The gentlebirth.org website is provided courtesy of
Ronnie Falcao, LM MS,
a homebirth midwife in Mountain View, CA
The gentlebirth.org website is provided courtesy of
Ronnie Falcao, LM MS,
a homebirth midwife in Mountain View, CA
|
you can still catch the mini-segments: Birth Orgasms: Women Speak Out - Is it possible to have an orgasm during childbirth? Women Who Prefer Home Birth - For some, delivering a healthy child doesn"t involve a trip to the hospital. [Note - the associated article says, "Modern medicine means not having to go through childbirth alone." It"s more accurate to say "Responsible modern medicine means reserving risky interventions for when the benefits outweigh the risks." I know lots of responsible women who give birth at home with the perfect birth team . . . their partner, their midwife and their doula. They are definitely not alone, and they have all the medical assistance they need, just like a woman giving birth with a midwife in a hospital! Savvy people know the difference between midwife-assisted homebirth and unassisted birth.] The Orgasmic Birth web site
also has a lot of great information about birth in general:
|
Until Feb. 5, 2008.
Study: Genetics of Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG)
Current 2007 Study: Genetics of Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG)
HG Researchers need your help! This study is designed to identify individuals affected with HG, to study epidemiologic factors via an online survey, to collect DNA samples from saliva through the mail at no cost or travel for you, and to search for genes and risk factors that may be potentially associated with this condition. To be eligible, you must have suffered from HG and had treatment for your HG that includes i.v. hydration, TPN or other form of non-oral feeding (ie nasogastric feeding), OR both, and are able to recruit a friend with at least 2 pregnancies who has NOT suffered from HG to serve as a control. If you live in the United States and are interested, please contact Marlena Schoenberg Fejzo, PhD at nvpstudy@usc.edu(please enable javascript to view our email address.) or 310-210-0802. Download the USC Consent Form (80 Kb PDF) for more details about the study.
Identification of genes and risk factors that contribute to HG will
lead to a better understanding of the causes of severe nausea and vomiting
of pregnancy, and should be a first step toward the development of more
effective treatments or a cure for this devastating disease.
Morning sickness helps you and your baby
Rates
of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy and dietary characteristics across
populations
Gillian V. Pepper AFF1 and S. Craig Roberts AFF1
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Rates of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy were correlated with high
intake of macronutrients (kilocalories, protein, fat, carbohydrate), as
well as sugars, stimulants, meat, milk and eggs, and with low intake of
cereals and pulses.
If you're so sick that you don't have much energy to do anything, you can go to pregnancystore.com and order several things at once from their section on Pregnancy Morning Sickness Relief:
Morning Sickness Magic ($14.95)- contains ginger and vitamin B6, which research shows to be helpful.
MorningWell Morning Sickness Relief Audio Program ($34.95) - this helped 9 out of 10 women
Relief Band ($79.95) - One of my clients said this gave her the most relief.
They also have other aids, such as PreggiePops, B-Natal TheraPops and
Lozenges, and nausea bags.
vitaminshoppe.com has surprisingly good resources about nutritional
supplements for pregnancy nausea.
Birth With Sol
has a great selection
of remedies for Morning Sickness.
Preggie
Pops & Preggie Pop Drops for Morning Sickness from Butterflies
& Hiccups
The Morning Sickness Store at drugstore.com also offers multiple relief products:
Relief Band Morning Sickness Relief Device - $94.99 with free shipping. This may be a more advanced version of the "Explorer Motion Sickness Device" - not sure, but they're charging more for it than the Pregnancy Morning Sickness Relief center at pregnancystore.com
Relief Band Explorer Motion Sickness Device - $79.99
The also offer Apothecary
Cola Syrup ($4.19), Hyland's
Natural Relief Motion Sickness Tablets ($6.59) and Baby's
Bliss Morning Sickness Magic ($9.49). The rest of the items they offer
are pharmaceuticals, which it's best to avoid during pregnancy, especially
during the first trimester!!!
Severe Vomiting During Pregnancy Causes Serious Risk to Mothers, Infants [Medscape registration is free]
This is a somewhat odd study, as it is a retrospective study that can
only conclude that "women hospitalized with hyperemesis gravidarum had
an increased risk of preeclampsia compared with those not hospitalized
for the condition". This almost implies that it was the hospitalization
that caused the subsequent problems, which is a real possibility.
It would be nice if they could compare in-home treatment with hospitalization
for the same severity of symptoms, so that we can separate out the effects
caused by hospitalization from the effects of the hyperemesis itself.
In particular, hospitalization carries a significant risk of exposure to
unusually virulent and resistant pathogens, which could cause most of the
complications seen.
Morning sickness
cures and remedies - pregnancy nausea relief, causes and cures for
nausea
Nausea and vomiting
in pregnancy (NVP) - from motherisk.org
- Get support from the Motherisk Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy (NVP)
Helpline - 1-800-436-8477
Blooming Awful - Around
3 in every thousand pregnant women experience severe nausea and vomiting
known as hyperemesis gravidarum (HG).
If you are (or were) one of them, or you know someone who's going through
it, we're here to help you. (A site from the UK.)
Hyperemesis Education and Research
Organization, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing comprehensive
education, support, and a multi-disciplinary forum for exchange of information
related to Hyperemesis Gravidarum
The ReliefBand® is
worn like a wristwatch; it produces very mild electrical signals to calm
nausea. So far, my clients love it!
