steps that you can take at home to help alleviate your problem. These include:

Eat many small meals instead of several large ones

Try a high-carbohydrate, high-protein diet

Avoid high-fat foods; they can be hard to digest

Stay hydrated and rested

Exercise

Try nausea-reducing supplements, such as ginger, B6, and B12

Some mothers also believe that acupuncture helps calm down a nauseous stomach. Additionally, you may want to switch your prenatal vitamins. The high iron content in some types can promote an upset stomach in some women. Also, other soon-to-be mothers believe that sucking on peppermints or eating sour foods can help as well.

Sometimes, when a woman has severe morning sickness, a doctor may prescribe a medication to help her get over the problem. Reglan, composed of the drug metoclopramide, is one such remedy. While preliminary studies have shown that Reglan does not harm a developing fetus, it can leave a mom with permanent disabilities that may inhibit her from taking care of her child in the future.

The use of metoclopramide has been linked to disabilities like tardive dyskinesia and cervical dystonia. These are permanent problems that can affect someone for the rest of her life. Thus, pregnant women may want to try other types of anti-nausea medication before Reglan.

If you have used Reglan and now have a permanent health condition, you should speak to a lawyer about your rights for possible financial recompense. For more information, check out the Reglan attorneys at Williams Kherkher today.