Rolling tummy's: It's just part of pregnancy…isn’t it?
- May 4
- 6 min read
One of the first indicators that a woman may be pregnant is the feeling of being nauseous. Some woman may never feel sick at all, while others suffer throughout the whole pregnancy. One of the most severe types of morning sickness is called Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) which is a debilitating and potentially life-threatening pregnancy disease marked by rapid weight loss, malnutrition, and dehydration due to unrelenting nausea and/or vomiting with potential adverse consequences for the mom-to-be and the baby. If you suspect, you may be having more then normal vomiting make sure to talk to your doctor and you can visit the HER foundation to find out more about treatments available.
Causes
There are several different reasons why a woman may experience nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy. These can include:
• Rapidly rising hormone levels. Hormonal changes include an increase in human chorionic
gonadotropin(HCG), estrogen and progesterone
• Hypoglycemia(low blood sugar). This also might be indicated by headaches, dizziness and
fainting
• Poor nutrition
• Psychological indifference regarding the pregnancy
Dr. Brewer says "The risk we undertake in ignoring a mother's morning sickness is that her inability to eat adequately will interfere with one of the primary needs of every pregnant body--increasing the blood volume by 60% (and more than that for a multiple pregnancy).” This increase in blood volume is needed because the placenta needs an increasing supply of blood and oxygen as it grows. Without this increase in blood volume, the mother/baby may be at risk of poor attachment of the placenta, lack of oxygen to the placenta, blood clots forming behind the placenta, rising blood pressure, swelling, pre-eclampsia, poor growth of the fetus, premature labor and of having a baby with a low birth weigh.
Addressing Nutrition in the first trimester is very important for the growth of the placenta and the baby. It can also set the stage for the remainder of your pregnancy as well as how your labour and birth may go.
Daily suggestions for avoiding and dealing with morning sickness:
Morning
• Low blood sugar can be a cause of morning sickness. You can help maintain your blood sugar
levels by eating small meals every 2-3 hours
• Drink a cup of fennel seed tea when you wake up
• Drink 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (ACV) in a cup of warm water first thing in the morning
• Do not take your supplements on an empty stomach. Some supplements can be a cause of
nausea in early pregnancy
• Try drinking a smoothie every morning consisting of a banana, 5 strawberries, 1/2 cup fruit
yogurt, tofu, a drizzle of real maple syrup, and lots of milk.
Afternoon
• Get some exercise. Try going outside for a walk in the fresh air at least once a day
• Avoid spicy and greasy foods
• Sip peppermint infusion first thing in the morning
• Drink 1 -2 cups of raspberry leaf tea or infusion each day
• Take a tablespoon of ginger root tea anytime nausea occurs
• Wild yam root tincture can be used by the dropperful in mint tea or water
• Ginger root encapsulated up to 25 capsules a day if needed
Evening
• Eat a protein-rich snack before bedtime and whenever you wake at night (try this tasty snack:
2/3 cup pumpkin seeds, rinsed and coated with 1 tsp curry powder and a pinch of salt, roasted at
300 degrees for 20 minutes
• Eat unsalted crackers or matzo before bed
• Drink water with lemon throughout the day
• Try some homemade chai tea with ginger. here is a great recipe for the best chai ever
More remedies for morning sickness
• Visualization can help. Emotional aspects to your pregnancy may also be a cause. By doing this
once or twice a day you can help work through some issues
• Environmental factors may also be a consideration. Volatile organic compounds (VOC) are
found in all sorts of household cleaners. Now might be a good time to start thinking green. You
can visit Eartheasy for tips on ‘greening’ up your home
• “women given active acupuncture experienced a "significantly faster reduction of nausea"
compared with those who received a placebo. This reduction was seen in both groups; identical
results were seen in each group when the treatment was switched. The incidence of vomiting
was also reduced in both groups, with a much greater reduction seen in those receiving active
acupuncture. “.-Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
• A chiropractor treatment may help with hyperemesis. Chiropractors have also noticed a
correlation between hyperemesis and TMJ( a disorder of the jaw muscles and nerves) problems
or a history of wearing braces.
• Try not to drink liquids at the same time as foods: eat first, then drink
Some causes of Nausea in Late Pregnancy
• The demands of baby's growth in late pregnancy can lead to low blood sugar for women who
simply aren't used to eating larger amounts.