B-natal - "Sweet Relief for Morning Sickness - The easiest way to lick morning sickness!" - These are lollipops with vitamin B6 added; these can be very helpful for women who can't take vitamin B6 supplements in capsule or tablet form. And I like that they use real sugar instead of that SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener stuff, but they've got some artificial dyes in them, which could actually add to the nausea! They cost about $10/box of 12; shipping is free with 3 or more boxes.
Their site has some nice pages about the Causes
of Nausea and Morning
Sickness Tips .
NEW! - Preggie Pops are
naturally flavored lollipops that relieve pregnancy nausea. [Ed.
- See also: Can
pregnant and breast-feeding women consume SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener?]
You can now purchase the MorningWell Morning Sickness Relief Audio Program in the United States from pregnancystore.com.
MorningWell - Sound
Relief from the symptoms of morning sickness. - A
midwife study in the UK found this to be effective for 90% of women!
Revived
Focus on Treatment for Morning Sickness - September 11, 2000 [Medscape
registration is free.]
A large well-done study in England showed fabulous results from a diet
of...... potato chips and lemonade! But sometimes, medication is
needed. Zofran is expensive (up to $30 bucks a pill) but works BEAUTIFULLY.
I also believe in Vit B-6 50 mg tid and continuing folic acid supplementation.
Susun Weed, author of "Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year,"
says walking at least one mile a day can help alleviate morning sickness.
Some people say that nausea beyond mild nausea between weeks 4-12 is
caused by a contracted blood volume. It's easy enough to try to remedy
this by drinking lots of water (3 quarts - 12 glasses each day) and taking
baths to keep the fluid out of the tissues.
I found that eating a peppermint pattie did the trick for me . . . the
combination of peppermint, sugar and feel-good hormones was just what I
needed.
Morning Sickness
links collection from about.com
Natural Remedies For
Morning Sickness - from the
Web page for the book, Pregnancy & Childbirth Tips
First we suggest chamomile, ginger, peppermint, small frequent high protein meals, eating whatever she wants even if it is junk, B6, acupressure, emetrol, coke (the soft drink!) and ginger ale? I always start with the above, but sometimes they just don't work.
Home iv therapy often works great. It enforces a certain amount of "doing
nothingness" which is helpful. It prevents dehydration. I also use (not
all at once) Reglan, Compazine (po or suppositories), Tigan suppositories
(no one likes them because they burn), Phenergan is ok but for some reason
I never use it. Don't know why. The old tried and true remedy for morning
sickness was Bendectin...a combination of B6 and the antihistamine doxylamine.
This is currently marketed as Unisom, an OTC sleep aid. I try this also.
I always ask moms what they've eaten over the past few days (never much, they don't have any problem remembering) What do all pregnant women (except me) eat? And what seems to stay down? Ice cream. Even though the thought of eating ice-cream when nauseated makes me feel barfy, it seems like it's what is most likely to stay down. I recommend they start with a teaspoon, wait 10 or 15 minutes and try a tablespoon. Stick with a tablespoon or two every 15 minutes, then after an hour add some dry toast or crackers. Fluids only in small amounts the first couple of days, and only with food.
It seems like people who complain of even the most extreme nausea have some food they've kept down. That's what they should eat at first. I think a lot of women try too hard to eat what is supposed to be good for them and baby, when their body is telling them something else. I'm also amazed that some of these ladies will call with major nausea, weight loss, come in with ketones off the chart and pee that looks like black tea, but they don't want to take time off work to eat every 15 minutes. Even though they can barely walk into the exam room.
I think that besides getting nutrients back into their bodies, maybe they need a few days of real rest.
A key is to do these things before it gets to the unisom, phenergan
injected B6 stage. Once it gets there it can easily go to the Pedialyte
enema or IV stage.
My last pregnancy I had several weeks of throwing up if I moved from
one room to the next. I lived on dried fruit and cheese, both in small
amounts. Between "meals," I drank Perrier. Sometimes what actually felt
best was that greasy bacon and egg and hashbrown breakfast my husband likes
to make now and then. I think the fat helped. Forget crackers, they're
useless. And yes, I do remember an occasional Coca Cola. You get to a point
where you just eat anything that will stay down, or that will not be too
unpleasant coming back up (grape juice).
I find that this is more individual. I had one mom who ate scrambled
eggs for three weeks. Another who ate raw potatoes. I make suggestions
but I assume that each will find the thing they can tolerate. I think the
frequency is probably as important as the food.
Some things to try for hyperemesis:
I tell moms to eat whatever it is that they can keep down. They need
calories and fluids. If it can come from nutritious sources, so much the
better. If not, so be it. We can work on nutrition later. I know there
are studies showing that protein deficit in the first trimester is bad.
So what, I say. The authors of the study were never pregnant and sick!
When I was pregnant, the only things that provided any calories were Italian
subs with onions, hot peppers and vinegar from a little sub shop near Tufts
where I was taking summer school classes in Italian Renaissance art and
Gestalt psychotherapy. I had an Italian sub on the way to class, and one
on the way home. With my next pregnancy, and driving 80 miles each way
to work nights in L&D in OKC, I lived on root beer floats from A&W
Drive In in Oklahoma.
With my first I had a bout of severe, prolonged vomiting during 2nd trimester after normal morning sickness had stopped. Dehydration, etc., was closing in fast. A lady who worked in the shop next to where I worked gave me this trick. I was desperate enough to try it and it worked. I've noticed that other women have to be really desperate before they will try it, too.
In the morning (or whenever your stomach is empty) go in the bathroom
and throw up until you throw up bile - deep bile. Rinse your mouth slightly
with water but don't drink it. Do not eat or drink anything for at least
30 minutes. This can give relief for up to 36 hrs (usually the minimum
is 12 hours).
