Nausea and “morning sickness” is often associated with the first trimester of pregnancy. For some women, this can really interfere with daily life and is just plain miserable. However the problem isn’t confined to the first trimester, nausea is also fairly common in the third trimester.
In the late stages of pregnancy, nausea is common after eating. There are a few potential causes of nausea in the third trimester. Hormonal changes occur throughout pregnancy. They can get you in the first trimester, as is so common, or can happen later in the pregnancy as levels continue to fluctuate.
Nausea after eating is also common during the third trimester. This can occur with or without heartburn. As the due date approaches, your baby is getting big and living in cramped conditions. This results in the uterus pressing up on the stomach, which can be responsible for the nausea in the last trimester.
One thing that may help is to eat smaller meals and eat more frequently during the day, rather than the typical larger meals a few times a day. There just isn’t as much room in your stomach to hold food comfortably, so eating less may be the key.
You can also try the various home remedies for morning sickness to help alleviate the nausea. Ginger is a well known natural remedy for nausea, which is why ginger ale works so well at calming a queasy stomach. Other remedies include wearing bracelets made for motion sickness, sucking on preggie pops for morning sickness or eating bland foods until the nausea passes.
If you are unable to eat or experience severe stomach pain or vomiting, notify your doctor. You want to be sure a virus or other illness isn’t causing the problem, particularly if the symptoms come on suddenly. Your doctor will be able to evaluate your condition and determine if an illness is the culprit.
Even if you are fairly sure it isn’t a virus, tell your doctor if the nausea is interfering with your ability to eat. You and your baby both need vital nutrients from your diet. You want to be sure you are able to get the nutrition you both need. When you can’t eat, be sure to sip water to help you stay hydrated. Dehydration is a serious problem in late pregnancy.
Related Articles:
Discomforts in the Third Trimester
Natural Remedies for Morning Sickness