What causes morning sickness at night?
Many moms-to-be quickly discover that "morning sickness" is misnamed, because pregnancy nausea and vomiting can strike morning, noon, or night. Nausea at night can keep you from falling asleep and even wake you up, especially during those early weeks of pregnancy. (For most, morning sickness usually peaks when you're around nine weeks pregnant.)
No one knows what causes nausea during pregnancy, and specifically, queasiness, vomiting, and morning sickness at night, but it might be a combination of factors, including:
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- Rapidly rising levels of hormones in early pregnancy
- An enhanced sense of smell and sensitivity to odors
- A sensitive gastrointestinal tract
- Certain genes that are involved in development
How long does pregnancy nausea at night last?
Most women who suffer from pregnancy-related nausea, including morning sickness at night, feel complete relief by about 14 to 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Some women may feel queasy for longer, or even throughout their entire pregnancy. Talk with your healthcare provider about your nausea and vomiting. They'll evaluate you and your symptoms, check you for dehydration and appropriate pregnancy weight gain, and give you options for some relief. Sometimes they'll also order blood and urine tests.
If your symptoms continue well into the second trimester, keep discussing them with your medical team, as they often have ways to help you find relief. They may be able to offer you several safe medications for management of your nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, some of which can even help you sleep.
Your healthcare provider will want to make sure that there isn't an underlying problem, and will likely want to rule out a severe condition called hyperemesis gravidarum, which can lead to dehydration and nutritional deficiencies.
Remedies for morning sickness at night
If you have a mild case of pregnancy nausea at night, some simple strategies and changes may help. (If these things aren't helping, talk to your healthcare provider. There are some safe over-the-counter pregnancy nausea remedies and anti-nausea medications they can recommend.)
- Keep simple snacks at your bedside. Snacking on crackers, for example, may help you feel better and get back to sleep if you're waking up nauseous. To ward off that queasy and sick feeling when you first wake up in the morning, nibble on a few crackers and then rest for 20 to 30 minutes before getting up.
- Don't eat too close to bedtime. Lying down right after eating can slow digestion.
- Avoid fatty foods at dinnertime, as they take longer to digest. Also steer clear of rich, spicy, acidic, and fried foods, which can irritate your digestive system and cause pregnancy gas. Complex carbs and lean proteins are your best bet for an evening meal.
- Sip ginger tea at bedtime. A number of studies have shown that ginger can reduce the nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. Although no side effects or adverse outcomes occurred in the research on ginger tea during pregnancy, it's a good idea to check with your provider before using it or any herbal remedies.
- Try an aromatherapy diffuser in your bedroom. Lemon, mint, and orange scents help some women feel less queasy and might be worth a try overnight. (Many moms-to-be also enjoy using aromatherapy during labor.)
- Open a window (even just a crack) to get some fresh air in the room. Stuffy air can be a trigger for nausea.
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When to call your doctor about morning sickness at night
You can talk with your healthcare provider anytime about getting relief if you're consistently waking up nauseous in the middle of the night. Getting good sleep during pregnancy is a precious commodity, and your ob-gyn or midwife might be able to provide some additional suggestions for how to keep the nighttime nausea at bay.
It's especially important to get in touch if you:
- Have severe nausea and vomiting (you're sick much of the day, every day)
- Cannot keep down any fluids for 12 hours or solids for 24 hours
- Are losing weight
- Have signs of dehydration, including dark urine, dizziness, or infrequent urination
- Have blood in your vomit
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