Morning sickness can be caused by a host of variables. Finding out which one (or more) is causing the problem will help.
Low blood sugar: eat, eat, eat. When you wake up to pee in the middle of the night have a quarter of a sandwich.
Electrolyte imbalance: usually occurs after one has gotten out of balance. Drink gatorade or a mixture of like to get back into balance. I especially recommend a sports drinks with protein, such as Accelerade.
B12: I have found that to work when a lady is very sick. Injectable works best for me.
Pepcid AC: some women get reflux with pregnancy. This stops it, allows them to eat so they avoid electrolyte imbalance & low blood sugar. They might do even better with Cell Tech's Contain supplement, which I consider a better approach to heartburn.
Psychological: hmmmmmmm. Have seen this. Sometimes just talking out problems/stresses helps.
A good B complex should be taken as soon as possible. Other vitamins
can be added later.
Last week I went to run an IV for an Amish midwife friend. Her daughter was sick, again, with her second babe. As we all sat and talked, while the IV dripped, my friend told of how sick she got with all of her babies and everything they did didn't help. I asked if after she threw up if she was hungry? She said no. Same with her daughter. I had a Pepcid AC in my purse and threw one at her daughter and told her to chew. Ten minutes later her daughter told us she already was feeling better and quite hungry. Reflux.
One other time, while dripping on a very thin lady, I gave her a tablespoon of yogurt every 15 minutes. After and hour and a half she threw up only the last tablespoon. Low blood sugar. She is now pregnant with her third child and has needed no IV. She knows she must eat all the time even during the night.
Others only need B12 injection about once a week (if it gets too bad
they need it every other day but soon go to once a week and then go down
from there).
I am the self proclaimed Hyperemesis Queen and can offer some advice. I found that drinking sips of water made things so much worse. I suggest having her try sips of rice milk- not cold. Not soy, either. It tones down the acidity in the stomach which is welcome when you're puking up bile all the time.
Also, sipping coffee had a wonderful effect on me. I do not usually drink it, but it really helped me in my pregnancy. It toned down the nausea. Ginger, mints, phenergan, etc. are all a big joke! With the true hyperemesis NOTHING is going to help but time. With my second baby I had severe vomiting all the way through, losing 34 pounds by the end of the pregnancy. I am still suffering from it, and my baby has, too. I was always told that the baby will get what it needs, that she'll take it from me, etc. I know now that was NOT true....
I think that as a midwife, you can help her through the emotional and psychological stuff more than actually being able to help the problem get resolved. I had so many TERRIBLE feelings and tons of guilt, (failing body, incapable, killing the baby, worthless to my other child and family, wanting to just die...) which are way worse to experience than the hyperemesis. Well, may not!
Also, I have heard recently of a bacteria called Helicobacter Pylori
(H. Pylori) that may have something to do with it.
My comment on this - water is hypotonic, and many women in pregnancy
can only tolerate plain water in small amounts. For those women,
I suggest diluting sports drinks or clear juice to the point where there
is a little flavor and drinking that instead. Most juices and sodas
are hypertonic, and that is why they tend to further dehydrate. Mineral
waters are also often better tolerated for much the same reasons.
For treatment, I have my compounding pharmacist make up an oral suspension
of doxylamine (unisom) and pyridoxine (Vit B6) in a flavor of the mom's
choice (default is peppermint). Standard dose is 10 mg/25 mg per
5 ml, but I have been known to vary that. I also have in office a
transdermal phenergan that works really well acutely. I have also
had good results with the preggiepops.
For women who are constipated and experiencing severe nausea, it makes
sense to work to relieve the constipation first. It's possible that
the pregnancy hormones are being reabsorbed from the intestines when passage
is so slow.
Recently I read something that said there is a correlation between nausea/vomitting
in early preg and dehydration. Simply getting the woman to drink
a lot more fluid can help.
Liquid chlorophyll aids and improves the digestive system and cleansing
toxins in the digestive tract. It is also high in calcium and iron
so that can also aid general health. The brand I get suggests 15mls a day,
but I take 25mls about lunch time and after a week it has made an amazing
impact. I still have the odd bout of nausea but have found that it
occurs when I have taken the chlorophyll later than usual or actually missed
a dose the day before. It is not something that can harm so trying
it can't hurt. It is a disgusting colour and the majority of brands
are flavoured with peppermint oil which is also in itself a tummy settler.
A
literature review of the effectiveness of ginger in alleviating mild-to-moderate
nausea and vomiting of pregnancy.
Bryer E.
J Midwifery Womens Health. 2005 Jan-Feb;50(1):e1-3.
"Mild-to-moderate nausea and vomiting of pregnancy affects up to 80%
of all pregnancies. Concern about antiemetic use and the time-limited nature
of symptoms has restrained the development of effective treatment approaches,
yet supportive, dietary, and lifestyle changes may be ineffective. This
article reviews 4 recent well-controlled, double-blind, randomized clinical
studies that provide convincing evidence for the effectiveness of ginger
in treating nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. It also provides a dosage
update for the various forms of ginger." [Full text]
Ginger
Reduces Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy [Medscape registration is
free]
Ginger root is a life saver for many. I have had at least 2 women who
were on Phenergan and in bed, who were able to get off the drugs and be
up and around with ginger. It's worth a try anyway. I give 2 capsules 3
times per day.
