Morning Sickness - A survival guide

Morning sickness is widely taken to be one of the first signs of pregnancy, and it can start anywhere from 2 weeks after conception. The symptoms include nausea and dizziness, which can lead to vomiting and a general feeling of weakness.

Despite the name, it's not limited to mornings and can come on at any time of the day. However, having an empty stomach tends to make the nausea worse, so it's no surprise that the symptons can often appear in the mornings before you've had a chance to eat.

Who gets it?

Well, the obvious answer to this question is pregnant women :-)

However, not all women experience it (although most do to at least some degree), and the severity can vary from a mild queasiness to severe nausea and repeated vomitting. It seems to be more severe in women who are prone to travel or motion sickness, or who have a history of migraine.

Also, and maybe surprisingly, some men seem to suffer from it too, as part of a so-called sympathetic pregnancy. It's not known what causes it or even whether it's real, but theories vary from men feeling left out and jealous of the sickness (not too likely in this dad's opinion!), to subconsciously wanting to relieve their partner's suffering by 'taking some of it on' themselves.

What causes it?

Morning sickness in women however is definitely real, although it's not known exactly what causes it. The general opinion is that the changes in hormone levels your body experiences during pregnancy are the major factor. Among other effects, these hormones cause changes in the digestive system which can lead to increased acid levels.

Many women also report a heightened sense of taste and smell during pregnancy, and this extra sensitivity could be part of the cause too, with certain odours seemingly instantly triggering a gag reflex.

Finally, tiredness and some level of stress is a normal part of pregnancy for most people, and if you're at a low ebb anyway, the sickness can feel worse.

How long does it last?

Some women experience morning sickness only in the very early stages of their pregnancy, but some unlucky ones can have it more or less all the way through. Most women are somewhere in between, with many women finding the symptoms begin to subside at around 12-14 weeks, as the particular hormones that are thought to cause the nausea begin to level off.

What can help with morning sickness?

There's an almost limitless supply of suggestions for counteracting morning sickness, with every mother seemingly suggesting a different 'cure'. The truth is, that as every woman's body reacts differently to the the hormone changes and to different foods and drinks, what worked well for one woman won't necessarily work for another.

However, some simple tactics will help most mums-to-be. Try and avoid a completely empty stomach by eating small snacks often, including keeping - for example - a couple of biscuits next to your bed to eat straight away in the morning or if you wake during the night.

Many find that sucking on ice cubes or fresh ginger can help, as can isotonic or fizzy, sugary drinks. Eat small amounts regularly to avoid having an empty stomach, and try and get plenty of rest as tiredness will make the nausea feel worse.

It's also worth trying the wristbands you can buy to prevent travel sickness, as some people find that these are also effective against morning sickness.

Can morning sickness harm my baby?

In itself, morning sickness will not cause any problems for your developing baby. In fact, some studies have shown that women who suffer from it are actually less likely to miscarry.

However, if you're vomiting a lot and finding it hard to keep food and liquids down, there's a danger that you might become dehydrated, which can cause problems. Keep an eye on your urine colour - if it starts to become very dark, and you still can't keep any liquids down, then it might be time to speak to your doctor, especially if you've not been able to keep any food or liquid down for 24 hours or more.

Also, during bouts of sickness, don't worry too much about eating a good nutritional diet. If a certain food seems to be more appealing and easier to eat, then eat it - energy is more important at this time than vitamins, although if your sickness is prolonged it may be an idea to take vitamin supplements until you can cope with a more balanced diet again.