One of the most unpleasant, and unfortunately most common, sensations you’re likely to experience during your pregnancy is morning sickness. It usually starts around week six of pregnancy, though it can start earlier, and lasts through about week twelve, though it can hang around later. Many women don’t even realize they’re pregnant yet when morning sickness strikes.

Unpleasant as it is, though, the daily urge to toss your cookies before you even get a chance to eat them is nothing unusual, and may even be a sign that your pregnancy is progressing normally. For most who experience morning sickness (and that amounts to about ¾ of pregnant women), it’s nothing to worry about. Follow these helpful steps and remember the nausea will go away in your second trimester:

• Drink plenty of fluids.
• Keep soda crackers on hand. Graham crackers or ginger snaps are also good options. All of these tend to relieve nausea.
• Avoid spicy foods.
• Exercise, as you are able.
• Stay cool. Hot places can make morning sickness worse.
• Eat several small meals and snacks throughout the day.
• Get plenty of rest, but don’t lie down directly after eating.

There are several cases, however, in which you do need to be more concerned about morning sickness. Some women suffer from a potentially dangerous condition known as hyperemesis gravidarum. If you are concerned that you might be suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, you should make an appointment to see your doctor or health care professional right away. Here are some of the signs you should look out for:

• Excessive nausea which keeps you from holding any food down.
• Inability to keep food down for more than two meals in a row.
• Nausea, and especially vomiting, continues into the second trimester (after Week 13 of your pregnancy).
• Inability to keep fluids down.
• Dark or discolored urine, blood in urine, or infrequent urination. All of these are possible signs of dehydration and should be checked into immediately.
• Weight loss. If you lose more than 2 pounds at any time during pregnancy, contact your doctor.

If morning sickness is presenting a significant problem for you, see your doctor. Even the more serious hyperemesis gravidarum is treatable, but the sooner you see your doctor, the better, as dehydration can be very bad both for you and the baby.

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