If Ginger is tried, it should be taken as 1 gram of powder daily, in
4 divided doses. Use for short periods of time, and do not exceed 1 g.
daily. No reported side effects. (pg. 116 Herbal Prescriptions for Better
Health by Donald J. Brown, ND) The author cites a Danish study: Fischer-Rasmussen
W, Kjaer SK, et al.: Ginger Treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum. Eur J
Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 38:19-24, 1990.
Milk Thistle- This should contain 80% silymarin, the active ingredient, 280-420 mg. daily in 3 divided doses. It is available from Metagenics/Ethical Nutrients at 800-647-6100. The book The Naturally Healthy Pregnancy, a Guide to the Childbearing Years by Shonda Parker would be a good resource for this. 1-888-HERB-101.
MT is essentially free of side effects and is considered safe to use
during pregnancy and lactation. (pg. 152 Herbal Prescriptions.) Many references
are listed in the back of the book supporting its use in aiding liver function.
Too many to list.
[from ob-gyn-l]
I have been using ginger root for nausea for about four years. I start
them out with 1000-1100mg q AM and then every 6-8 hrs as needed. Ginger
root has been well studied and is more effective than Dramamine for treatment
of motion sickness. I also add Vit. B6 100mg BID. Works over 95% of the
time.
We use ginger in many forms for relief of nausea. It can be in the form
of ginger root capsules (desiccated ginger....same stuff used for cooking),
tea made from freshly grated ginger, ginger ale (with real, rather than
artificial ginger), ginger cookies, a product called Ginger Works which
is ginger in some sort of thick, sweet syrup. There are actually controlled
clinical trials which showed that ginger was more effective than Dramamine
for motion sickness (don't have the reference, but could find it.) The
study involved spinning folk in those space simulators, and measuring the
time until they vomited....demonstrated the superiority of ginger over
Dramamine.
Two articles are in the literature.
1. Erick,M Vitamin B-6 and Ginger root in Morning Sickness J.Am. Dietetic Assn. 1995;95:416
2. Fischer-Rasmussen and Dahl Eur. J Obstet. Gynecol And Repro. Biol. 1991;38:19
There are several on Ginger to treat other forms of nausea including
motion sickness and post anesthetic..
See also: Comfort Measures for
Labor - Cannabis/Marijuana
The issue of hyperemesis gravidarum is so serious that we should leave no avenue of research unexplored in the efforts to help the suffering women and their babies. You've probably all heard stories of women with such severe vomiting that their doctors recommended terminating the pregnancy rather than put their own health in serious jeopardy and with the knowledge of the damage that the severe malnutrition was doing to the baby. So . . . I think we really need to pay attention to something as seemingly effective and harmless as medical marijuana.
In reading through the information available on the web about marijuana
and pregnancy, I came across several references to the increased
risk of pregnancy among teens who smoke marijuana. Well . . .
that risk certainly doesn't apply to this situation! <grin>
Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base from , with a brief
reference to marijuana and
pregnancy.
The May/June issue of Mothering Magazine features an article entitled "Medical Marijuan - A Surprising Solution to Severe Morning Sickness". This is well worth reading and deserves serious medical attention. I would much rather see my clients smoking occasional medical marijuana than taking some of those new anti-nausea pharmaceuticals, which are Category C and D!
Medical
Marijuana: A Surprising Solution to Severe Morning Sickness
By Erin Hildebrandt
Issue 124 May/June 2004
References from H.E.R. - Hyperemesis Education and Research Foundation:
Eran Kozer, et. al.
Effects of prenatal
exposure to marijuana.
International Association for Cannabis as Medicine
Does
cannabis/THC do harm to the fetus if it is used during pregnancy?
Washington Hemp Education Network
Cannabis Indications
I've heard chiropractors say that they've often helped women with hyperemesis.
They've also noticed a correlation between hyperemesis and TMJ problems,
or a history of wearing braces.
Between 1 and 2% of pregnant women experience hyperemesis gravidarum, or severe morning sickness. A randomized, placebo-controlled crossover study found that stimulating acupuncture point PC6 helps ease nausea and vomiting. Thirty-three women (average age 28.4 years) were divided into two groups. Group A received deep needle insertion at the PC6 point on both forearms three times per day for 30 minutes. Group B received a form of placebo acupuncture, with a needle inserted superficially approximately four inches above the wrist on each arm. On days one and two of the eight-day study, each group received their treatments; after two more days of no treatment, the procedures were switched for each group. Each day, the women rated degree of nausea and recorded instances of vomiting. Those women given active acupuncture experienced a "significantly faster reduction of nausea" compared with those who received a placebo. This reduction was seen in both groups; identical results were seen in each group when the treatment was switched. The incidence of vomiting was also reduced in both groups, with a much greater reduction seen in those receiving active acupuncture. Daily vomiting had been reported by all 22 women at the study onset; by day three less than half of the women in the active group were still vomiting compared with 75% of those in the placebo group.
-Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, October 2000;20(4):273-279.
Acupuncture
May Facilitate Recovery From Hyperemesis Gravidarum [Medscape registration
is free]
I recently had a client with severe hyperemesis, on home IV's with a
PIC line, etc. She went to our local acupuncturist and reported immediate
relief with the first puncture. It lasted about two days. The
acupuncturist also gave her a lot of interesting dietary info. The
return of the nausea was frustrating, and the client was unable to continue
paying (>$100/session) for it, but the relief was dramatic.
Someone once told me about an acupressure point on your ear that when squeezed will completely take away your nausea. I've never had a chance to find out first hand as I didn't get it until my 2nd trimester with my last birth and I completely skipped my first trimester this time without the morning sickness, but I have shared it with others and everyone who has tried it now swears by it.
