Morning nausea is often the initial sign of pregnancy, as it can commence as early as 2 weeks following conception. Despite the name, the sufferer can feel ill at any time of the day, although as an empty stomach is thought to be one of the triggers then mornings are a normal time for it to appear.

Not each pregnant female will experience morning sickness, although a good number do to some degree, and it can vary from a feeling of mild nausea or queasiness ranging up to feeling really dreadful and unable to keep any food or liquids down. The seriousness of the effects seems to be most in women with a history of migraine or travel illness.

It's not known exactly what causes it, but mainly doctors concur that the fluctuation in hormone levels that pregnancy triggers are the most major reason. One of the effects of these hormones is to alter the way your digestive system functions, which can lead to elevated levels of acid.

Another possible cause is that many women experience a heightened sense of taste and smell while pregnant, which can make an upset stomach feel worse when bad or strong smells are around.

Finally, fatigue and stress play a part, and most pregnant women are tired and stressed a lot of the time!

Morning sickness can recur over the full span of your pregnancy, but most women find that it more or less disappears by around 14 weeks as hormone levels in the body stabilise.

There are lots of traditional remedies for the feelings of nausea, with every mother having an opinion on the subject! The truth is that every woman's body is unique and so no one thing will be successful for everyone. However, there are some easy things to try which can help most feel better.

As previously mentioned, an empty stomach can be a cause, so snack little and often to keep appetite at bay, and keep a couple of biscuits near your bed for if you wake up at some point in the night.

Sucking on an ice cube can aide, as can fizzy drinks. Fresh ginger is supposed to calm the stomach, so making a tea from crushed root ginger or even chewing on a portion can be worth a try.

Remedies for travel sickness can also help, so it might be worth trying the magnetic wristbands you can get, but you should never take any medication while pregnant without talking with your doctor.

Morning nausea is a natural part of pregnancy and will not hurt your baby in any way, but in serious cases you may be unable to keep any food or fluids down and if this continues you could become parched, which is very hazardous for your baby. If your urine begins to become very dark in color this is a sign that your fluid levels are too low, and you ought to talk to your midwife or doctor.

Ultimately, when you are in a bout of morning sickness, do not fret too much about what you are eating - getting adequate energy is more crucial than a balanced diet at that moment, so if chocolate helps you feel better then go for it! You may always stock up on healthier foods when the sickness has abated a little.