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How unusual is morning sickness in the third trimester? Not as unusual as most people think, apparently. One woman in an online forum exclaimed “I thought I was alone in this nauseous state, but it’s nice to see I’m not.” Some pregnant women who escape this discomfort at the start find it particularly surprising to learn it can catch up with them later. “I experienced no morning sickness whatsoever, but now in my third trimester I am having nausea late in pregnancy, it got so bad I had to go on leave early. Sometimes I have nausea, but sometimes I’ll be sitting there one minutes and throwing up the next with no warning at all.”
In fact, quite a few women suffer a new round of nausea and vomiting during their third trimester. Fetal growth is very rapid during weeks 28 through 40, with the baby kicking more and the expanding uterus exerting ever more pressure throughout the abdominal area on the stomach and intestines. Hormones cause the large muscles that control digestion to relax, slowing digestion generally and leading to indigestion and bloating. With the relaxation of the valve at the bottom of the esophagus, the increased pressure on the stomach can be forced food back up the esophagus, leading to gastric reflux and heartburn. This heartburn is one of the key contributors to nausea in late pregnancy.
Heartburn remedies
The number one recommendation is to eat smaller but regular meals, so that your digestive system is never completely empty and never overtaxed. Instead of three large meals a day, try having six small meals, eating something about every three hours. Eating slowly and chewing fully reduces the stress on your system. Avoid lying down for at least an hour and maybe two after each meal.
Skip the fatty, spicy and tomato-based foods, which are particularly likely to disturb your stomach during pregnancy. Bland starchy foods are recommended. Some dairy foods can be soothing; try yogurt if you have trouble tolerating milk. Avoid drinking a lot of liquids at mealtime, and avoid caffeine and fizzy drinks generally. Gum or hard candies are soothing for many women.
Check with your doctor first, but over-the-counter antacids can also reduce the gassiness and heartburn that may be initiating your nausea.
Dealing with fatigue
Another factor that can contribute to nausea and vomiting at this time is the extreme fatigue that many women are experiencing. It can be very difficult to get adequate rest as the fetus grows and lying down becomes increasingly uncomfortable and as the need to use the bathroom during the night increases as well. For a strained and sensitive digestive system, fatigue can be just the kind of stressor that will trigger queasiness and vomiting.
The only solution for this kind of nausea-inducing stress may be simply be to rest and nap whenever possible and to experiment to find the most comfortable sleeping positions. Try sleeping on your side with a pillow in between your legs or propped up in a half-sitting position. This has the added benefit of discouraging acid reflux that can also set off nausea.
Medications
If your nausea and vomiting are severe and debilitating, it’s possible that anti-emetic medication will help at least part of the time, though the success rates with pregnancy nausea are not outstanding. Corticosteroids have been found quite successful for pregnancy nausea and are considered safe during the later months of pregnancy, though they are not recommended during the first trimester. This treatment is usually reserved for women diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum, however.
Several studies have found vitamin B6 is safe and effective for pregnancy-related nausea. Though vitamin B6 is probably included in your prenatal vitamin, the dose commonly recommended for the treatment of nausea and vomiting is likely significantly higher – 10 to 25 mg, three times a day. In cases that do not respond to vitamin B6 alone, it is sometimes recommended to combine it with doxylamine, an over-the-counter antihistamine. Just be sure to check with your doctor before taking any supplements.
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Source by Lisa C Packer