Morning sickness - natural remedies and cures

by Milly Bernice

Morning sickness is one of the first signs of pregnancy and most mothers-to-be will get some form of it. Mookychick strides forth proudly to present mooky mommas with some natural remedies and cures for this blighted and unwelcome visitor.

For most, morning sickness will happen through the first trimester, and then may come back again in the last. It occasionally happens for the whole pregnancy. It is misnamed though; morning sickness is rarely restricted to just mornings. It is, for many, all day sickness.

There are a number of theories as to why morning sickness occurs. First there are the tales that say it means you're having a boy, or a girl, or that you're going to give birth on a wet Tuesday with a doctor in a pink hat. Most medics believe that it is caused by the hormone HCG (which increases in pregnancy), whilst others think that it is part of the foetal-maternal conflict where both bodies are fighting for control. Whatever the cause is, it is certainly one of the less enjoyable bits of being pregnant.

Morning sickness cures

Ginger

Many people find ginger helps alleviate the symptoms of morning sickness. You can try ginger biscuits, ginger tea or pure ginger. Sadly, chocolate-covered ginger might have the opposite result to the one intended.

Rich Tea Biscuits/Dry Toast/Crackers

Part of the problem with morning sickness is that the acid from your stomach makes you feel sick again, something dry is supposed to help soak up a bit of that.

Sea Sickness Bracelets and Tablets

These are available in pharmacies and supermarkets. They seem to work better for people who have more nausea than actual sickness, but they're worth trying. Do make sure you let the chemist know that you're pregnant when buying any medicines.

Ice Pops

Many women find that sucking on ice lollies helps, as it stimulates saliva production. You can get special pregnancy lollipops and boiled sweets, but it's worth trying the normal kind first.

Herbal teas

Try a variety to see what works for you. Fennel and peppermint are the most popular options, but something different might work for you. However, you should avoid celery, sage, mugwort and black cohosh unless recommended by your Midwife or GP.

Hypnotherapy

You don't necessarily need a hypnotherapist as there are a number of CDs available, but some health centres do have access to hypnotherapy services on the NHS. They're usually used for stop smoking services, but if you've tried everything else and your sickness is pretty bad your GP may be able to refer you.

Sleep

It's not a cure as such, but make sure you get as much sleep as you are able as a lack of sleep can make you feel much worse.

Morning sickness is, mostly, not an illness, although it does feel vile. It is a sign that your baby is developing well, research has shown women with morning sickness have lower miscarriage rates (remember that this does not mean that women who don't get sick have an unsafe pregnancy). However, if you find that you are sick several times a day and that you are unable to keep even liquids down you should go to your Midwife or GP.

More information on morning sickness

• NHS Direct
• Emma's Diary
• Vegetarian Society
• About.com Pregnancy
• Net Doctor
• BBC Pregnancy
• Pregnancy Planner
• Express Yourself Mums-Morning Sickness Advice
• Food Standards Agency
• Emma's Diary
• Baby and Pregnancy

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