Getting through the day with pregnancy sickness

Morning sickness is a misleading name. For many women it lingers all day, flares up at the smell of frying onions or a colleague's perfume, and makes brushing your teeth an act of courage. If you are reading this with a dry cracker in one hand, you are in good company. Nausea and vomiting are very common in early pregnancy and, for most women, ease somewhere around the middle of pregnancy, often by about 16 to 20 weeks.

Here is a gentle plan you can shape around your own day.

Before you get up

• Keep plain biscuits, crackers or dry toast by the bed and nibble a little before you lift your head.
• Sit up slowly and give yourself a few minutes before standing.
• Take small sips of water rather than big gulps.

Through the morning

• Eat little and often. An empty stomach can make nausea worse, so aim for something small every two to three hours.
• Choose plain, starchy foods that sit well: bread, rice, potatoes, boiled yam, plain pap or oats, crackers.
• Try cold rather than hot food. Cold dishes tend to smell less, and smell is often the trigger.
• Ginger helps some women, whether in biscuits, tea or a little fresh ginger in hot water.

Around lunchtime and the afternoon

• Keep drinking. Sip water, diluted juice, cold drinks or ice lollies through the day, between meals rather than with them.
• Get fresh air. A short walk or an open window can settle a churning stomach.
• Avoid smells that set you off. If cooking is a struggle, ask whether your husband, partner or someone at home can take over for a while.
• Rest when you can. Tiredness makes nausea worse.

In the evening

• Eat your main meal at whatever time of day you feel best, even if that is breakfast.
• Wear loose clothes around your middle.
• Keep a snack and a drink beside your bed for the night.

Things that help some mums

• Acupressure wristbands, sold in pharmacies.
• Sucking on a sour sweet or a slice of lemon.
• Rinsing your mouth after being sick, then waiting a little before brushing your teeth, to protect your enamel.
• Asking your midwife or pharmacist whether your pregnancy vitamins could be taken at a different time of day.

There are also anti-sickness medicines that are considered safe in pregnancy. If home measures are not enough, talk to your doctor or midwife. You do not have to just push through.

When to call your midwife or doctor today

Some women develop a severe form of pregnancy sickness called hyperemesis gravidarum. It is not your fault and it is not weakness. Call your midwife, doctor or maternity unit if you:

• Cannot keep any food or fluids down.
• Have very dark urine, or have not passed urine for about eight hours or more.
• Feel dizzy, faint or very weak when you stand up.
• Have tummy pain or a high temperature.
• Are vomiting blood.
• Are losing weight.

Sickness that starts for the first time after about ten weeks, or returns later in pregnancy, should also be checked.

The emotional side

Constant nausea can be lonely and miserable. You may feel guilty for not enjoying pregnancy, or frustrated when others say it is a 'good sign'. You may be struggling at work while you have not told anyone yet. All of that is understandable. Tell at least one person how hard this is. If you notice your mood sinking, or you feel hopeless, mention it to your midwife or doctor; it matters as much as the sickness itself.

And please hold this lightly: having no sickness, or very little, is also normal. It does not mean anything is wrong.

Strength for the faint

On the days you can barely lift your head, Isaiah 40:29 is a quiet comfort: God gives power to those who feel faint and increases strength for those who have none. He is not waiting for you to feel better before He draws near. He is near on the bathroom floor as much as in the church pew.

A prayer for a queasy day

Lord, my body feels unsettled and I am tired of feeling unwell. Give me strength for the next hour, then the next. Help me find food I can manage, water I can sip and people who will help. Let me rest in Your care. Amen.