Morning Sickness - page 2
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.
