Can you get morning sickness without throwing up

Not Pregnant, Early Pregnancy, and More

Overview

Nausea is one of the most common medical symptoms and it can be related to many different conditions. Usually, nausea is not a sign of a serious problem and passes on its own. But in other cases, nausea may be a sign of a health condition that needs attention, such as stomach flu, pregnancy, or a side effect from medication.

Nausea is defined as having discomfort in the stomach usually accompanied by an urge to vomit. Discomfort might include heaviness, tightness, and a feeling of indigestion that doesn’t go away.

Vomiting is what happens when your body empties its stomach contents through your mouth. Not all cases of nausea cause vomiting.

Nausea can affect all people of all ages. Your nausea might be caused by something as simple as eating a food that doesn’t agree with your stomach. But in other cases, nausea has more serious causes.

Common causes of nausea include:

• anesthetics
• chemotherapy from cancer treatment
• digestive problems such as gastroparesis
• inner ear infections
• migraine headache
• motion sickness
• obstruction in the intestines
• stomach flu (viral gastroenteritis)
• viruses

Morning sickness is a common symptom of pregnancy. It’s described as nausea experienced during pregnancy, usually in the mornings after waking up. It’s most common during a woman’s first trimester. Sometimes, it begins as early as two weeks after conception.

Morning sickness is an uncomfortable condition that can occur with or without vomiting. But the main difference between nausea caused by morning sickness and nausea caused by other conditions is morning sickness is accompanied by other symptoms of early pregnancy. These symptoms include:

• A delayed or missed period. Some people may experience bleeding after they become pregnant but this bleeding is very light and is much shorter than a typical period. A missed period can also be caused by excessive weight loss or gain, fatigue, stress, change in birth control use, illness, high activity level, and breastfeeding.
• A change in breasts. Usually pregnancy causes swollen or sensitive breasts that feel tender to the touch. It can also cause darkening of the areas around the nipples (areolas). These changes in breasts can be caused by hormonal imbalances, changes in birth control, and PMS.
• Tiredness or fatigue. This symptom can also be caused by stress, overworking, mental health problems such as depression, the cold, the flu, a virus, allergies, insomnia, and poor nutrition.
• Lower backaches. These can also be caused by PMS, poor form when exercising, injury, poor sleeping habits, poor footwear, being overweight, and stress.
• Headaches. Headaches are commonly caused by dehydration and caffeine. They can also be caused by PMS, withdrawals from drugs or alcohol, eye strain, and stress.
• Mood swings caused by hormonal changes. You might feel happy one moment and depressed another. Mood swings can also be caused by poor nutrition, hormonal imbalances, or underlying mental health issues.
• Frequent urination. This can also be caused by urinary tract infections and diabetes, as well as an increase in liquid intake, or consumption of diuretics such as coffee.
• Food cravings or food aversions. You might feel like eating foods you normally don’t like eating or avoiding foods you normally like to eat. These symptoms can also be caused by a poor diet, lack of proper nutrition, anxiety and stress, depression, PMS, or illness.

You should consider taking a pregnancy test if you experience nausea with a few of these symptoms, especially if you’ve missed a period.

The only way to know for certain whether or not you’re pregnant is to take a pregnancy test. You can get early detection tests at most drug stores. If you want a certain result, your doctor can do a blood test to check for pregnancy.

Both morning sickness and nausea can greatly impact your quality of life.

If you’re not pregnant and you’ve been nauseous for more than a month, especially with weight loss, schedule an appointment with your doctor. In the meantime, try to relax and stay hydrated.

Keep away from strong odors such as perfume and food and other triggers like heat that could make your nausea worse. Stick to eating bland foods such as crackers and rice, and take over-the-counter motion sickness medication.

Eating small meals and snacks, staying hydrated, avoiding nausea triggers, and taking vitamin B-6 supplements and antihistamines can ease most cases of morning sickness.

If you’re pregnant and experiencing morning sickness that’s getting in the way of your daily activities, schedule a visit to your doctor. They can prescribe anti-nausea medication that will make you feel better and able to eat so you can nourish your pregnant body.

Again, in most cases, nausea and morning sickness are not a cause for concern. But it’s important to see a doctor if you’re concerned or if your symptoms are getting in the way of your daily activities, so you can be happy and healthy.

Morning sickness | Pregnancy Birth and Baby

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Morning sickness is a feeling of nausea or the experience of vomiting during pregnancy, most commonly during the first trimester. Despite its name, morning sickness can happen at any time of the day or night. While most pregnant women experience morning sickness at some point, for many women, it will pass by the second trimester.

