Why do some women get 'morning' sickness whilst others don't?

[MorningSicknessIsHell]

I am 8 weeks pregnant with DC3. I've just dropped DC2 off at nursery and just about made it home, gagging, retching, hiding behind a postbox and other things to conceal my face on the walk back home.

I have a few friends who seem to sail through there pregnancies, maybe a little nausea but nothing they find debilitating... is 'morning' sickness a genetic thing? My mum was very sick with me and my sister.

I've tried medications, ginger , those wrist band things, I've tried eating as soon as I wake up. I really hate the first trimester and I'm finding it so unfair that I have to be sick!

I had terrible morning sickness with all 3. The first was the worst, diagnosed HG, and also a truly horrendous labour and delivery resulting in severe tearing and a pph so I'm afraid I don't believe that old wives tale! My subsequent pregnancies weren't as bad but still vomited multiple times a day until 18-20 weeks pregnant. My mum had bad sickness too so maybe it's hereditary. She had 3 girls and I have 3 boys!

@Ellaraine I've read that too, something to do with carbs? I definitely do like carbs!

@ShadowPuppets Good luck for your planned C section this time! I'll also be having one if everything goes ok 👍🏻

It does sound like genetics do play a part then.
The constant nausea and being sick is making me feel so horrendous, if I happen to not feel sick it's because I've found something that I can stomach, but then it's a one off and I can't eat it again!
My husband came home and told me what food he bought from the shop for the kids and I literally vomited right there and then....
I've noticed this time that if I keep telling myself "it's going to be ok" as I had to do on my walk home, the sickness isn't AS BAD...I know that's ridiculous! But I'm also wondering if some of it is psychological. Must be.

@AdrianCanChaseMe I have a few close friends and I've always told them as soon as I've found out, maybe a bit later with DC1, but as soon as I realised I was a vomiting mess I found it easier to just tell some people why I couldn't bare to meet up!
I was also a monster with no sex drive on the pill....

I also have no sex drive when expecting a girl! No sex drive this time. Haha I wonder...

I'm not sure about the genetics, too. My mother didn't have them, my grandmothers didn't have them. I had them with my boy and with my girl, all till the end of my pregnancies (which both ended in emergency C sections).

My dear friend is now pregnant with her first and she didn't have a day of it. I must admit I'm a little bit envious because I hated both of my pregnancies and spent lot of time crying and thinking about abortion.

So sorry to hear that OP. I found that ginger made me worse (and the huge multivitamins gave me diarrhoea 😱). All that helped at all was having a little plain carb food in my stomach at all times, I used to carry mini-pancakes and cereal bars everywhere I went! But basically you just have to get theough it. Mine started about 6 weeks and ended by 3 months.

@kavalkada It's hard not to feel envious of women who appear to have an 'easy time' during pregnancy.

I'm sorry about your experiences, sounds similar to mine. Hugs x

You are more at risk of HG if your mum or sisters had severe morning sickness so I don’t see why normal morning sickness isn’t biologically linked. If you look up HG it’s listed as a risk factor.

I cried in hospital about this on Saturday when I was admitted with dehydration, why can’t I be one of these women that had no morning sickness or mild sickness.

Completely get your annoyance with this as it’s rough. Some people seem to sail through it easily and it’s hard not be jealous when you feel rough.

Sometime even pregnancy dependent, I had a friend who with her first son had zero morning sickness, second son was admitted three times with hyperemesis.

I'm 15 weeks with my second and now just over the worst of the sickness, I'm incredibly jealous of anyone who didn't or barely suffered with morning sickness, it's awful.

It can be genetically linked and also due to the high level of pregnancy hormones.

I was terribly ill for all 3 pregnancies. My mum had no sickness at all. My MIL had to be hospitalised when carrying my DH. Obviously I am not blood related to her, but the common factor is we were both carrying my DH’s DNA so I feel it’s reasonable to blame him.

@LaraDeSalle

I had awful morning sickness with mine but very easy labours.

An old Irish midwife told me that if you have bad morning sickness at the beginning you will have an easy labour.

I took this as being an old wives tale but anyone I’ve ever told this has agreed that if they had morning sickness their labours were easy and vice versa, if they didn’t suffer sickness at the beginning their labours requires intervention etc.

I expect lots on here will say differently!

@LaraDeSalle I’ve never heard this before but my experience was the same. Terrible morning sickness with DD, 6 hour labour. Bad morning sickness again with DS, 5 hour labour just gas & air with both, very straightforward births.

@MangoSeason

I was terribly ill for all 3 pregnancies. My mum had no sickness at all. My MIL had to be hospitalised when carrying my DH. Obviously I am not blood related to her, but the common factor is we were both carrying my DH’s DNA so I feel it’s reasonable to blame him.

This made me laugh :)

I had HG both pregnancies, both big healthy boys, both c-section. Second was worse than first - only needed one anti-sickness med first time and was hospitalised only once, second I was in and out of hospital 5 times and needed 3 different sickness meds to help me keep even water down. Lost 3 stone in second pregnancy!

It's the worst from 2-7pm. The worst time with trying to do bath and bedtime with the kids.

