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Kate Middleton Uses This Home Remedy To Ease Her Severe Morning Sickness

Hyperemesis gravidarum is no laughing matter.
The Duchess of Cambridge visits the Sunken Garden in the grounds of Kensington Palace on August 30, 2017.
Getty Images
The Duchess of Cambridge visits the Sunken Garden in the grounds of Kensington Palace on August 30, 2017.

With a third baby on the way, the Duchess of Cambridge has been suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), a severe form of morning sickness, which she also experienced during her first two pregnancies.

While the mom of Prince George and Princess Charlotte has never spoken out about the condition, her husband Prince William recently revealed how the duchess is combatting the sickness.

"Ginger biscuits," the duke told Iris Orrell, a 98-year-old mom of three who also suffered from HG while pregnant.

William was attending an awards ceremony for the Metropolitan and City Police Orphans Fund, of which he is a patron, when he spoke to Orrell. At the event, he revealed that his wife tried ginger to ease her morning sickness, since the superfood is a common remedy for upset stomachs and nausea during pregnancy.

The Duke of Cambridge talking to Iris Orrell at the Guildhall, London.
PA Wire/PA Images
The Duke of Cambridge talking to Iris Orrell at the Guildhall, London.

And while he admitted the duchess was "feeling better," it was no thanks to the ginger. "There's not much ginger can do to stop that," he said of his wife's condition. "We've done all that."

Speaking from experience, Orrell then suggested the duchess try "dry biscuits," which is what her doctor had advised to her.

Peppermint is another home remedy that is thought to ease symptoms of HG, America Pregnancy reports, but treatments such as acupuncture and hypnosis may also help.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with their children on their five-day tour of Poland and Germany.
PA Wire/PA Images
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with their children on their five-day tour of Poland and Germany.

According to the Hyperemesis Education and Research Foundation, one to three per cent of pregnant women suffer from HG. The condition is characterized by severe nausea and vomiting caused by increased hormone levels, which can lead to weight loss and dehydration. As a result, Kate Middleton was admitted to a hospital during her first pregnancy in 2012.

"The truth of the matter is that hyperemisis is a horrendous, gruelling, protracted condition that leaves the people who suffer from it in a horrid state," mom Miriam Phillips wrote of her experience with HG in The Guardian. "I went from feeling sick one evening to crying on my hands and knees 48 hours later, having constantly vomited for 14 hours."

Due to her health, the duchess has not made a public appearance since Kensington Palace announced her pregnancy earlier this month. Unfortunately, that means she missed Prince George's first day of school on Sept. 7.

However, Middleton is set to make her first planned appearance since announcing her pregnancy next month on World Mental Health Day at Buckingham Palace.

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