NVP Counselor
Date: 2006-01-03

Question:
When I was pregnant and had morning sickness, my midwife explained to me that morning sickness is a result of low blood sugar. She suggested not going too long without intake of healthy sugar-producing food. I drank a little juice before bedtime, a little juice when I woke up to pee at night (or else a little yogurt and fruit), and some juice first thing in the morning and had no more problems whatsoever. I am surprised not to see info about this all over. It was such a simple, non-medical solution. Is this not common knowledge, or not accepted by the medical community?

Answer:
We recommend that women who are experiencing NVP should always eat small amounts, ie., one or two bites every hour, to ensure that the stomach is never empty, and to drink liquids on a regular basis, though not together with food. This is similar to the advice you got from your midwife. It helps with the nausea, and helps to avoid lower blood sugar.

But blood sugar alone is not the cause of NVP. Nor is it routinely checked, unless someone is already so predisposed. The advice that you got (although it worked for you), is not always enough for women with NVP. Other treatments are often needed.