Basically, the area is right on the outside edge of your ear - right
across from the opening. Stick your finger in your ear and then slide
it across to the outside edge. On my ear (and I haven't looked at
others to see if they have it : ) I can run my finger down the inside of
the outside ridge of my ear and feel a little bump. The 'right' spot
is just below it. Many people notice a sore spot there when you squeeze
it. If you feel a tender area there, you've found the right place.
Whenever you feel the nausea, just find the place and squeeze that area
with a good amount of pressure and hold it for 30 seconds. If the nausea
is still there, you can hold it for up to 2 minutes. And you can
use either ear or even alternate if you wish.
"Sea Bands" are the most effective remedy for morning sickness that
is freely available. You will find them at travel agents as well as some
health food stores.
The ReliefBand® device is a watch-like device worn on the ventral side of the wrist. When activated, the device emits a low-level electrical current across two small electrodes on its underside. The ReliefBand® device is the first patented, commercially available Nausea-Vomiting device to reach the clinical marketplace.
The ReliefBand® NST(TM) device is indicated for use in the treatment
of nausea and vomiting (NV) due to chemotherapy, motion sickness, and pregnancy.
P6 was 3 fingerbreadths up (toward the elbow) from the wrist joint on
the inner part of the arm (the flexor surface). Apparently this works for
any kind of nausea (including chemotherapy -induced nausea).
P6 or Nei Kuan is three fingers' breadths from the wrist crease, between
the 2 central flexor tendons (flexor carpi radialis). The wristbands are
used to provide pressure on this point. the hypothesis is that stimulation
releases endorphins...therefore you would want stimulation for as long
as nausea occurs. Most people like to take a break from the bands, since
round the clock pressure can cause some numbness in the fingers, if the
bands are too tight, and redness under the button.
References include:
Hyde, E. Acupressure therapy for morning sickness. A controlled clinical trial. Journal of Nurse-Midwifery 34(4):171-8, 1989
Belluomini, J., Litt, RC., Lee, KA., Katz, M. Acupressure for nausea and vomiting of pregnancy: A randomized, blinded study. Obstetrics and Gynecology 84(2):245-8, 1994
Dundee, JW., McMillan, CM. Clinical uses of P6 acupuncture antiemesis
(Review). Acupuncture and Electro-Therapeutics Research 15(3-4):211-5,
1990.
I have a section in my teaching outline I call "Universal GI Remedies." It's sort of a shotgun approach to these things since they tend to be related.
For several years now we have recommended Spirutein protein shake, available
at health food stores. It comes in several appetizing flavors. Some health
food stores have little sample packets, so you can decide which one you
like the best. We have found that priming the protein pump is the most
effective way to prevent/manage pregnancy nausea. Works wonders. You HAVE
to force yourself to do it, though. Most people who force it for a couple
of days, will then find themselves dramatically better. People who say
they are too sick to try, remain that way. It is not a cure, but it sure
does help. You should do 2 shakes a day, if you can -- morning and evening.
You can mix the protein powder with milk, soy milk, rice dream, whatever
you drink, plus you can blend it with all sorts of fruits, to make it a
more palatable "smoothie". We hand out the recommendation to all of our
clients. It is also great for people with low energy, and is great for
late pregnancy when your uterus is heavy, and you can't get much food in.
You can use other brands of protein, also -- Shaklee is also good.
Expecting Mom - I'm somewhat
leery of powdered nutrition, but this does seem to be an option for women
who need a little something extra. "Expecting Mom contains a fruit
and vegetable mix that makes it more than a prenatal supplement. It makes
a great substitute for those days when it is tough to keep things down."
1-888-665-8243
Wow! It's so sad that someone would think that morning sickness is a measure of good health! In my practice I find that it indicates a condition of kidney toxicity usually secondary to a diet too high in refined carbohydrates. I recommend dietary changes in combination with herbal and enzyme formulas that are extremely effective. I don't think I've ever seen a case of morning sickness that was unresponsive.
On a related note, Cholestasis of Pregnancy is also very treatable with natural remedies. I feel so frustrated that women are told "it's just part of pregnancy"!
I feel, as I'm sure all of you do, that a healthy pregnancy leads to
optimal health for the child. Symptoms to look for: cravings for
salt or sugar (can indicate adrenal stress), mid back pain or gas/bloating
(can indicate pancreas stress), moving bowels less than 1x/day (liver stress).
I am going to try a preventative program to try to bypass that ever
worsening vomiting. One theory is that the body is trying to rid itself
of toxins by vomiting. We store toxins in our liver. Supposedly, if Milk
Thistle (standardized to 80 mg. silymarin) is taken consistently before
pregnancy and during the first trimester, the liver will gently detox,
and hyperemesis can be avoided. I will find references and post them another
time. Has anyone tried or heard of this?
Have you read "Protecting Your Baby to Be", by Marjie Profet? She is an evolutionary biologist who has researched and tries to explain WHY morning sickness (early pregnancy sickness) happens. It's new, but so far I can see how she might very well be right. She suggests that women instinctively have aversions to different natural toxins in various foods that we "civilized" people have lost touch with over the years. Or our foods that are too processed - or washed off too much even - make us not realize what we should avoid. She has suggestions for pregnancy nutrition that are totally different in the first trimester from the 2nd two. I had terrible morning sickness with the first and partially with my 2nd but reading this book - I think - helped me. I tried all its' suggestions and they worked! I think it also helped psychologically to have a reason behind it and to understand a simple plan to avoid "bad" foods; to feel more in control and to be reassured that not eating a lot isn't a horrible thing in early pregnancy.
