Morning sickness is a rite of passage for pregnant women, but what are “normal” symptoms? Check out this extensive morning sickness guide to learn more.

If you suspect you’re pregnant, you may be wondering, “when does morning sickness start?” Or you might be curious about how severe morning sickness is for the average pregnant person. These are normal, great questions to have, but the answers aren’t as cut-and-dry as you might think. Pregnancy symptoms can vary significantly from one pregnant woman to another. So what’s “normal” for you may not be “normal” for someone else, and vice versa.

Morning sickness is one of the earliest symptoms of pregnancy. But different women experience it in different ways. If it’s your first time with a bun in the oven, you’re probably wondering how much pregnancy nausea is normal. Even if you’ve done this whole rodeo before, you might be a little worried because this time feels different from your previous pregnancy.

To help put your mind at ease, here are a few things you should know about morning sickness, what’s considered “normal,” and what you can do to minimize vomiting, nausea, and other morning sickness symptoms.

Morning sickness is one of the most dreaded early pregnancy symptoms. Some women say pregnancy nausea feels a lot like motion sickness. Others only get slightly nauseous but feel fairly normal otherwise. Morning sickness may come with or without mild vomiting. Severe vomiting isn’t considered a “normal” part of morning sickness and should be discussed with your OB/GYN.

Medical professionals think that our hormones are primarily responsible for the waves of nausea we feel in early pregnancy. The hormone thought to be most responsible is human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG for short). This is the pregnancy hormone that supports the normal development of the fertilized egg after being implanted in the uterine wall.

HCG is the hormone that pregnancy tests look for in the urine. If there’s no HCG, there’s probably no embryo (unless you took the test too early). If HCG is detected in your urine, your pregnancy test will display those highly anticipated double pink or blue lines.

If you’re wondering when morning sickness starts, the answer is usually around the sixth week of pregnancy. But for some women, it can happen earlier or later than that.

Though it may seem like a negative thing, morning sickness is actually a good indication of a healthy pregnancy. This is not to say that you should worry if you don’t start feeling nauseous between weeks six to 12 of pregnancy. All pregnancies are different, and there’s a lot of mystery surrounding why some women get extreme morning sickness while others feel no different at all.

For some women, morning sickness comes on gradually in early pregnancy. For others, rapidly changing hormone levels cause pregnancy nausea and vomiting to arrive like a wrecking ball without warning. Pregnancy sickness may be exacerbated by other common symptoms associated with pregnancy, such as acid reflux and electrolyte imbalance.

Most women start to feel some morning sickness relief by the time they reach the third trimester (around week 12). When morning sickness ends, a lot of women start to feel higher energy levels and better moods.

The first trimester can feel a lot like a roller coaster because your hormones are changing drastically. But those dreaded mood swings tend to calm down in the second trimester. Your belly is also big enough in this trimester that most people realize you’re pregnant instead of speculating that you’ve just gained a lot of belly weight recently!

Now that we’ve talked about what to expect in a typical pregnancy, it’s time to address the rare circumstances when morning sickness simply doesn’t end. Severe nausea and vomiting that lasts the entire pregnancy is something we wish no woman had to experience. But it does happen to some.

We don’t fully understand why some women’s pregnancies are associated with lasting and severe symptoms. But we do know there are some prescription medications you can take that are safe for Baby and could help you get through the difficulties of pregnancy-related nausea. You may want to bring up anti-nausea medication options with your doctor if you need relief.

You may also want to look into potential underlying causes for your nausea and vomiting. It’s possible that you’re deficient in one or more nutrients (vitamin B6 deficiency is commonly associated with stomach pain, nausea, and digestive problems).

Remember, you have another little human to share your nutrients with, so you need to make sure you’re getting enough for both of you. Taking a vitamin B6 supplement or a product that contains folate (preferred over folic acid) such as Herbaby may help.

If you suffer from frequent nausea caused by heartburn during pregnancy, try to avoid triggering foods. Spicy food, chocolate, and dairy can cause heartburn, indigestion, and morning sickness symptoms for many women.

There is a pervasive myth that you’re likely to experience a pregnancy loss if you don't have morning sickness. But that isn’t true at all. While some research shows a link between morning sickness and decreased miscarriage risk, many women go through their entire pregnancies without feeling sick and still have healthy babies.

If you’re ever concerned by your lack of nausea or vomiting during early pregnancy, have a talk with your OB/GYN. They can check things out to make sure your little one is developing normally.

Mild nausea and even some vomiting are to be expected during the first trimester. But what if your symptoms are severe? At what point should you see your doctor? It turns out there are some things to look out for because they could indicate a serious condition such as hyperemesis gravidarum or severe dehydration. So call your healthcare provider or seek emergency care if you experience any of the following:

• Severe vomiting with blood (which may sometimes look like coffee grounds)
• Morning sickness that continues to worsen, despite drinking sports rehydration liquids, taking ginger tea, or trying other remedies
• Noticeable weight loss
• Nausea and vomiting that continues into your second or third trimesters
• Severe pain in your stomach
• Vaginal bleeding
• Low blood sugar symptoms (such as dizziness, confusion, and heart palpitations)
• Signs of dehydration

Hyperemesis gravidarum is the technical term for severe vomiting, stomach pain, and nausea during pregnancy. Unfortunately, if it isn’t promptly treated, hyperemesis gravidarum can lead to dehydration and may impact kidney function. It can also threaten the life of Mama and Baby, so it should be taken very seriously.

Supplementing with Herbaby may help improve your pregnancy symptoms (including morning sickness). The pregnancy-safe formula contains folate and vitamin B6, which can help reduce nausea, upset stomach, and other undesirable pregnancy symptoms. It also contains nutrients known to decrease the risk of congenital disabilities while simultaneously improving Mom’s energy levels and brain function.

Taking care of the female body during pregnancy and throughout life isn’t as complicated as it seems, especially when you have access to safe, organic products formulated specifically for women. Want to learn more? Check out Mixhers resources and discover surprising facts and tips about improving menstrual health, optimizing your intimate desires, and becoming an unstoppable advocate for female health.