Why do pregnant women get morning sickness?

Although the exact cause of morning sickness is unknown, it is associated with hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy.

An imbalance of dietary potassium and magnesium, low blood sugar and low levels of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) are all known causes of nausea. Following a diet that includes whole foods with a wide range of vitamins and minerals will help you stay healthy and well during your pregnancy.

Read more

Having a healthy pregnancy

Having a healthy pregnancy means following a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, knowing what to avoid and making sure your vaccinations are up to date.

Why does it affect some women more than others?

Some women are more likely to feel nauseous during pregnancy than others. While morning sickness is hard to predict, women who have experienced morning sickness in a previous pregnancy are more likely to have it again.

How long does morning sickness last?

You are more likely to feel morning sickness between 6 and 14 weeks of pregnancy, during your first trimester. While it is commonly known as ‘morning’ sickness, it may last throughout the day or night.

It is unusual to experience morning sickness for the first time after week 10 of pregnancy, so if this happens to you, consult your doctor to rule out other health conditions and to give you peace of mind.

How can I relieve morning sickness?

To relieve morning sickness, consider:

• eating smaller meals more often (include morning and afternoon snacks between main meals)
• eating a plain cracker shortly after waking up
• drinking water before and after a meal, rather than with food
• aiming to drink 8 glasses of water a day
• avoiding spicy or fatty foods
• eating protein-rich foods (such as nuts or cheese)
• avoiding skipping meals

Soda (or carbonated) water and ginger/peppermint tea are also known to help relieve nausea and settle an upset stomach.

Some women become more sensitive to strong food smells while pregnant. If certain smells bother you, consider asking for help preparing your food. You can also increase ventilation in your kitchen while cooking by opening windows to get rid of cooking smells. Cold foods produce less odour than hot foods, so you may find these more appetising.

Nausea may feel worse when you are over-tired, and taking rest or nap breaks frequently throughout the day may help. Other suggestions include:

• deep breathing or relaxation exercises
• anti-nausea wristbands (available at most chemists)
• acupuncture treatments(but only when administered by a qualified practitioner trained in maternal care)

Be sure to check with your doctor before you take any supplement, prescription or over-the-counter medicine, especially while pregnant.

Is morning sickness harmful for my baby?

Even though morning sickness can be unpleasant and distressing, there is no research to suggest that it causes harm to your baby. Nausea may, however, influence your food choices. Both you and your baby need an ongoing source of a range of nutrients in the foods you eat. Speak with a health professional if you think that your morning sickness is getting in the way of healthy eating.

It is also important to prevent dehydration, so if you are vomiting and unable to keep fluids down, see your doctor immediately.

What do I do if my morning sickness is severe?

When morning sickness is severe, it is known as hyperemesis gravidarum. A pregnant woman who experiences severe vomiting for an extended period of time may need monitoring and treatment in hospital. An intravenous (IV) drip is inserted to replace essential salts and fluids and prevent dehydration. If you are vomiting whenever you eat or drink, consult a health care professional, since early treatment can protect you and your baby from health complications.

When should I see my doctor about morning sickness?

If nausea or vomiting is causing significant discomfort, or if you suspect that you have hyperemesis gravidarum, you should see your doctor.

Other signs you need to see a doctor include:

• very dark urine
• blood in vomit
• extreme fatigue
• dramatic weight loss
• dehydration due to inability to keep fluids down

CHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS — If you are feeling unwell and not sure what to do next, check your symptoms using the healthdirect Symptom Checker tool.

In some cases, a doctor may advise a home remedy. In other cases, they may refer you to another healthcare professional, such as a dietitian — to help you create a healthy and enjoyable meal plan — or to a specialist for further tests. Your doctor may prescribe you with medicine to ease your symptoms, such as an antiemetic (to prevent vomiting), or vitamin and mineral supplements.

If your symptoms persist after treatment, it is a good idea to return to your doctor for another consultation — there may be another approach you can try.

Speak to a maternal child health nurse

Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby to speak to a maternal child health nurse on 1800 882 436 or video call. Available 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week.

Sources:

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Last reviewed: September 2021

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Related pages

• Severe vomiting during pregnancy (hyperemesis gravidarum)
• Healthy diet during pregnancy
• Having a healthy pregnancy

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Morning sickness - MyDr.

Many women experience morning sickness (nausea and vomiting) in early pregnancy, and the symptoms can actually occur at any time of the day or night.

Read more on myDr website