She basically said that white breads and rice and other grains, fresh
fruit and dairy products are almost toxin-free and ok to eat. Everything
else has various levels, and the worst to eat are vegetables! Also, spicy
foods and many herbs, including many that are commonly used in everyday
recipes. Salt is ok and important. I really recommend reading it - even
if just out of curiosity.
I am curious about this book since I saw her speak on the old America's
Talking Network when she was touring the talk shows about the book. The
theory makes sense: that we get nauseated to help us avoid plant material
that contains tetratogenic compounds. I know that if a ewe eats skunk cabbage
on the 21st day of gestation her lamb will have only one eye and that in
the center of its forehead. (:-o But during her segment she went on and
on about how women need to avoid many kinds of veggies, cruciferous ones
in particular, but she didn't give any information about what veggies women
CAN eat. This concerned me as this occurred about the time the big Folic
Acid campaign was going on. Does she give more info in the book about "safe"
veggies?
My dentist suggested using Colgate toothpaste because it foams less
than most of the others - and to use a teeny tiny amount. She might also
do better with a smaller brush, like a kids brush for right now.
The demands of baby's growth in late pregnancy can lead to low blood
sugar for women who simply aren't used to eating larger amounts.
These women may do well with a sports drinks with protein, such as Accelerade.
Dizziness and nausea isn't too uncommon in late pregnancy -- but it's
usually a late afternoon sort of thing related to skipping meals. When
it happens at night -- and when it is vomiting (not just nausea) ya gotta
think of diabetes or pre-eclampsia. She may be just fine -- probably is
just fine -- but her bp needs close watch. And some blood work would be
very nice to have! (if these symptoms don't disappear -- and she didn't
object, and could afford it, I'd want at least an cbc -- and i'd love a
liver panel) does she have recent labs? What's her hgb/hct?
I see this occur in a small but consistent subset of otherwise healthy
gravidas and usually chalk it up to hypoglycemia and remind them to increase
protein with a little bit of fat and watch the (empty) calories.
Could be stomach flu. Could be low blood sugar (that makes me vomit).
But mostly, I'd want to rule out HELPP syndrome. That was the only presenting
symptom in a client a couple of years back.
I have been very impressed by the Pekana remedies. Although it would be best to work with a naturopath or other practitioner knowledgeable about these things, you could reasonably do your own pre-conception detox with the Big Three Detox & Drainage Kit.
Disclosure: If you purchase these products by following
the link above, I receive a small commission on the sale; the proceeds
go towards paying the expenses involved in maintaining these web pages.
I have done a very small study on the way to prevent HG. I had a client
who threw up 7 times a day for 5 months. When she was planning the next
pregnancy, I had to go on a cleansing diet for 3 months prior to conception.
She at no meat, fat, sugar, caffeine, additives, preservatives, etc. etc.
She ate a perfect diet for three months and had no morning sickness with
the next pregnancy. NONE!!!. We tried this with 3 other girls and it worked.
I would give it a try. Our small sampling has shown great results.
This is a sample size of one, but an older mom had co-incidentally done
a liver cleanse (including 20 grams vitamin C daily) for a couple of weeks
before her pregnancy, and she had absolutely no nausea.
Adverse infant outcomes in hyperemesis elucidated - Poor maternal weight gain is the most likely factor underlying the link between hyperemesis gravidarum and adverse infant outcomes, say experts.
Outcomes
of pregnancies complicated by hyperemesis gravidarum.
Dodds L, Fell DB, Joseph KS, Allen VM, Butler B.
Obstet Gynecol. 2006 Feb;107(2):285-92.
CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that the adverse infant
outcomes associated with hyperemesis are a consequence of, and mostly limited
to, women with poor maternal weight gain.
Hyperemesis
Program - Memorial Women's Hospital at Long Beach Memorial Medical
Center
I am working with a mom who was hospitalized several times during her
first pregnancy for hyperemesis. Any suggestions for major morning sickness?
Hyperemesis gravidarum is a tough cookie to treat. After trial and error, and consultation with my perinatologist friends, here is what I do. Granted, although I practice in a rural setting I do have access to techno-medicine. Do understand that all of this is strictly anecdotal. I would love to see some good research on this topic. I also really like what I read in Miriam Erickson's book "No More Morning Sickness".
The first thing I try are the simple stuff, midwifery stuff like ginger capsules, acupressure bands, grandma's tummy mint tea. For acute dehydration (weight loss, ketosis) a shot of B-6 with phenergan, and IV fluids until the ketosis is corrected. Then try feeding the mom slowly and have her take B-6 50 mg q hs. Sometimes use OTC Unisom with the B-6. Give the mom a jar of ketostix and have her check her urine regularly. Be prepared to tank her up with an IV as needed. My perinatologist recommends Reglan as an anti-emetic.
I haven't yet done H. Pylori studies on a mom with hyperemesis. I currently
have a mom in her last trimester with recurrent nausea and vomiting that
I am going to do them on. I will have to consult about treatment if she's
positive. I did have a mom who had been on prilosec and something else
(don't remember exactly, don't have the chart right now!) throughout her
pregnancy for her severe GERD. The perinatologist said that it was important
for her to stay on her meds throughout as the potential complications should
she get out of control with her GERD were more hazardous than the drugs
during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It's a tough problem. And I really
think that the nausea and vomiting create the ambivalence about the pregnancy,
not the other way. I have been blessed in my pregnancies to avoid vomiting
for the most part. The thought of vomiting multiple times daily just makes
me shudder.
