The Prospective Mother, a Handbook for Women During PregnancySlemons, J. Morris (Josiah Morris)
Science
The Prospective Mother, a Handbook for Women During Pregnancy
Slemons, J. Morris (Josiah Morris)
Obstetrics; Pregnancy
Most frequently it will be found that there is nothing serious the
matter. The vomiting ceases or, at least, it becomes less troublesome
as soon as the diet has been more carefully arranged, constipation
has been corrected, or other hygienic details, such as outdoor
recreation and mental diversion, have received the attention
requisite for good health. In a much smaller group of cases the
restoration of the womb to a proper position or the treatment of some
other local condition, which can generally be remedied without
difficulty, is all that is necessary. But finally, in extremely rare
instances, the vomiting of pregnancy is due to a definite disease
whose existence may be recognized by special methods of analyzing the
urine. In any case, if the physician is given an opportunity to make
the necessary observations and thus determine the variety of the
vomiting, no time will be lost in beginning effective treatment. In
an overwhelming majority of the cases, as I have said, nothing
serious will be found; and then the control of the vomiting will lie
within the power of the patient herself.
Since nausea is usually experienced in the morning on rising from the
recumbent to the upright posture, measures to prevent an attack
should be begun even before the patient raises her head from the
pillow. In the first place something to eat should be taken as soon
as she awakens. The most satisfactory results follow eating two or
three pieces of crisp toast or a Bent's cracker (sold by grocers),
either of which should be thoroughly chewed and swallowed without
taking anything to drink. Good results are also obtained, though less
uniformly, from eating other food, such as fruit, oatmeal, or eggs.
The benefit secured from this procedure is explained, perhaps, by the
activity of the digestive organs and the effect of that activity upon
the circulation of the blood. The food eaten before rising is not
intended to take the place of breakfast, which ordinarily will be
eaten later. Furthermore, it is essential to remain in bed until half
an hour after the food was taken; and not to rise then unless
perfectly comfortable. Anyone who is inclined to be nauseated should
get up slowly and dress leisurely, sitting down as much as possible
while putting on the clothes. If breakfast is not desired at once, it
should not be forced, but some food should be eaten between early
morning and noon.
It is an exceedingly good rule to bend every effort toward escaping
the initial attack of nausea, for in this way one soon gains
confidence, and overcomes the depressing habit of being continually
on the watch for the symptom, lest she be taken unawares.
Exceptionally, however, patients feel more comfortable if they vomit
in the morning; this may be helpful, for example, if a large meal has
been eaten just before retiring the previous night.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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