• Dizziness and nausea isn't too uncommon in late pregnancy -- but it's usually a late afternoon
sort of thing related to skipping meals. When it happens at night -- and when it is vomiting (not
just nausea) it may be related to diabetes or pre-eclampsia.
• Keep an eye on your blood pressure as this may lead to further problems
• Sometimes by late pregnancy we don’t feel up to keeping our nutrition’s on track. Write down
what you are eating for a few days and see if you can add in some more healthy foods
• If nausea persist make sure to mention it to your care provider as it may be a sign of something
more serious
The importance of B Vitamins
B6 is involved in maintain normal blood sugar levels. One of the possible causes of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy is a B-Vitamin deficiency. It's very easy to have a B-vitamin deficiency in pregnancy because the body's need for B-vitamins increases immediately after conception. Unfortunately, most prenatal vitamins have very low levels of B-vitamins. For example, in order to help alleviate the nausea and vomiting of pregnancy a pregnant woman is advised to take "10-25 mg of B6 every hour or two for a day or longer" (Let's Have Heatlhy Children, Adelle Davis). Taking extra B-vitamins can also help with insomnia, anemia, and hemorrhoids in pregnancy.
One of the biggest problems with the consumption of caffeine during pregnancy is that caffeine destroys the effectiveness of B-vitamins. B vitamins dissolve in water and they are readily lost in urine. The stimulating effect of coffee and caffeine-containing soft drinks causes them to be washed through the body.
A deficiency of Vitamin B6 may include:
• nausea and vomiting
• bad breath, headaches
• dry, scaly skin
• intestinal cramps
• aches and cramping in the legs (especially at night)
• Nervousness
• Insomnia
• Dizziness
• Irritability
• Dandruff
• difficulty concentrating
• Hemorrhoids
• Anemia
• lowered resistance to infections
The following is an excerpt from a study done at the medical journal BMJ. It is interesting to learn how our body may be deficient in some nutrients but with a little help we can help repair it and increase our health and our baby’s health. There is some technical/scientific speak in here but you can find some good medical dictionary’s online if you want to understand it more.
“In the 1960s it was discovered that pregnancy and oral contraceptives lowered zinc, raised copper levels and caused vitamin B6 deficiencies. Many women are currently deficient in these and other essential nutrients like magnesium. Pregnancy, cortisol, oestrogens and oral contraceptives can induce vitamin B6 deficiency by increasing the activity of the enzyme tryptophan oxygenase, which requires vitamin B6 as a co-factor. Functional deficiency of vitamin B6 can impair the decarboxylation of dopa to dopamine. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is converted into the active form, pyridoxal 5 phosphate, by riboflavin (vitamin B2) and magnesium. Vitamin B6 is required for normal essential fatty acid (EFA) desaturation and elongation. Zinc is necessary for the transport of vitamin B6 across cell membranes into the cell. Deficiency impedes the absorption of zinc and may impair cellular immunity and diminish antibody responses. A woman with vitamin B6 deficiency will consequently have disturbed protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism and immunity.”
Here is a vitamin B tincture to help you get a healthy dose. This recipe comes from the fantastic book Making babies by Shoshanna Easling. You can find herbs at your local health food centre or can order on line (mountain rose herbs or Jane's organic herbs)
4 Tbsp. alfalfa, cut
4 Tbsp. feugreek, whole
5 Tbsp. burdock, cut
2 Tbsp. nettle, cut
3 Tbsp. catnip, cut
1 Tbsp. dandelion leaf, cut
3 Tbsp. chamomile flower,
4 Tbsp. Siberian ginseng, cut
1 Tbsp. cayenne, garlic or onions
3 Tbsp. gingko leaf, cut (optional)
Vodka (can use glycerine if you prefer)
1. Place all herbs in a quart jar
2. Fill jar with vodka up to 1-2 inches from the lid, close tightly and store for 2-6 weeks in a dry, cool place, shaking the jar daily
3. After 3 weeks, strain and discard the herbs. Bottle the liquid and label it
4. If you want to evaporate the alchohol, place your dose in a hot liquid, such as tea or water before taking
5. Take 3-6 droppers a day with food. ( 1 dropper is equivalent to about ¼ tsp)
So, as in anything in related to our general health, we find the nutrition is an important consideration when it comes to nausea in early pregnancy and throughout pregnancy. Congratulations on your pregnancy and many blessings as you continue on your journey of pregnancy on to parenting.
Resources
Let's Have Heatlhy Children by Adelle Davis
No More Morning Sickness by Mirriam Erick
Comments