I have had success with major morning sickness with an herbal blend
of linden and meadowsweet- if she still gets bad off, an IV to replace
her fluids can be used at home to prevent hospitalization....if you can't
do that try a large very slow enema filled with plain Pedialyte and warm
water. This works fine if you have time to hang out and minister to her
all day. She will also need to get some reliable help for the next few
weeks. Tell her not to be shy about it, and get commitments, perhaps as
gifts instead of a baby shower! I get the blend from Blessed Herbs and
just use as needed.
While suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum during my third pregnancy,
I repeatedly asked my obstetrician whether the corticosteroids had somehow
prevented me from developing hyperemesis during my second pregnancy --
an idea which she readily discarded. I have since learned that the
successful use of steroids to treat intractable hyperemesis gravidarum
has been reported in several medical journals. See, for example,
Goodwin T. (1998) "Hyperemesis
Gravidarum," Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology," 41(3):597-605, Taylor
R. (1996) Quarterly
Journal of Medicine, 89:2, 103-107, and Nelson-Piercy C., de Swiet M. (1994)
British Journal of Obstetrics
and Gynaecology, 101:1013-5.
Obviously, corticosteroid use should be reserved for those patients
who fail to respond to more conventional treatment. During my third
pregnancy, I was given every anti-emetic known to man, including Zofran,
and I was put on total parenteral nutrition via a centrally placed double-lumen
groshong catheter (spelling?). Yet, I continued to vomit blood-streaked
bile. Ultimately, my pregnancy was terminated. I believe that
steroid use could have relieved my suffering and allowed me to continue
the pregnancy. Thus, I strongly encourage you to research this issue
and consider recommending steroids for the most severe cases, particularly
when the mother is considering termination.
For more information, contact Linda.
For shock and collapse due to hemorrhage or any other cause, the patient
may be given an enema of saline solution. the enema is prepared by mixing
a heaped teaspoonful of common salt in a pint of boiling water. About a
teacupful of this, cooled to a temperature of 100 deg F., which is warmish
but not hot, should be injected slowly into the rectum and repeated at
intervals of three to four hours.
Recently someone referred to a linkage of hyperemesis to hyperthyroidism..
Well, we did TFT's on two hyperemesis patients since her comment, and both
have come up with labs c/w hyperthyroidism. Of course our current back-up
doesn't believe in the connection, and disputes the validity/accuracy of
our lab instead. (Since HE didn't read it in the literature). Anyway, if
anyone has a resource, citation or whatever, please let me know.
This link is well established but little known. I first saw a publication
on the subject in Br.J.Obstet.Gynaecol. in ~1984/85. It's worthwhile checking
TFT's if hyperemesis is really persistent. The abnormal thyroid function
may be the cause or the result of the hyperemesis, but treatment of thyroid
dysfunction may help the nausea.
Before you do the tests it's a good idea to look for a goiter. It can
be so embarrassing to do the TFT's, get them back abnormal, refer to your
local ( very clever ) endocrinologist, only for him to comment on the obvious
toxic goiter !
Round here, phenergan suppositories are the trick! TERRIFIC (and they
usually work). Perhaps she should ask her OB if she should increase the
dosage?
Each capsule contains 25 mg Vit B6 (pyridox), 5 mg Unisom (the OTC sleeping
medication that is not Benadryl) and 1/4 mg folic acid.
Unisom is the new name for Bendectin minus the B6 that was in Bendectin.
But didn't they stop giving Bendectin for morning sickness because of
teratogenic effects? I can't find Bendectin in any of my pharm. books...maybe
they're all too new?
No, there was never any proof that Bendectin caused any problems at
all. It was voluntarily taken off the market by the drug company because
it became too expensive to insure for liability due to a few law suits.
Ah well, now here is the thing. As a result of all the accusations about
Bendectin, it is now the best studied agent for treatment of nausea, and
lots of good research to show it quite safe. The problem is the bad publicity.
Also the problem to me is that it is easy to jump on this thing, and say,
don't worry, we have these lovely pills to help you. Where is the research
to get at the heart of nausea in pregnancy and prevent things. We need
more research on other methods too, so we don't get complacent. But Ontario
midwives are allowed to prescribe it, but my partner just prescribed it
for the first time in 3 years.
You are right, Bendectin was taken off the market in the early 70's,
but not because IT was teratogenic. It was taken off the market because
of Thalidomide, and the awful limb deformities caused by that antinausea
medication. I have on file (somewhere) copies of all the articles written
about the studies done on all the components of Bendectin and none of them,
individually or together, were ever found to cause an identifiable defect.
The pharmaceutical company simply didn't want to be the target of any
more lawsuits, and so stopped making it.
A local midwife from the area who is not on-line with us is curious
about the discussion of Unisom/Bendectin. Does anyone out there use it
for pregnancy nausea, and if so what dosage do you recommend?
B6 50mg tabs-1 tab po tid or qid in combination with Bendectin 25mg-1
tab po tid or qid.
NOTE - Avoid confusing Unisom Tablets with Unisom SleepGels, which contain
a different medication.
I usually try vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) on its own first, 25 mg 3-4 times
daily, not to exceed 100 mg a day.
If she doesn't feel better after two days of this, I keep giving the
above dose of B6 and add the antihistamine found in Unisom - 12.5 mg of
doxylamine 3-4 times a day. (Note that the active ingredient in Unisom
is actually diphenhydramine, not doxylamine. The doxylamine might
make her sleepy, since it is an antihistamine, but not as sleepy as taking
Unisom) Some compounding pharmacies will make this combination for
your patient.
One of my clients found that royal jelly helped her nausea; this makes
sense because of its high vitamin content.
