Morning sickness is a very common phenomenon during pregnancy. It occurs in about 70-80% of pregnant women. In some cases, nausea and/ or vomiting can last up to 16 weeks.
The exact cause of Morning Sickness is unknown, but there is a theory that states that it may be an ancient mechanism for protecting the fetus from poisons in food ingested by the mother, as well as elevated levels of pregnancy hormones.
Why is our Liver so important?
In both conventional and Eastern medicine, the liver’s main functions include storage and filtration of blood from toxins, and numerous metabolic activities, including hormone metabolism.
What are the causes of Morning Sickness in Traditional Chinese Medicine?
According to Chinese Medicine, morning sickness arises from a disharmony within our digestive organs, in particular of the spleen, stomach and the liver. To provide nourishment for the growing fetus, the mother’s body increases blood production. Since the production of new blood sometimes exceeds the baby’s demands, and due to cessation of the menstruation, the extra blood produced is stored in the liver. The overabundance of blood can cause the liver to be overly full. Due to our body’s ability to regulate its own functions, the normal physiological response for the liver is to transport the excess blood to the stomach. This, in turn, causes nausea and vomiting in order to decrease the excess in the liver. In TCM this is termed “Rebellious Qi Energy”.
Traditional Chinese medicine’s approach to settling the rebellious Qi- is to soothe the liver, and regulate the functions of spleen and stomach. This is done by Acupuncture, Acupressure and the use of mild Chinese herbs suitable for pregnancy.
Where are the needles inserted for a typical treatment of Morning Sickness?
Most points for morning sickness are located on arms and legs, although other parts of the body may be used. Typically, the treatment does not involve many needles (approximately 4 to 8).
How many Acupuncture sessions will I need to get rid of my Morning Sickness?
Every mother’s body responds differently to Acupuncture treatments. In some cases, the results are seen after 1-3 treatments, but sometimes a series of 5-6 treatments are needed to alleviate and address the underlying causes of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
Other tips for alleviating morning sickness:
v Key out any foods that may be triggering your nausea.
v Avoid greasy, fried foods; eat more carbohydrate-rich foods (rice, millet, barley, and potatoes).
v Eat smaller meals more often to avoid being too hungry or too full at one time.
v Keep bland foods, like crackers, toast, or cereal handy; eat a few before getting up in the morning.
v Avoid acidic foods.
v Avoid lying down right after a meal.
v Keep hydrated; drink most of your fluids between the meals; increase fluids if you have been vomiting. Morning elixirs – water, herbal tea, vegetable broths, green drinks (wheat/barley grass or spirulina), vegetable or fruit juice.
All should be drank at least slightly warmed (drinking cold fluids is not settling to the stomach).
v Make yourself a grapefruit peel decoction by boiling 15 to 20 g grapefruit peel in water. Drink it as tea to relieve morning sickness.
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