My DH is away now until Sunday. How am I going to survive?!! Kids are going to have to have an indoor weekend with dens.

My son (3.5) keeps asking me what's wrong bless him. I can't tell him yet!

Its related to levels of HCG, produced in pregnancy.
I was nauseous with my first pregnancy but omg my second was hideous.
Before I even knew I was pregnant the sickness started and it was utterly, utterly debilitating.
DH said it cant be that bad and got it when I threw upon his leg after one mouthful of food.
HCG was through the roof in second pregnancy and I had high risk for DS so amnio etc
Both boys.
That was it-DONE after that !

@LaraDeSalle

I had awful morning sickness with mine but very easy labours.

An old Irish midwife told me that if you have bad morning sickness at the beginning you will have an easy labour.

I took this as being an old wives tale but anyone I’ve ever told this has agreed that if they had morning sickness their labours were easy and vice versa, if they didn’t suffer sickness at the beginning their labours requires intervention etc.

I expect lots on here will say differently!

I 100% believe this - every pregnancy has it's issues. I never really had morning sickness but the 3rd trimester was the most miserable I have ever been. Sciatic nerve pain, couldn't sleep, back ache - you name it. And I was 2 weeks overdue!

It’s horrible, it will pass soon or lessen. It doesn’t seem fair that this wonderful thing is happening and yet you feel rotten.
Someone told me to eat a ginger biscuit before getting out of bed and then it would stop morning sickness. So I tried it, threw up the ginger biscuit and haven’t eaten one since as I can’t shake the memory.

I suffered severely in my first pregnancy and not so badly in my subsequent two. My mother did not have morning sickness.
I suffer from travel sickness and wonder if there is a link.

I had awful morning sickness although I've not idea why its called morning sickness because its strikes at any time of day and all day. I discovered by accident that the only thing I could keep down was marmite on toast!!
And as someone above mentioned it seems worse with a female foetus!!

Hi ladies,

I'm just over 6 weeks pregnant with my 2nd baby and having such awful anxiety with this. I have been feeling sick here and there but nothing like it was the last time as that time was constant nausea and food aversions. I don't know why but I can't help but feel as though something is going to go wrong with this pregnancy. I've been feeling really low and can't spend quality time with my little one either as I feel like I'm in a constant state of anxiety/feeling really low. Maybe it is hormones as well... just looking for some support and advice from you lovely mummies. Have any of you found your pregnancies to be different and was everything OK at the end? How did you manage getting through the 1st trimester with a toddler to look after? I know this sounds awful but even though I'm excited about a baby on the way I just can't feel like a happy pregnant mum at the moment

I'd love to just enjoy a pregnancy.
I know people have said it's probably a good sign because of the hormones etc but I already feel like my body just isn't good at this as I had to have c sections due to failure to progress as well.

I'm taking it all very personally...!

However, my kids do sleep very well.

Morning sickness + c section = kids who sleep?
It's the least that we deserve lol

Had horrendous sickness with all four of mine (constant all day) they decided after the fourth im allergic to pregnancy hormone! Ended up in hospital on a drip constantly.(severe dehydration, I couldn't even keep water down) Weigh less at end of pregnancy than before I get pregnant (only time I lose weight) The first time I'm not sick is after I have had the baby & they bring tea & toast. Lost all my top teeth due to the sickness. Others don't realise how awful it can be. No advice, nothing worked for me, but good luck x

@LaraDeSalle

I had awful morning sickness with mine but very easy labours.

An old Irish midwife told me that if you have bad morning sickness at the beginning you will have an easy labour.

I took this as being an old wives tale but anyone I’ve ever told this has agreed that if they had morning sickness their labours were easy and vice versa, if they didn’t suffer sickness at the beginning their labours requires intervention etc.

I expect lots on here will say differently!

Oh interesting! I didn't have morning sickness, just a bit of nausea and found the first trimester easy peasy with hardly any symptoms (I know I was lucky). I ended up having a forceps delivery in theatre as she got stuck on the way out!

@MummyZuma

Hi ladies,

I'm just over 6 weeks pregnant with my 2nd baby and having such awful anxiety with this. I have been feeling sick here and there but nothing like it was the last time as that time was constant nausea and food aversions. I don't know why but I can't help but feel as though something is going to go wrong with this pregnancy. I've been feeling really low and can't spend quality time with my little one either as I feel like I'm in a constant state of anxiety/feeling really low. Maybe it is hormones as well... just looking for some support and advice from you lovely mummies. Have any of you found your pregnancies to be different and was everything OK at the end? How did you manage getting through the 1st trimester with a toddler to look after? I know this sounds awful but even though I'm excited about a baby on the way I just can't feel like a happy pregnant mum at the moment

Hey, maybe do a separate post so that you can get the support because your comment might get lost here.

I'm sorry you're feeling anxious, every pregnancy is different (for some!) and the symptoms can come and go. Have you thought about having an early reassurance scan to check everything is ok? How far along are you?

@MummyZuma ooops! You're just over 6 weeks.
Maybe have an early scan x

Hi, I did and it was all OK I don't know why im still feeling like this. It just feels really different to my last pregnancy and I think k that's what is getting to me the most