Feeling rotten? Being sick can certainly take
a lot of the pleasure and excitement out of being pregnant and can
also make it difficult to continue working. Midwife Lesley Hobbs
looks at the problem - and offers a few suggestions on
coping.
You sometimes find the distressing condition of 'morning sickness'
- which can actually happen at any time of the day - listed under
the 'minor disorders of pregnancy' - but it's anything but minor
for those enduring it day after day.
The good news, however, is that it seems to have nothing to do
with the underlying health of your pregnancy - or that of your
unborn baby. In fact, if it's any comfort, many midwives and
doctors consider pregnancy sickness actually to be a sign of a
healthy pregnancy.
Coping with the feelings of nausea and sporadic vomiting is an
unwanted additional concern when you're pregnant. There are,
however, a few helpful measures that you can take:
- Eat small amounts frequently, every two hours if necessary.
Don't let your stomach remain empty for longer than this
- Choose dry toast and plain biscuits, such as milk arrowroots or
water crackers, as a snack
- Fruit and savoury foods are better than sweet things
- Even though you're keeping to small meals, do make sure that
you have plenty of protein and carbohydrate in them.
You may find yourself craving carbohydrates - and if this is the
case, then go with it, as the body usually knows what it needs.
That means bread, crispbreads and other starchy foods such as pasta
and rice.
Ginger is known to have anti-emetic qualities, which means that it
is good at preventing you from being sick. You can find it in
ginger biscuits, ginger ale and ginger tea. You can buy the tea in
sachets or make it yourself with grated fresh root, boiling water
and honey to taste.
If you want to explore complementary remedies, the alternative
treatments that are known to be useful for pregnancy sickness
sufferers include acupuncture, acupressure or shiatsu massage and
homeopathy. Find a reputable practitioner, ideally recommended,
with experience in the area you prefer.
Whatever you choose to do, the basic measures include getting
plenty of rest and drinking lots of clear fluids. Take confidence
from the fact that, for most women, pregnancy sickness does end -
usually by about 14 weeks. If you are finding it difficult to cope,
talk to your midwife or doctor to see if they can help.
