Pregnancy Health Information Organization

Morning Sickness (Nausea and Vomiting during Pregnancy)

About 50% of women experience morning sickness. It may be caused by nutritional deficiencies (B6 and zinc), changes in hormone levels, and/or the body's way of eliminating toxins. It tends to be worse between the 7th and 12th week of pregnancy, approximately 20% of women experience it beyond that point.

Tips on coping with morning sickness:

Diet and Nutrition

- Eat smaller, more frequent meals and snacks. Don't allow yourself to get too hungry.
- Don't overeat
- Don't have fluids at mealtimes. ( However, drink lots of fluids at other times, don't allow yourself to get dehydrated)
- Eat something before you get out of bed and start moving around in the morning
- Identify your triggers and avoid them, such as, offending food or odors.
- Take prenatal vitamins with meals.
- Don't force yourself to eat foods that make you gag just because they are good for you
- Avoid fatty or spicy food

Complementary Treatments:

Acupressure
- stimulate Pericardium 6 acupoint for 10 minutes 4 times a day, try wearing sea bands or acumagnets on the same acupoint day and night

Reflexology

Yoga and Meditation
- can ease nausea by relaxing the diaphragm

Western Herbalism
- eat ginger in any form
- herbal teas such as chamomile, fennel, or peppermint, drink a cup 3 times a day

Homeopathy
- morning sickness with irritability, Nux vomica 6c
- inability to keep anything down but nausea not relieved by vomiting, Ipecac 6c
- evening sickness and tearfulness, Pulsatilla 6c

Chiropractic
- realigns body and improves digestive function

Aromatherapy
- burning essential oils such as lemon, bergamot and peppermint

Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine
- between 4 to 6 treatments may be needed.
- The following are typical Chinese Medicine patterns observed with Morning Sickness:

Stomach Qi deficiency with empty cold
- Symptoms- slight morning sickness, nausea without vomiting, or vomiting of dilute fluids, tiredness, feeling cold, poor appetite, depression. Tongue: Pale and wet Pulse: weak

Stomach Yin deficiency
- Symptoms- slight nausea, dry mouth without desire to drink or with desire to drink in small sips, poor appetite. Tongue: Peeled and with stomach cracks. Pulse: floating-empty

Liver Qi stagnation invading the stomach
- Symptoms- retching, belching, vomiting of food with sour taste, abdominal and epigastric distention, depression, irritability. Tongue: slightly red sides. Pulse: Wiry

Stomach heat
- Symptoms - Sickness that may persist beyond the first three months, vomiting of food soon after eating, thirst, bleeding gums. Tongue: Red with yellow coating in the centre. Pulse: overflowing

Accumulation of phlegm
- Symptoms - Profuse vomiting, occasional vomiting of clear fluids with mucus, a feeling of oppression of the chest, dizziness. Tongue: swollen with sticky coating in the centre. Pulse: slippery

Heart Qi deficiency
- Symptoms - sickness, palpitations, anxiety, depression. Tongue: pale. Pulse: empty

Heart Fire
- Symptoms- sickness that may last beyond three months, mental restlessness, anxiety, thirst, agitation, insomnia. Tongue: red with redder tip and yellow coating. Pulse: overflowing

Liver/ Stomach disharmony
- Symptoms - vomit after eating, the vomit was acidic and bitter, dizziness, vertigo, chest and lateral costal distention and pain, hiccup, bitter taste in mouth, insomnia, Tongue: red body thin-yellow or thin-white coating Pulse: slippery, wiry

Spleen/Stomach vacuity weakness
- Symptoms - vomiting, inability to eat, mouths were tasteless and without flavour, vomited clear water, epigastric distention and fullness, lassitude of the spirit, lack of strength Tongues: pale body, white coating Pulse: fine, slippery, weak

Phlegm dampness internally obstructing
- Symptoms- vomit was phlegmy, oily, slimy looking, fatigue, addicted to sleeping Tongue: swollen body, white slimy coating Pulses: fine slippery

Yin and Qi dual vacuity
- Symptoms- constant vomiting, dry heaves, emaciated bodies, eyes lacked spirit, thirst, mouths were dry, scanty urination, stools were bound Tongues: red body with scanty coating Pulse: fine, slippery, rapid

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The information on this website is compiled and written by;

Vancouver Pregnancy & labour (labor) Acupuncturist

Raeghan Siemens, R.Ac., DTCM
Raeghan Siemens has always had an interest in medicine;
but she found her true passion in Traditional Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture.
Her special interests are treating Pregnancy related issues and aiding women through labour (labor).

Raeghan practices at Acubalance Wellness Centre Ltd. in Vancouver BC Canada.

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