Unisom (doxylamine) and
vitamin B6 for morning sickness from University Health Services of
Eastern Carolina
I have my compounding pharmacist make up an oral suspension that is
10 mg doxylamine (Unisom) and 10 mg pyridoxine(Vit B6) in 5ml of a peppermint
syrup (if some one really can't handle mint he will use a different flavor
but I think the mint adds to the efficacy). This can be taken up
tto 4 times daily if needed but the sleepiness from the doxylamine may
be a limiting factor. I have had some women with persistent
nausea that have continued to use this throughout pregnancy.
However, persistent nausea that starts after about 24 weeks ( or that
recurs around then after ending around 12-13 weeks) is often due to reflux,
and is better treated with famotidine or ranitidine (Pepcid, Zantac).
Also, don't forget that some persistent nausea and vomiting may be due
to H. Pylori.
It was a midwife who introduced me to Vitamin B6 for hyperemesis. I
did a placebo controlled, double blind, crossover study under the direction
of Dr. Kochenour at Univ of Utah for my thesis. I researched all the way
back to the early days of this century when vitamins were first discovered,
and still have not found out why it works, but my study showed it does.
This is what I do:
When a patient first comes in complaining of vomiting, but still not
too peaked looking, I start her on something we called "Pyridox Plus" (with
the pharmacist who helped us by formulating it for us. Each capsule contains
25 mg Vit B6 (pyridox), 5 mg Unisom (the OTC sleeping medication that is
not benedryl) and 1/4 mg folic acid. They take it: one midmorning, one
midafternoon, and two at bedtime. (The folic acid addition makes it reimbursable
by Medicaid) I insist that they eat small meals every 1 1/2 hours, whether
or not they throw them up. And not too much. A handful of pretzels with
a little bite of cheese, etc. I recommend they sip either a caffeinated
drink or tea with caffeine, hot or cold, all day.
If these measures do not work, I teach the spouse to give Vit B6 shots,
and Rx a multidose vial of B6, and give them handfuls of alcohol swabs,
3 cc syringes, and strict instructions on how to handle the dirty needles.
They can even save them in a peanut butter jar and bring them back to me
for final disposal. The first week they get 100 mg, every day. I personally
like to get mine at bedtime with 25 mg Phenergan added. The second week,
we go to 150 mg, three times during the week. The third week, we go to
100-150 mg, depending on how they are doing, twice a week. Stays at this
level until they are all better. At my defense, Dr. Kochenour asked how
I knew when that point had been reached. I told him it was when I felt
so much better, all day, every day, that my husband could no longer catch
me to give me the shot! Some people need this all the way through.
For those worried about toxicity, my research showed that more than
500 mg/day was the toxic level, whether it was PO or IM, or even IV. (In
early studies women got 1500 mg IV). There are no reports of teratogenic
effects, but anyone, fetuses or grownups, can start having neural s/s,
tremors, etc. when on sustained doses over 500 mg/day. None of my 100 patients
who stayed at 150 or below, even every day, had any problems.
We give 100mg iv B6 in the office, but only weekly. I have tried to
convince my partners that weekly injections are meaningless....so am glad
to see your research that qd is ok. Have you published this, or is your
thesis available through interlibrary loan?
Treatment
A hydrating enema is an oldtime treatment (an invention from the days before
IVs). Any nourishing substance can be absorbed by/through the bowel. Some
might need a cleansing enema first; then a slightly sweet- slightly salty
liquid is given. Pedialyte will work.. so will one tablespoon of sugar
to one teaspoon salt to one quart of water (rough home equivalent for rehydration
solution), some would advise weak raspberryl eaf tea and a little honey
(and perhaps a pinch of salt). Give it warm, SLOWLY; you will probably
be surprised at how well this is absorbed and tolerated.
Hyperemesis and Hyperthyroid
Phenergan Suppositories
Bendectin
Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, and Unisom
Vitamin K and B6 Shots
I have a friend who is 12 wks pregnant and was very sick and dehydrated
before the administration of vit K and B6 shots. She gets them every Mon.
She can feel them start to wear off around Sat. By Tues she can eat and
keep food down. She still feels a slight barfy throughout the week but
it beats heading to the Dr. office for IV's.
Vitamin B6 Shots and Unisom
B-6 and Unisom - I do the B-6 (called pyridoxine) IM, order from any major
medical prod distrib and it works very well. Unisom - 1/2 or 1 2x/day is
all I have had to use. Plus all of the other great natural things like
ginger root or yellow dock; and my favorite book, from ICEA or your bookstore
- "No More Morning Sickness"
Oral Vitamin B6 and Unisom
I contacted my pharmacist and he immediately knew about Oral B6 and Unisom
(yes, the sleeping pill) combination. You take B6 (the vitamin) in the
morning and Unisom at night. I tried it and it really takes away the nausea.
You still get those hourly hunger needs, but the nausea is gone and you
can actually cope with the day. And a better bonus...you get the best night
sleep ever.
Hyperemesis and Vitamin B6
I did my thesis on hyperemesis and Vit B6. (They said to choose a topic
that would hold your interest for two years, and since I do the hyperemesis
thing myself, I chose barf.)
IV Vitamin B6 and Unisom
Bendectin, the only preparation shown to be effective for morning sickness
was a combination of B6 and doxylamine....the antihistamine which makes
up Unisom! Interesting that you came 'round to this too!
Unisom
I recommend Unisom for morning sickness. Recommend 1 tab plus 25 mg B6
bid-tid. (Make sure it is the doxylamine unisom....there are some other
kinds.)
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