Can Ginger Cure Morning Sickness?
Copyright 2001 by Michelle Jones

Although it is not a complete cure, Ginger can certainly ease the agony of morning sickness and other stomach upsets. I've had 4 healthy pregnancies, but all of them were plagued by morning sickness. I'm talking about the kind of morning sickness that hits you all day and night, and all through the night while you're trying to sleep. The kind that makes you wonder if you're about to give birth to some kind of alien being instead of a precious baby!

I missed out on my first pregnancy because I had never even heard of this wonder herb called Ginger, except in a few of my recipes.. So unfortunately, I didn't even know to try it. That first experience with morning sickness was so bad; I ended up losing my job because I was so sick. But we were eventually blessed with a beautiful baby girl, and it was all worth it, of course.

With each pregnancy I have tried every "cure" promised to me and many pregnant women before me… eat a few crackers before getting out of bed, eat small and frequent snacks to keep your stomach settled, take deep breaths, get some fresh air, wear motion sickness wristbands 24 hours a day, and my all-time favorite… "Just stop thinking about it." Add to these, some of my own discoveries… Lays plain potato chips and small sips of grape Kool-Aid, but not necessarily together, and you have quite a few options that might work for you. 

Some of these remedies worked for me too, but hardly enough to make much of a difference. But each person is different, and each pregnancy will be different too, so I recommend trying everything you can to find something that works.  It's awful being so miserable, especially during what should be one of the happiest times of your life.  

Although each pregnancy is different, it is said if you are prone to morning sickness you're stuck with it, and if your mother had it, you're likely to have it.  Other health issues can also complicate things.  I recently heard that my thyroid problem may have made things worse for me, something the doctors never mentioned because there's little they can do about it.  

I tried everything I could, but the one thing that helped the most, was, in fact... Ginger!

During my 2nd and 3rd pregnancies, both boys, I sipped small amounts of Ginger Ale and nibbled on a few Ginger cookies each day. I noticed a considerable difference from the first pregnancy, and contribute it to the Ginger. Although I do remember vividly having one bad experience when I ate a few too many ginger cookies. So my advice is, a little ginger can go a long way. ;o)

Before I became pregnant with my 4th child, I had finally heard the best tip of all. Ginger in the capsule form, available at health food stores. I was excited about the possibilities of finally having a pregnancy free from morning sickness. But by the time I found out I was expecting a baby, the nausea had already started. A week later, it was in high gear. My hopeful husband ventured out to a nearby health food store for some Ginger capsules. I tried them, and sure enough they helped, at least for the first few weeks.

I'd love to say that Ginger is the cure all, but it is not. This time I was expecting another girl, and concerns about giving birth to an alien quickly returned. My morning sickness was so severe my OB/GYN eventually gave me a prescription for a generic form of Phenegren because I could not keep any food or liquids down and was in danger of dehydration. 

But since the Ginger had been a great help in the beginning, as soon as I was able to reduce the Phenegren, around 20 weeks, I started taking the Ginger capsules again. I could tell the difference when I had taken one and when I hadn't. If I had forgotten to take one before going to bed the night before, I would wake up in the morning only to regret it. I took the Ginger capsules for several more weeks until I was fully recovered and past the morning sickness. 

Being about 6 months pregnant, I was able to start preparing for the baby's arrival. And yes… it was still all worth it!

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