Thank God for Acupuncture, by Marina Fogle

When I first started feeling those twinges of nausea at about 7 weeks, I welcomed them in spite of my discomfort; they were a sign that all was well with the baby and something I was prepared to endure. Plus, by 12 weeks I’d been feeling fine again. Or so I’d been told. In fact, rather than subsiding, the nausea got worse and started being accompanied by headaches and extreme fatigue.

I’m someone that usually operates at a hundred miles an hour and I suddenly found myself feeling horrendously hungover every day, in spite of the fact I hadn’t had a drink for weeks. I’d get home from work in the evening and flop in bed, clutching my head and groaning at the frustration of my affliction.

I spoke to my sister, Chiara, who is a doctor and breezily responded that after 20 weeks it would go. 20 weeks? That’s 5 months of feeling awful. No way. If the health service couldn’t help, I was going to find another way. My great friend Emily had for months been telling me about her fabulous acupuncturist and having heard that this ancient Chinese medicine could help with morning sickness, I decided to give Sarah a call.

We spent 45 minutes discussing my pregnancy and my lifestyle. She was easy to talk to and I found myself telling her about everything from nightmares to silly little insecurities. She suggested complementing the acupuncture with herbs and already after the first session I began to feel an improvement. Four weeks later, I was feeling on top of the world – wonderfully positive, full of energy and headache free. I was truly a different person. I’ve since been going every couple of weeks and even my nightmares have subsided.

The most important thing is to find an acupuncturist who is suitably qualified but also with whom you feel comfortable and who you can communicate well with. The British Acupuncture Council is the UK governing body and has a search facility with which you can find qualified practitioners who operate in your area. Look online at http://www.acupuncture.org.uk/ or call 020 8735 0400.

Acupuncture might not be for everyone – people react in different ways and I’d never say that it’s every person’s solution to morning sickness. But it’s a non-invasive treatment that is safe for you and your baby. I was desperate enough to try anything – and I’m certainly not looking back.