One of the most heard about and widely experienced complaints of pregnancy is - of course - Morning Sickness, or, all day sickness as some feel it should be named! Some very lucky women experience no vomiting or even nausea, while others experience seemingly almost constant nausea with some vomiting. For most women, thankfully these symptoms only last for about the first 3-4 months. However, for some women, nausea and some vomiting is present for their entire 9 month journey through pregnancy. Why do our bodies do this to us? Aren't we bringing forth life, doing humankind a huge favor? Why then must we feel horribly ill for several months or more?

Honestly, no one really knows exactly why many women feel nauseated at the beginning of pregnancy. But, there are a few theories. One is that the nausea and also the sensitivity to smell many women experience is possibly a protective measure that will help the pregnant mother avoid foods and situations that might be toxic to the newly forming baby. During the time when most women report feeling nauseous the baby is at a very important stage developmentally. All of his main organ systems are being developed during this time, and he is at the highest risk for birth defects. So, it would reason that your body would only want that which would help the baby and would give you a signal to stay far away from anything that could potentially harm him.

In addition, many think that the nausea and vomiting associated with some women's pregnancies, is a result of their bodies adjusting to the new hormone levels that they are experiencing. While your body is used to producing and using estrogen, the production of this hormone is heightened during pregnancy and especially during the first few months. Also, your body is now producing what doctors call "the pregnancy hormone" HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin). Your body must get used to processing this hormone that has just been introduced. For the majority of women, their morning sickness peaks as the production of HCG peaks and decreases as the production of HCG levels out. And, your body is now producing more progesterone also. This hormone has a softening effect on the body's muscles and is thought to prevent pre-term labor by affecting the uterine muscles. But, it also affects the stomach and the intestines and relaxes the whole digestive tract.

While morning sickness is really a nasty part of pregnancy, it usually passes by the 12th-14th week or so, and pregnancy becomes much more fun! However, there is a condition called Hyperemesis Gravidarium (HG) which is very dangerous to a mother and her baby, and requires treatment by a physician. Good 'ol morning sickness becomes HG when there is so much vomiting (more than 3-4 times a day) that the mother becomes dehydrated. HG can also lead to nutritional deficiencies due to the fact that the mother is essentially able to keep nothing down. Obviously, pregnancy is a time when increased nutrients are essential both for mother and baby. For these reasons, it is imperative that if you are experiencing excessive vomiting, have lost 2 or more lbs in a week, are vomiting blood or bile, or also if you faint you must seek medical support. For more information on Hyperemesis Gravidarium please go to www.hyperemesis.org.

So, now that we know there is no definitive answer to why many of us feel miserable during these first few months, let’s talk about ways to feel better. One of the ways to attempt to hold off the nausea is to eat small bits of food very often, and especially before you get out of bed in the morning. I know, the last thing you want to do when you feel this way is to eat, but, many women have come to understand that it is very important if you want to attempt to feel better, plus, it's what your baby needs. While high protein foods have been found to ease nausea more effectively, many women are drawn to carbohydrates during this time. If you can eat a handful of nuts or sunflower seeds great! If not, eat whatever appeals to you. Even if this doesn't amount to a well balanced diet, if you can get it down and keep it down,, this will be a good start. The idea is to try not to let you stomach be completely empty or to let your blood sugar crash. Hence, the advice to eat a high protein snack before bed as well as to eat before you even get out of bed in the morning. Many women will keep crackers or some other appealing food near their bed and eat a few bites before rising in the morning. It really does help!

Some other things that women have found to be effective include things like peppermint or especially ginger tea. These herbs have been known to settle upset stomachs. You can find ginger ale made from real ginger (be careful many ginger ales on the market are no more than high fructose corn syrup with flavoring) or ginger candies as well. Vitamin B6 has also been known to help many women with morning sickness. Often there is no deficiency of this vitamin, and no one really knows why it works, but many women have found relief from taking it. Also some pregnant women find that the wrist bands people wear to help combat motion sickness, can help ease their symptoms, as can acupressure (pressing on this same point, about 2 in above your wrist, with the thumb or 2 fingers of your opposite hand). And, there are even lollipops on the market made specifically for easing morning sickness.

While dealing with morning sickness isn't the most fun thing in the world, and no one quite knows why it happens, there are some things you can do to try to help ease these pregnancy symptoms. Remember, you will likely feel better in a few weeks, and, if all else fails, all this will be over once you are holding your beautiful baby in your arms!