25% of Irish women suffer morning sickness throughout their entire pregnancy

Morning sickness usually ends between weeks 12 and 16 of pregnancy.

A new study has found that 25% of women in Ireland experience morning sickness throughout their entire pregnancy. Morning sickness tends to start during your sixth week of pregnancy and is worst during your ninth. Most women only experience it during the first trimester, however, some experience nausea and/or vomiting throughout the full nine months. According to research conducted by My Expert Midwife, 59% of Irish women said they experienced morning sickness at some stage of their pregnancy. Over 1,000 mums-to-be told researchers about their morning sickness experiences. 43% of them experienced said they struggled with feeling ill and nauseous during their first trimester. 29% suffered from morning sickness during both their first and second trimesters, the study found. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to cope with nausea and vomiting. One of the most common methods is to "eat little and often." My Expert Midwife explained the logic behind it: an empty stomach, as well as a very full one, can make your sickness worse. Therefore, ‘grazing’ through the day can really help keep symptoms at bay. The best food to snack on includes nuts, sugar-free cereal bars, rice cakes, and rye bread. Experts recommend staying away from things like pasta, biscuits, and bread because they can increase bloating, worsen constipation and make you feel worse in the long run. Herbal teas like peppermint and ginger and lemon will be your best friends if you're struggling with morning sickness. They will help settle your stomach and keep you hydrated too! Midwives stressed that as well as looking at your diet, ensuring your getting enough sleep is key too. Feeling tired when you're nauseous is a horrible combination so rest as much as you can. You can also talk to your doctor about additional help. 17% of expectant mums surveyed used medication prescribed by their GP while 8% used a natural remedy. These methods may help expectant-mums alleviate their symptoms, but many have admitted how hard it is to keep their symptoms a secret. Most people don't share their pregnancy news after their 12th week so telling people you're suffering from morning sickness isn't always an option. 36% of women admitted that they informed their employers that they were experiencing nausea, while 15% kept it to themselves, feeling like it was too early to share their news. Over one-third of Irish mums-to-be (36%) felt very well supported in their jobs and could take time off work or work flexible hours when required, 17% of women admitted that they did not feel supported in work, despite their employers being aware of their pregnancies. My Expert Midwife also recommends their Soothing Ginger Melts, Sick Of It! Spritz for Nausea and Sick Of It! Rollerball. The Soothing Ginger Melts are such a helpful solution for morning sickness. The pregnancy food supplement is developed to melt on the tongue, with ingredients such as ginger extract, which is known to be an effective natural remedy in relieving nausea, as well as essential vitamins B6, B12, and C. These added vitamins help to increase iron absorption while contributing to the regulation of hormones and helping to reduce tiredness and fatigue. The Sick Of It! range is available to purchase from €16 at www.myexpertmidwife.ie.