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July 29, 2009

All day sickness or nausea during pregnancy

It's totally gross and most women feel it. Nausea is a really big topic so I will write a couple of posts about it. I've searched and searched and western medicine gives no reason for morning sickness. There are a few un-tested theories and a few emetic drugs which are no longer prescribed because they deform the baby. So here is the Ayurvedic perspective. Ayurveda offers three causes of nausea during pregnancy. I'll do my best to translate these but would love some help if any of you know more!

1. Vaatha Vaigunya
Malfunction of Vata. This is like travel sickness, Vata moves around the body in the wrong way pushing other dosha's along too.

2. Dauhidra Avamaanana
Give the woman what she wants! So long as it is not detrimental to mother or her baby all her cravings must be satisfied. Unsatisfied desires cause morning sickness.

3.Garbha Nimittha
This means the embryo/feotus is pushing upwards which is what makes the mother feel nauseous or vomit.

The first trimester diet for a pregnant women advises lots of liquids, the embryo is still in a liquid form and the mothers body is building blood, amniotic fluid and fat. An increase in water element is very helpful.

However if you are anything like me fluids are the main offender, I just can't swallow anything liquid. I find that if I eat Vata and Pitta pacifying food as soon as a I wake up and then at 8am, 10am and 12 pm then it sets me up well for the rest of the day. You'll know what your worst time of day is (and it's not always the morning) so make sure you have food ready every two hours for that time of day.

My favourite snacks:
  • apples, bananas, grapes, pears
  • rice crackers
  • salty crackers with cottage cheese
  • plain bread, scones, chapati's
  • Blanched almonds, walnuts
  • Cold milk with ANZAC biscuits (cold milk is generally recommended during early pregnancy)
The evenings do tend to be better for me so I try and catch up on some fluids then. I sip my way very slowly through a glass or two or cold water or cold peppermint tea or cold juice at my best time of day, but don't bother with drinks when I feel gross. Personally I think comfort is my primary concern right now. Water is no good if I chuck it straight up again.

2 comments:

Mara said...

This sounds interesting. I've been having lots of troubles with nausea during my pregnancy recently. I didn't realize there were different ways of categorizing morning sickness!

Julia said...

Morning sickness is horrible! I found early pregnancy so much harder than this last few weeks.