Feeling sick? Read on for tips to help combat morning sickness.

Morning sickness, unlike its name, can occur at any time - morning, evening or night, and is very common during the early stages of pregnancy. Many women feel nauseous or light headed at this time - and the extent of the sickness varies from woman to woman. Doctors often believe that morning sickness is actually a good sign. It shows that your pregnancy is progressing the way it should, and that women who experience morning sickness are less likely to miscarry. This doesn't mean that if you don't experience morning sickness you will miscarry! Morning sickness is just one of the signs that shows that your pregnancy is progressing the way it should.

Although women have been experiencing morning sickness for centuries, there is still no identifiable cause. Morning sickness has been largely attributed to the hormonal changes occurring in your body. Although medication helps, it may not always be advisable. Here are other options that will help relive this sickness.

Meals

Eat more frequently. Smaller meals every two or three hours is preferable to eating two or three large meals in a day. Also, make it a point to wake up as early as possible in the morning and eat something soon after waking up. Keep something to munch on besides your bed. If you do wake up at night and feel hungry, instead of ignoring those hunger pangs, give in to them.

Avoid rich, spicy or fatty foods. These take longer to digest, and may irritate the stomach lining causing further nausea.

Aversions and cravings

You are more sensitive to odours at this time, and may feel like staying away from foods with a strong odour like garlic or onions. Cold foods have less odour than hot foods, so opt for cold foods instead. Avoid these items and any items you may have developed an aversion to. Don't force yourself to eat something you don't like. Now is the time to eat only what you enjoy eating. Keep plenty of fruits on hand and eat them often. You may feel like indulging often, but try and remember that putting on too much weight is also not a good idea. As long as you keep track of how much weight you are gaining, you should be fine. Also, try opting for low-fat options to your cravings. If you feel like have strawberry ice cream for example, consider option for fresh strawberries with yoghurt.

Drinks

Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to keep your system well hydrated. A ginger-lemon drink helps ease nausea so the next time you feel sick, reach for a glass of this cool, refreshing drink.

Rest

Weakness during the first trimester also contributes to nausea. Try and rest as often as possible. If you are not in a full time job, take a nap in the afternoons.

Medication

If your morning sickness is unbearable, you may want to get on medication. Your doctor should be able to prescribe something safe to have during this time.

There is evidence that suggests eating a multivitamin or a Vitamin B6 supplement helps ease morning sickness, but no one really knows why this is. It is also possible that certain multivitamins, especially those that contain iron supplements, may cause morning sickness. If you suspect your multivitamin may be contributing to morning sickness, speak to your gynaecologist and let her suggest an alternative.