Why you are experiencing morning sickness
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Alan Greene, MD, shares advice for pregnant women on the factors that cause morning sickness during pregnancy and the best way to treat and prevent morning sickness
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Morning sickness is a big problem for many women early in pregnancy. And there are a couple things going on here. One is the sense of smell is really heightened in most pregnant women, so the sensation is really intense. Also, the taste buds change early in pregnancy to make everything taste a little bit more bitter. Also, there's this nausea and vomiting that also come. And I think the reason for all of this is to help set the rest button so that it changes your longstanding habits of eating and then also to help protect the baby from things that might be toxic or might be spoiled or bitter. So things that help. Turns out that you feel more nauseated if the stomach gets completely empty or completely full. And that's great for the baby. The thing that makes you feel better also helps the baby get enough nourishment trickling in all day, but not something so full that your breakdown stuff in the stomach can't detoxify everything. So it's just right for the baby. Other things that help, turns out ginger is very powerful for morning sickness. Take an inch of ginger root, put it in some water, heat it, and just drink a ginger tea like that, or grate some fresh ginger onto rice, or grate some fresh ginger onto a sweet potato. Ginger is very powerful, as powerful as most anti-nausea medications. And peppermint is also very powerful at helping morning sickness. I don't recommend a peppermint supplement. But even smelling mint leaves will decrease nausea. And having some peppermint tea can be great too. And it's no accident that ginger and peppermint help you feel better, because they're also great for the developing baby. They have compounds in there to help support your immune system and help prevent infections. So the same things that help you feel better help your baby as well. It's a cool system.
Alan Greene, MD, shares advice for pregnant women on the factors that cause morning sickness during pregnancy and the best way to treat and prevent morning sickness
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Alan Greene, MDFounder, DrGreene.com
Dr. Alan Greene founded his website, DrGreene.com, in 1995, cited by the AMA as "the pioneer physician web site." In 2010 he founded the WhiteOut Now movement to change how babies are fed from their very first bite of solid food, and in 2012 he founded TICC TOCC – Transitioning Immediate Cord Clamping To Optimal Cord Clamping. He is an author of several books including Feeding Baby Green and appears frequently in the media including such venues as the The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, TODAY Show, Good Morning America, the Dr. Oz Show, and is a regular columnist for Parenting magazine. He is a practicing pediatrician and the father of four.
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