Which suggestion would the nurse make to help the pregnant client who is experiencing morning sickness?

Overview

Morning sickness can be the toughest part of early pregnancy. Some people feel mildly sick to their stomach, and others are running to the washroom. The good news? Morning sickness usually gets better in the second trimester.

It's likely that your hormones are to blame for morning sickness. But you can do things to feel better, like changing what you eat, avoiding certain foods and smells, and asking your doctor about medicines you can try.

Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor or nurse advice line (811 in most provinces and territories) if you are having problems. It's also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take.

How can you care for yourself at home?

Keep food in your stomach, but not too much at once. Your nausea may be worse if your stomach is empty. Eat five or six small meals a day instead of three large meals.
For morning nausea, eat a small snack, such as a couple of crackers or dry biscuits, before rising. Allow a few minutes for your stomach to settle before you get out of bed slowly.
Drink plenty of fluids. If you have kidney, heart, or liver disease and have to limit fluids, talk with your doctor before you increase the amount of fluids you drink. Some women find that peppermint tea helps with nausea.
Eat more protein, such as chicken, fish, lean meat, beans, nuts, and seeds.
Eat carbohydrate foods, such as potatoes, whole grain cereals, rice, and pasta.
Avoid smells and foods that make you feel nauseated. Spicy or high-fat foods, citrus juice, milk, coffee, and tea with caffeine often make nausea worse.
Do not drink alcohol.
Do not smoke. Try not to be around others who smoke. If you need help quitting, talk to your doctor about stop-smoking programs and medicines. These can increase your chances of quitting for good.
If you are taking iron supplements, ask your doctor if they are necessary. Iron can make nausea worse.
Get lots of rest. Stress and fatigue can make your morning sickness worse.
Ask your doctor about using ginger to reduce nausea and vomiting.
Take your prenatal vitamins at night on a full stomach.

When should you call for help?

Call your doctor or nurse call line now or seek immediate medical care if:

You are too sick to your stomach to drink any fluids.
You have symptoms of dehydration, such as:
- Dry eyes and a dry mouth.
- Passing only a little dark urine.
- Feeling thirstier than usual.
You have new symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, or belly pain.

Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor or nurse call line if:

You lose weight.
You have ongoing nausea and vomiting.

Where can you learn more?

Go to //www.healthwise.net/patientEd

Enter W450 in the search box to learn more about "Managing Morning Sickness: Care Instructions".

What is morning sickness?

Morning sickness (also called nausea and vomiting of pregnancy) is nausea (feeling sick to your stomach) and vomiting that happens in the first few months of pregnancy. Even though it's called morning sickness, it can last all day and happen any time of day.

At least 7 in 10 pregnant women have morning sickness in the first trimester (first 3 months) of pregnancy. It usually starts at about 6 weeks of pregnancy and is at its worst at about 9 weeks. Most women feel better in their second trimester, but some have morning sickness throughout pregnancy. If you have morning sickness, tell your health care provider.

Mild morning sickness doesn’t harm you or your baby. But if nausea and vomiting becomes severe (called hyperemesis gravidarum), it can cause serious problems during pregnancy. You may need to stay in the hospital for treatment.

What is hyperemesis gravidarum?

About 3 in 100 women may have hyperemesis gravidarum. This is extreme, excessive nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. It can cause you to lose weight and become dehydrated (not have enough water in your body). It can start early in pregnancy and last the entire pregnancy. If you have hyperemesis gravidarum, you need treatment to help keep you and your baby safe.

You may be at risk for hyperemesis gravidarum if you:

Are pregnant for the first time.
Are pregnant with a girl.
Are pregnant with multiples (twins, triplets or more). Being pregnant with more than one baby may increase your risk for severe morning sickness because you may have a large placenta and increased pregnancy hormones. The placenta grows in your uterus (womb) and supplies your babies with food and oxygen through the umbilical cord.
Had mild or severe morning sickness in a previous pregnancy, or your mother or sister had severe morning sickness during pregnancy. Take your family health history to help you find out about health conditions that run in your family.
Have motion sickness or migraines. A migraine is a severe headache that may make you sensitive to bright lights and sound.
Are overweight.
Have trophoblastic disease, a condition that leads to abnormal cell growth in the uterus (womb).

Signs and symptoms of hyperemesis gravidarum include:

Vomiting more than 3 to 4 times a day
Vomiting that makes you dizzy or lightheaded
Vomiting that makes you dehydrated. Signs and symptoms of dehydration include feeling thirsty, dry mouth, a fast heartbeat or making little to no urine.
Losing more than 10 pounds in pregnancy

If you have hyperemesis gravidarum, your provider may treat you with medicine to help relieve your nausea and vomiting. You may need treatment in a hospital with intravenous (also called IV) fluids. IV fluids go through a needle into your vein. They help you stay hydrated and can give you nutrients that you usually get from food. If you continue to lose weight, you may need a feeding tube to make sure you’re getting enough nutrients for you and your baby.

