Morning sickness can occur at any time of day. Some believe that the motion of getting out of bed in the morning triggers the feeling of nausea, which may indicate where the time-of-day reference got its name.
You may or may not vomit when you have regular morning sickness, but you will feel nauseated.
Regular morning sickness usually ends as you get into your second trimester.
Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is severe morning sickness. It also begins in the first trimester and can end in the second trimester, or it may go on for most of the pregnancy.
The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, suffered from this severe form of morning sickness during both of her pregnancies.
It’s important to know if you’re experiencing regular morning sickness or HG. You’ll want to talk to your healthcare provider about the difference, and take steps to care for yourself if you are suffering from this more serious form of morning sickness.
Signs of HG that you might notice can include:
- Severe vomiting, possibly of blood
- Difficulty keeping liquids down
- Dizziness and possibly fainting
- Headache
- Body odor
- Extreme tiredness
- Racing heartbeat
- Less urine output, and it may be darker than normal in color
- Unusual and rapid weight loss
- Constipation
- Thirst due to dehydration from vomiting
Your provider will run tests to confirm HG, and there are lots of treatment steps available. The important thing is to talk to your provider about any issue that troubles you during pregnancy.
The earlier this problem is identified, the easier it is to take care of it.
Image: By rumpleteaser from Nagoya, Japan (6 Months) via Wikimedia Commons
