For most women, morning sickness begins shortly after conception, in the first trimester. Nausea and vomiting are two of the most common morning sickness symptoms. Morning sickness peak will usually occur sometime toward the start of the second trimester. After the morning sickness peak, symptoms will gradually start to subside for many women.
Before morning sickness, most women will experience a missed menstrual period a few weeks after conception. Swollen or tender breasts may also occur. Some women may also experience food cravings, mood swings, frequent urination, and fatigue.
A few weeks before the morning sickness peak, the first signs of morning sickness will usually present themselves. Nausea is one of the most common morning sickness symptoms. Some women may even vomit. These symptoms will usually start around six weeks into the pregnancy.
The symptoms will get progressively worse until a woman hits a morning sickness peak. Second trimester morning sickness is often the worst. By about 16 or 20 weeks, the morning sickness should hit its peak, and the elevated hormone levels that cause morning sickness may begin to decline. As a result, morning sickness symptoms should start to subside, and may completely disappear in some cases.
Not all women will experience an immediate decline in morning sickness symptoms after the morning sickness peak. Some women may have severe symptoms of morning sickness throughout their entire pregnancy. On the other hand, some women may not experience morning sickness at all during their pregnancies.
Also, despite its name, morning sickness does not always happen in the morning hours. It is just more common for pregnant women to experience these symptoms upon waking up on an empty stomach. Morning sickness can also happen in the afternoon, in the evening, or in the middle of the night. Some unlucky women may also have to deal with morning sickness all day.
While it may be difficult to eat during a morning sickness peak, it is important to get the proper nutrition while pregnant. Eating bland foods can help settle a pregnant woman's stomach long enough for her to eat. Some examples of bland foods include crackers and dry whole wheat toast.
Some doctors may also recommend ginger for morning sickness. Pregnant women can drink ginger ale, for instance, to help get rid of nausea. Ginger tea may have the same effect.
Taking Vitamin B6 may also be effective. Two 25-milligram doses of this vitamin each day may help relieve nausea for many women. Vitamin B6 is often found in many prenatal vitamins, but an additional supplement may be needed. This should be discussed with an obstetrician, however, since an incorrect dosage could harm both the mother and the fetus.