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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Can someone explain to me WHY you get morning sickness?

50 replies

dinny · 05/08/2008 17:53

Why oh why? And why do some people get it and others not?

I am nine weeks today and feel AWFUL, can't stop being sick and have splitting headache and sore throat have been vomiting so much, think I am also dehydrated, Don't want to take any drugs so can't see the point in speaking to midwife really. Just think if I knew why it happened I might not feel so wretched. Oh, and some tips to alleviate it would be nice too.

And when might it end? Was sick till 5 months with ds, and to 3 months with dd before that, PLEASE tell me it may go at 3 months, argh!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

DontNeedAnything · 05/08/2008 18:07

Well there is a hypothesis that it is the body clearing out toxins to support a healthy pg.

I personally don't buy this as I have a crap diet etc. and hardly suffered; I know people that have a much healthier lifestyle that had v severe morning sickness.

DontNeedAnything · 05/08/2008 18:09

here....

LittleMyDancingForJoy · 05/08/2008 18:37

dinny i feel for you - i'm only about five weeks, and i'm feeling rubbish but not actually vomiting, so you have my sympathy! DS has been on a steady diet of Cbeebies all day cause I feel too rubbish to play....

really hope yours and mine both go soon!

Tapster · 05/08/2008 18:41

I feel so guilty about cbeebies, DD has watched more in some days this week than she used to watch in a week.

I'm feeling constantly sick morning and night, am 8 weeks nearly and I know last time it started to get better at around 10 weeks but it only went at around 14 weeks. I swear this will be my last pregnancy, if this pregnancy doesn't work out DD will be an only child .

Lots of sympathy here too.

TinkerBellesMum · 05/08/2008 18:43

There are lots of different reasons given but the truth is no one knows.

Two theories I've heard are:

Iron levels - interestingly I tend to drink more cola in pregnancy and I don't ever get MS (sorry)

Lowered Immune System leaving you open to every little bug.

LittleMyDancingForJoy · 05/08/2008 18:44

I drink coke when I'm pregnant as well, but i think for me it's about blood sugar - if I get hungry and my blood sugar drops then I feel absolutely rotten.

i'm taking ProNatal multi vits which are packed with iron, and I eat meat and lots of dark green veg, so not sure it can be the iron thing.

WarmFuzzy · 05/08/2008 18:49

Apparently people who get seasick and people who suffer from morning sickness often have low zinc levels. Zinc supplements may help.

My cravings are for zinc-rich things like nuts and seeds and ginger. And I think taking zinc supplements has helped me.

Vitamin B6 is another.

TinkerBellesMum · 05/08/2008 18:54

I can't have caffeine normally it gives my heartburn, but I put away stupid amounts of cola given a chance when pregnant but can't drink tea! (first thing I asked for after my first baby was born, while they were washing/ dressing/ photographing her, was for a cup of tea and I drank loads!)

NorthernLurker · 05/08/2008 18:59

My consultant told me when I was expecting dd3 that it was a good sign that the placenta was functioning well. Which comforted me for a bit until I thought 'hang on - there are plenty of women with perfectly healthy pregnancies who never throw up at all!!!!' I have always suffered from travel sickness and that got radically worse in pregnancy as well so something with my balance/inner ear whatever was obviously screwed but I also think I'm just allergic to the hormones. Of course what I don't know - and will never know is if the sex of the babies would have made any difference. Three babies, three 9 mth stints of throwing up, three girls!

TinkerBellesMum · 05/08/2008 19:06

Yeah, that one always makes me only half of women actually get sick, it seems like more because women don't tend to go on about how they haven't been sick (apart from me ringing TBD at work last week to say I'd been sick for the first time).

Original poster

dinny · 05/08/2008 19:06

the cola thing is weird - I had LOADS when pg with ds, haven't felt like it so much this time

I am a vegetarian and I know I have low iron, not sure about zinc. I had to stop taking vits as make me puke, can manage the tiny folic acid ones last thing at night usually though

SO weird how some people don't get it!

OP posts:

LittleMyDancingForJoy · 05/08/2008 20:14

Hello NorthernLurker!

all I have to say on the sickness thing is BLERGH.

we should have a feeling sick emoticon.

Original poster

dinny · 05/08/2008 20:59

God, you were sick for 9 months each time, NL? poor poor you

yes, we need a BLEURGH emoticon pronto

have just had an ice lolly so feel relieved of bad pukiness for a bit...

OP posts:

LittleMyDancingForJoy · 05/08/2008 21:03

have you seen those This Water drinks, as well? the lime one seems to help for me.

how did your interview go, NorthernLurker?

Original poster

dinny · 05/08/2008 21:05

what are they? in supermarkets?

OP posts:

Pruners · 05/08/2008 21:06

Message withdrawn

PavlovtheCat · 05/08/2008 21:09

My midwife said it was due to increase of oestrogen in the body.

She also told me that the old wives tale that you get more severe morning sickness if you are having a girl is not made up, but based on the fact that as you carry a girl your body produces even more oestrogen that it would with a boy, and as such, the overload of this hormone can cause nausea and sickness, and of course it effects different women at different levels.

Made sense to me!

Original poster

dinny · 05/08/2008 21:09

it's so weird, isn't it, how it makes you sick

when I was pg with ds a doula told me it was really good for the pregnancy to be sick and they starve sheep in the early stages of pg and only let them feed on rich pastures in the later stages....?

OP posts:

LittleMyDancingForJoy · 05/08/2008 21:09

Yes, i get them in Sainsburys, in the sandwich bit. they used to be made by innocent, the smoothie people, but now they've gone independent.

don't get the mango one, it's horrid.

Original poster

dinny · 05/08/2008 21:10

mmmm, I was more sick when pg with ds than with dd - though I put that down to being more tired the second time round...

OP posts:

PavlovtheCat · 05/08/2008 21:12

I said that to her, that some people who have boys are sick more, and for longer than those with girls.

She likened it to PMT/period pains and the nausea associated due to more oestrogen, that some woman suffer from quite serious PMT, others get none at all.

It just so happened that I had a girl and was sick throughout the entire pg!

Original poster

dinny · 05/08/2008 21:13

must add - I was really sick with dd but much more frequently with ds, and for longer

yes, suppose it's just down to the individual

I so expected my sister to get it as well but she didn't at all!

OP posts:

TinkerBellesMum · 05/08/2008 21:15

I've had two girls. I'm pregnant for the fourth time and never had MS.

PavlovtheCat · 05/08/2008 21:16

If you have a headache and sore throat, could you be coming down with a cold? I have a sore throat and headache, definite cold here.

If so, the sickness will be more prominant right now, are you drinking plenty of fluids?

Bridie3 · 05/08/2008 21:21

I've heard that what happens is that, like growing plants when sources of water are scarce, the placenta, if slightly starved, will have to work harder to grow strong 'roots'. Then, when more food is offered later on, the better 'root' system can really take advantage of it.

That's not explained very well!

I didn't have morning sickness with either of mine. I used to worry that this would make them less healthy in some way.

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