Guide to morning sickness

By your second trimester your close relationship with the toilet bowl should cool

Although not every mum-to-be will suffer morning sickness, it is one of the more common pregnancy side effects, with around 70% feeling at least a little bit queasy in the first trimester. As the name suggests, you may feel sick in the morning but it's just as common to feel nauseous throughout the day. It may be one of the first pregnancy signs and symptoms you recognise so if you have unexplained nausea take a pregnancy test.

We still aren't sure exactly what causes morning sickness. It's likely to be related to hormone fluctuations or it could be an imbalance of blood sugar. There's also research that suggests there could be a genetic link. So if your mum suffered when she was pregnant with you, there's a good chance your unborn baby will do the same to you!

It's a pretty unpleasant pregnancy discomfort but there are lots things you can do to cope with morning sickness and alleviate the symptoms. Some women find gentle exercise, such as yoga, can help

Despite scares over Thalidomide, a drug given for morning sickness in the late 1950s and 1960s, there are now medicines you can be prescribed by your GP if she considers your sickness serious. If you'd rather deal with the nausea in a natural way, a number of common scents have been found to help symptoms and some mums-to-be swear by fizzy drinks.

We’ve also asked our midwives for their top tips to beating sickness.

For many mums-to-be, morning sickness only happens in early pregnancy. However, sometimes constant vomiting and nausea can signal something more serious. Serious morning sickness is called Hyperemesis Gravida and needs medical treatment and sometimes hospitalisation to help restore lost fluids. If you're at all concerned, speak to your GP or midwife.