11 Remedies for Morning Sickness That Actually Work

Whether you’re planning for a pregnancy or not, morning sickness is a telltale sign that it’s here. It starts around the 6th week of pregnancy and is oftentimes one of the first signs that you’re pregnant. While morning sickness is a natural part of pregnancy, some women struggle with it more than others. Only about 50% of pregnant women have reported having morning sickness, but of those who do, it usually hits hard.

As long as you’re keeping down most of your food and liquid intake, morning sickness won’t cause harm to your baby. If you start excessively vomiting after every time you eat or drink something, contact your doctor as it could be a sign of hyperemesis gravidarum. It is treatable, but you need to take extra measures to give your baby and your body the nutrients they need to thrive.

For most, morning sickness is merely an inconvenience—albeit sometimes a large one. Luckily, there are a few common remedies for morning sickness that actually work.

1. Avoid Triggering Foods

There are some foods that just aren’t great when you’re pregnant, let alone experiencing morning sickness. Take note of any foods that seem to trigger your nausea and avoid them like the plague. Every woman is different in regards to what triggers her, so it might take some time to build up a “foods to avoid” list, but you’ll be glad you did.

While you may think that greasy foods will satisfy a craving, they might actually be the culprits behind morning sickness. Avoid foods that are laden with unhealthy fats, excess sugar, loads of spice, or foods that produce gas. Some women have also reported that separating their food and beverage intake has helped reduced nausea.

2. Eat Every Few Hours

Nausea tends to creep in when your stomach is empty. We’re so accustomed to eating three moderate-large meals a day that this happens more than we know. Instead, try eating smaller meals every few hours. This will help you avoid having an empty stomach while simultaneously stabilizing your blood sugar throughout the day. The more stable your blood sugar is, the better you’ll feel.

To transition from eating three larger meals a day to five or six smaller meals, slowly reduce the amount that you eat in one sitting and add in snacks. Eventually you’ll be able to get yourself to a point where you’re eating smaller, more nutrient dense meals at each sitting. As always, talk to your doctor about any concerns you have and make sure you listen to your body.

To combat early morning nausea, keep some crackers at your bedside table and eat a few of them before you get up and start moving around for the day.

3. Chew Thoroughly

We live in a fast-paced world and we tend to do everything at super speed without realizing it. This includes eating. The faster we eat, the less thoroughly we chew our food, leaving our stomachs to make up the work. However, chewing your food adequately is important to the overall digestion process. It breaks food down and makes it softer on the stomach, creating more manageable digestion.

To give your body a break and reduce the chances of an upset stomach or nausea, take the time to savor each bite. Create a ritual with food during your pregnancy and try to chew your food at least 30 times before swallowing it. This probably seems like a lot, but it will help you relieve morning sickness.

4. Get Enough Exercise

While it will probably be the last thing you want to do when you start to feel the effects of morning sickness, getting up and moving will help counteract nausea. When you start feeling better, consider supplementing your exercise routine with prenatal yoga or swimming. Exercise is highly recommended and encouraged during pregnancy to aid in healthy development. Just make sure you consult with your doctor before starting a new routine or increasing the intensity.

5. Use Soothing Ginger

Ginger has always been known to help settle an upset stomach. Since it’s natural, it’s safe to consume during pregnancy. Opt for ginger supplements if you’re not a fan of the flavor but avoid anything with excess sugar. Otherwise, head to the store and stock up on ginger tea, ginger hard-candies, and fresh ginger from the produce section.

6. Other Foods That Help

In addition to ginger, there are a few other foods that will help you remedy morning sickness. As much as you might want to listen to your cravings at all times, opting for nutritionally dense food is the better option. Aim for foods like fresh vegetables and fruits, healthy fats, and soups to help lower nausea.

Try eating something sour like candy or lemon water. Sprinkle some fresh mint into a tea, make your favorite smoothie and slowly sip on it, or opt for simple starches to settle your stomach.

7. Keep Your Liquids Up

Even though it might be difficult to imagine drinking much of anything when you’re nauseas, it’s important to stay hydrated. Water helps keep your body functioning at its best and will ensure that fetal development goes well. While it will be tempting to reach for your favorite soda or sports drink to help combat an upset stomach, it’s not the best choice.

If you’re feeling particularly nauseas and don’t even want to think about drinking water, make a warm cup of peppermint or ginger tea and drink it in small sips.

To further aid your morning sickness, avoid drinking any liquids about 20 minutes before you eat, while you’re eating, and 20 minutes after you’ve eaten.

8. Manage Your Smells

The realization that certain smells will trigger nausea comes quickly in pregnancy. Your sensitivity to smells changes due to the hormonal changes happening in your body, leading to aversions to smells that you used to tolerate or even love. This is often met with frustration.

To help mitigate morning sickness triggered by unpleasant smells, keep a log similar to your food log. Start to anticipate smells that will make you queasy and avoid them at all costs. This includes heavy, unpleasant odors such as smoke, intense perfumes, or excessive pollution. If you happen to get a breath of something that doesn’t sit right, try to politely excuse yourself. If that’s not possible, breathing through your mouth will help.

While actively avoiding certain smells, try implementing aromatherapy to help alleviate nausea. Mint, lemon, and orange have been known to give off anti-nausea effects. Peppermint is also a great scent that combats nausea. To avoid getting stuck smelling something that makes your morning sickness worse, saturate a cotton ball with the smell and hold it gently under your nose. If it works, great, if not, throw away the cotton ball.

9. Stay Rested

Sometimes it’s difficult to stay rested and relaxed during pregnancy. Your to-do list is growing and the anticipation continues to rise. However, both stress and fatigue are known to increase nausea from morning sickness. Give yourself a break and try to stay as rested as possible.

If you’re tired throughout the day, take a nap! You deserve it. Even short-lived naps throughout the day have the tendency to boost your energy and calm any mental struggles.

10. Experiment with Timing

Since you’re pregnant, you will be taking a prenatal vitamin. Unfortunately, doing so will occasionally worsen your morning sickness symptoms. Instead of forgoing the prenatal, try to experiment with the time that you take it each day. Sometimes, the morning isn’t the best-case scenario.

Instead, try taking your prenatal vitamin at night, with your dinner. This helps reduce the shock the vitamins have on your system and, as an added bonus, will actually be broken down more efficiently. If that doesn’t work, talk to your doctor about trying a different kind of prenatal vitamin.

11. Take Vitamin B6 Supplements

If you don’t want to take any over-the-counter anti-nausea medications during pregnancy, opt for a vitamin B6 supplement instead. Vitamin B6 has been proven to successfully reduce nausea associated with morning sickness during pregnancy. While you can find these supplements at any drug store, consult with your doctor before adding them to your daily regimen.

Conclusion

When you take the time to listen to your body, you will be able to respond more efficiently. The same applies to morning sickness. Be strategic, opt for healthy options, and try to stay calm. Morning sickness will pass as your pregnancy progresses. If you’re morning sickness is severe or persistent, contact your doctor to discuss your options. In the midst of morning sickness, don’t forget that new mothers are eligible to receive a breast pump at no cost through insurance. Byram carries a wide selection, so you’ll be sure to find something that works for you.

If you have any tips on beating morning sickness that have worked for you, head over to our Facebook page today and leave a comment!