Truth About Morning Sickness Myths

So what's morning sickness really like, and what's a myth?

It seems like an obvious answer - morning sickness means being sick in the morning, doesn't it? Not necessarily. If you’ve never been pregnant before, nor had any close friends or colleagues who have, then your pregnancy preconceptions can be quite different from the reality.

Around 80% of women experience some form of nausea and sickness in pregnancy. Symptoms may vary and can range from a very slight feeling of being green around the gils to something that has a severe impact on everyday life (in addition there's also an extreme and debilitating form of pregnancy sickness called Hyperemesis Gravidarum or HG, of which the Duchess of Cambridge was a sufferer for both her pregnancies).

Here we look at some common myths and misconceptions about morning sickness. As always, if you’re concerned about something then ask your midwife or doctor:

You Only Feel Sick In The Morning

The name is very misleading and it can come as a shock to find out that actually morning sickness can strike at any time of the day (and night!). Some people even suffer from it all day, unluckily enough.

It Only Consists Of Physically Being Sick

TalkMum blogger Chloe was sick so often, from on the daily commute to the walk to the shops, that she developed a strategy for dealing with and hiding morning sickness. But for others it consists of nausea, like the seasick feeling experienced by our secret pregnancy blogger. It can feel like a hangover, but without any of the fun the night before (unfortunately!)

Eating Toast Will 'Cure' It

Your previously pregnant peers will be quick to offer advice and help on what worked for them, from carbs to mint sprays to boiled sweets and even Jelly Babies. But different things work for different people. TalkMum blogger Jenny found ginger and plain crackers really helped and there's some good tips on the NHS Choices website, ranging from distracting yourself, to eating little meals often, to resting and drinking water. Some people also swear by the travel sickness bands that put pressure on acupuncture points on your wrists.

It Only Hits In The First Trimester 

TalkMum blogger Anna only had a very fleeting period of nausea in the first few weeks, and for most people it clears by week 16-20 of pregnancy. But Emma was sick for months, and Gill found the sick sensation returned slightly in the third trimester. As always, everyone's different.

Did you suffer from morning sickness? What helped to make you feel better?

You can also read our posts on what to eat during pregnancy and the really early first pregnancy symptoms.

Stats taken from NHS Choices website, where more information is available.