What causes morning sickness?

We don’t know for sure what causes morning sickness. It may be caused by low blood sugar or increased pregnancy hormones. Morning sickness may be worse if you’re stressed or overly tired, if you eat certain foods or if you’re traveling (if you often have motion sickness).

Can you prevent or relieve morning sickness?

Yes. Here’s what you can do to help you feel better and even prevent morning sickness:

Take a prenatal vitamin before you get pregnant. Talk to your health care provider about which one to take. Sometimes vitamins can upset your stomach, so take it with a snack.
Keep snacks by your bed. Eat a few crackers before you get up in the morning to help settle your stomach.
Eat 5 or 6 small meals each day instead of 3 larger meals.
Eat foods that are low in fat and easy to digest, like cereal, rice and bananas. Don’t eat spicy or fatty foods.
Eat healthy snacks between meals. This can help keep your stomach from being empty and helps prevent nausea. Try snacks that are high in protein, like milk or yogurt.
Drink plenty of fluids, especially water.
Avoid smells that upset your stomach.

You may have heard about these ways to prevent or relieve morning sickness. Talk to your provider before trying any of these:

Acupressure and acustimulation (also called electrical nerve stimulation) wristbands. These involve putting pressure on or stimulating certain points of the body (called pressure points) to help prevent nausea.
Acupuncture. This is a kind of treatment in which thin needles are put into your skin. If you’re thinking about acupuncture to help with morning sickness, tell your provider and find an acupuncturist who is trained to work with pregnant women.
Ginger. Ginger is the root of a plant that is used in cooking and medicine. Ginger ale, tea or candies may help relieve morning sickness.

Even if it’s legal where you live for either personal or medical use, it’s not safe to use marijuana to treat morning sickness. No amount of marijuana has been proven safe to use during pregnancy. If you’re thinking of using marijuana to help with morning sickness, talk with your provider about other treatments that are safer for your baby.

Is there medical treatment for morning sickness?

Yes. If you can’t relieve morning sickness on your own or if you have severe nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, your provider may treat you with these medicines:

Vitamin B6 and doxylamine. Your provider may treat you with these medicines separately or together. You can get vitamin B6 and doxylamine over-the-counter (OTC), which means you don’t need a prescription for them from your provider. Doxylamine is found in some OTC medicines that help you sleep. Or your provider may prescribe you a medicine that combines them.
Antiemetic drugs. These are drugs that help prevent vomiting. If Vitamin B6 and doxylamine don’t work, your provider may prescribe an antiemetic drug for you. Not all are safe to use during pregnancy, so talk to your provider to make sure the medicine is a good choice for you.

Talk with your provider before you take any medicine during pregnancy, even medicine to help treat morning sickness.

When should you call your health care provider about morning sickness?

For most women, morning sickness is mild and goes away over time. But call your provider if:

Your morning sickness continues into your 4th month of pregnancy.
You lose more than 2 pounds.
Your vomit is brown in color or has blood in it. If so, call your provider right away.
You vomit more than 3 times a day and can’t keep food or fluids down.
Your heart beats faster than usual.
You’re tired or confused.
You’re making much less urine than usual or no urine at all.

Last reviewed: September, 2020

Which suggestion for coping with morning sickness would the nurse give to a pregnant client?

Eat small meals regularly, as an empty stomach tends to trigger nausea. It may help to avoid cooking or preparing foods. Drink as much as you can manage. Sometimes sips of flat lemonade, diluted fruit juice, cordial, weak tea, ginger tea, clear soup or beef extract drinks are helpful.

Which recommendation would the nurse make for a pregnant patient experiencing nausea and vomiting?

Eat small, frequent meals (every 2 to 3 hours). Eating small, frequent meals is a correct suggestion for a pregnant woman experiencing nausea and vomiting. She should avoid consuming fluids early in the day or when nauseated, but should compensate by drinking fluids at other times.

What is the intervention to relieve morning sickness in a pregnant woman is by giving?

If your morning sickness symptoms persist, your health care provider may recommend vitamin B-6 supplements (pyridoxine), ginger and over- the-counter options such as doxylamine (Unisom) for management. If you still have symptoms, your health care provider may recommend prescription anti-nausea medications.

What is morning sickness in pregnancy?

Overview. Morning sickness is nausea and vomiting that occurs during pregnancy. And, despite its name, morning sickness can strike at any time of the day or night. Many pregnant women have morning sickness, especially during the first trimester. But some women have morning sickness throughout pregnancy.