Morning sickness: the drug-free remedies mums swear by

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Morning sickness is badly named. For most mums it's all-day sickness, and for some it's the hardest part of the whole pregnancy. It was one of the most discussed symptoms in every pregnancy community we looked at. One thread, where a partner simply asked how to help, drew more than 200 replies.

Why it happens

Nobody knows exactly, but it's linked to the rise in pregnancy hormones, especially hCG. It usually starts around week 6, peaks around weeks 9 to 12, and for most people eases by weeks 16 to 20. If you're in the thick of it, that light at the end of the tunnel is real.

Eat before you're hungry

An empty stomach makes nausea worse. The most repeated tips:

• Keep plain crackers by the bed and eat a couple before you sit up in the morning.
• Eat little and often. Small snacks every two hours beat three big meals.
• Go cold and bland. Cold food smells less than hot food. Toast, rice cakes, frozen fruit and ice lollies were popular.
• Sip, don't gulp. Small sips of cold water, fizzy water or flat lemonade through the day. Some mums found drinking between meals rather than with them helped.

Try ginger

Ginger has decent evidence behind it for pregnancy nausea, and the NHS lists it as something that may help. Ginger biscuits, crystallised ginger, ginger tea or ginger sweets are easy to keep in your bag.

Acupressure bands

These elasticated wristbands press on a point on the inside of your wrist (P6). The research is mixed, but plenty of mums told us they took the edge off, and they're drug-free, cheap and reusable. They work best when they're on before you start feeling sick.

Sour sweets and scents

Sour and minty flavours cut through that metallic taste many women get. Sour sweets and strong mints were a forum favourite, especially for the commute. Some mums also kept a peppermint or ginger aromatherapy stick to sniff when a bad smell hit.

Shop the editMorning sickness relief6 products, chosen for nausea

Rest where you can

Tiredness makes nausea worse, and nausea makes you more tired. Nap if you can, ask for help, and know that this is a real medical symptom, not something you should push through at work.

Talk to your GP about treatment

If home remedies aren't enough, there are anti-sickness medicines that are safe in pregnancy. You don't have to be at breaking point to ask.