Morning sickness is more severe in the morning, and many mothers start vomiting as soon as they smell food. Besides feeling uncomfortable themselves, they are more worried about how morning sickness can affect the health of their fetus. So what exactly is morning sickness?
[What is Morning Sickness?]
Morning sickness is a type of early pregnancy reaction. After pregnancy, morning sickness usually occurs around the 5th week (although it can start earlier) of pregnancy. Nausea and vomiting without any apparent reason often occur in the morning and evening. You may feel nauseous and even vomit when you are peacefully eating, completely losing your appetite. Your weight may also decrease, and you may experience varying degrees of headaches. Morning sickness usually eases around the 16th week, but for some people, the symptoms may gradually subside after about a month. However, there is a possibility that morning sickness may return and persist throughout the entire pregnancy.
Many expectant mothers worry that morning sickness will affect the nutrition supply to the fetus. However, there is no need to worry too much. Although morning sickness temporarily prevents you from maintaining a balanced nutrient absorption, it is not a cause for concern. During the early stages of pregnancy, when the organs of the fetus are forming rather than growing, the demand for nutrients is relatively lower. When the demand for nutrients increases, expectant mothers will return to normal eating habits.
[Recipes to Relieve Morning Sickness]
1. Ginger Lamb Congee
Ingredients: 10g ginger, 100g lamb, 130g rice
Seasoning: 3g salt, a little chicken powder, a little pepper
Preparation:
1. Peel the ginger and cut it into small pieces. Cut the lamb into small slices. Rinse the rice with water.
2. Take a clay pot, pour in an appropriate amount of water, and bring it to a boil. Add the rice and simmer for about 20 minutes over low heat.
3. Then add the lamb slices and ginger, and season with salt, chicken powder, and pepper. Continue to simmer over low heat for 30 minutes before serving.
Tips:
The lamb should be tender. Do not stir the congee during cooking.
Nutritionist's tips: This recipe is effective for those who have cold body, lower abdominal pain, and severe morning sickness.
2. Orange Pumpkin Soup
Recipe Ingredients: 1 orange, 300g pumpkin, 30g rock sugar
Preparation:
1. Wash the orange and cut it into small pieces. Wash the pumpkin, remove the skin, and cut it into small cubes.
2. Put the diced orange and rock sugar into a small pot, add 800ml cold water, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat and continue to simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Add the diced pumpkin to the pot, bring to a boil over high heat, and continue to simmer until the pumpkin is soft and cooked.
Health tips: For nausea and vomiting caused by morning sickness, it is recommended to eat small meals frequently. The diet should be light and easily digestible. You can eat some sour fruits like jujube and oranges, but avoid pickled vegetables.
[Exercise Therapy]
Not being able to eat all day, feeling restless, and having low physical strength, are these reasons enough to stay in bed? No! You shouldn't stay in bed all day just because you feel nauseous and vomit. This will only worsen morning sickness. If you don't exercise enough, the symptoms of nausea, poor appetite, and fatigue will become more severe, creating a vicious cycle. Engaging in light activities such as outdoor walks and prenatal exercises can improve your mood, strengthen your body, and alleviate morning sickness.
[Medication Therapy]
Morning sickness is a common symptom in the early stages of pregnancy, and experts recommend that pregnant women try to endure it.
Of course, medication can be used to relieve morning sickness, such as taking 50mg of vitamin B6 every day, taking 25mg of vitamin C every day, and simultaneously taking 5mg of vitamin B1. Note: Unless you have anemia, do not take iron supplements as they can cause discomfort in your stomach. If severe vomiting occurs, even vomiting bile and experiencing a rapid weight loss, immediate medical attention is necessary, and medication should be used for treatment.
In addition to medication, traditional Chinese medicine can also be used to alleviate morning sickness symptoms. For example, 100g of crushed dragon liver can be wrapped in cloth, decocted in water, and taken in several doses; 30g of raisins can be decocted in water or soaked in boiling water and taken frequently; 9g of patchouli, 9g of bamboo shavings, 3g of ginger, 6g of tangerine peel, 3g of coptis chinensis, 1.2g of evodia rutaecarpa, decocted in water, and taken once a day.
