How to ease your morning sickness

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For many women, the beauty of pregnancy comes packaged with the not-so-beautiful experience of throwing up in the nearest toilet. In fact, anywhere from half to 90 per cent of all pregnant women have nausea during pregnancy and a quarter to a half will vomit. A very small number of women will experience a more severe form of morning sickness called hyperemesis gravidarum, which can be so intense it leads to dehydration and hospital admission. It happens in around 0.3 to two per cent of pregnancies.

Interestingly, morning sickness is more common in women carrying girls. You’re also more likely to experience it if you’re carrying twins, are a younger mum-to-be, are obese or smoke, or if it's your first pregnancy. Perhaps not so surprising is the fact that the term morning sickness is totally misleading, as the nausea and vomiting can strike at any time. In fact, because you often feel sicker when you’re tired, you can actually feel most nauseous in the evenings, especially if your job is demanding and/or you have a toddler to chase.

What causes it?

Despite it being so common, we still don’t fully understand the causes of morning sickness. We suspect pregnancy hormones, especially beta-hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), are involved, because higher levels such as with twin pregnancies are linked to more nausea and vomiting, but we don’t know exactly how. We also suspect that the gut slowing down during pregnancy may play a role, and that exhaustion and stress can make the problem worse.

How can I keep it at bay?

SLEEP WELL. There’s absolutely no doubt that being exhausted can make nausea worse, so make sure you go to bed early and get a decent night's sleep.
EASE YOUR WAY INTO THE DAY. In the mornings, set your alarm 10 minutes earlier and get up slowly. Some of my patients keep something such as a dry cracker next to their beds so they can eat something as soon as they wake up, before getting up.
GO FOR SMALL, FREQUENT MEALS AND SNACKS. And most women find that having food that’s relatively higher in carbohydrates (such as bread, rice and pasta) and lower in fat is better for nausea than sweet, fatty or spicy foods.
AVOID FOODS WITH STRONG SMELLS, SUCH AS GARLIC AND ONIONS. Also, some women say that eating cold meals such as salads instead of hot meals is better as there are less smells to trigger nausea.
DRESS THE PART. Wear loose, comfortable clothing that doesn’t constrict your middle.
QUIT IT. If you don’t have enough reasons to quit smoking in pregnancy already, know that smoking increases the risk of morning sickness.

What if I’m already feeling nauseous?

DRINK UP. Make sure you drink enough to avoid becoming dehydrated. Sipping fluids slowly through a straw is better than gulping water when you’re feeling nauseous, and try a couple of ice cubes in your water as well.
GET HELP. Accept offers of help from your partner, friends and family. Feeling nauseous all the time is exhausting and offers of tummy-friendly foods, taking care of your toddler or housework assistance will help a lot.
TRY DISTRACTING YOURSELF. Hit up Instagram for some tranquil pics or find some chill-out music on YouTube. There’s no doubt that nausea gets worse the more you think about it and the more stressed you are.
GIVE GINGER A GO. This herbal treatment has been around for centuries and many women swear by it! Though studies about how good ginger actually is are a bit shaky, the good news is we have no evidence it does any harm at all, so its worth a try.
PUT THE PRESSURE ON. Acupressure, where you wear a special band or bracelet on your forearm to place pressure on key points, has a little bit of evidence to support it but, like ginger, none of any serious side effects. Again, it’s worth giving it a shot.
CONSIDER VITAMIN B6. 100mg or less daily has been shown to help reduce morning sickness. An over-the-counter sleeping aid called doxylamine can be taken as well, but check with your GP or pharmacist first to ensure it’s a good choice for you.
SEE YOUR DOCTOR. There are specific anti-nausea prescription medications that are safe in pregnancy and often help, which you can ask your GP or obstetrician about. Also see your care provider if you are vomiting severely and cant keep anything down. If you are dehydrated, you may need to be admitted to hospital for intravenous fluids. While nausea tends to recur in any subsequent pregnancies, rest assured it tends to be a little shorter in duration. And remember: this too shall pass.

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