For most, morning sickness is the queasy feeling you get around the six-week mark of pregnancy that can persist throughout the first trimester but will likely subside after thirteen weeks pregnant. It’s the worst which is why you might need some morning sickness remedies. Morning sickness is likely not harmful to you or your baby but you should definitely consult your doctor if you are experiencing it.
According to Tiffany Fischman, M.D., a general pediatrician at Calabasas Pediatrics and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and a mom of three, morning sickness is simply a sign of a healthy pregnancy. That’s all fine and good but it’s no consolation if you’re puking all the time. However, you’re not the first mom to ever experience morning sickness and thus, there are many remedies out there that moms swear by and that you should absolutely try. Let’s take a look at some to make your first trimester less miserable. You deserve the relief, mama!
Discover the Best Morning Sickness Remedies Below!
Foods as Morning Sickness Remedies
Mint
You should consider chewing on fresh mint or sipping peppermint tea as both are natural morning sickness remedies. Peppermint is great for nausea as it calms the stomach muscles and allows bile to break down fats. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice into that tea and it will work wonders.
Lemon & Sour Flavors
Speaking of lemon juice, it’s another one of the morning sickness remedies that moms swear by. Lemon water and lemon juice are extremely sour so it might seem counterintuitive if your stomach is already feeling that way, but sour flavors can change the acidity in your stomach and offer relief. Even smelling lemon can bring you relief!
Ginger
Ginger has been prized by Chinese medicine for millennia due to its tunny-taming properties. There are many vehicles to deliver ginger into your body. You could munch on some of the root, eat ginger candy, drink ginger soda, eat a ginger cookie, or suck on a ginger lollipop. We encourage you to try them all as ginger really is a winning ingredient that combats nausea.
Saltines
Saltines or toast are a great way to deliver salt and simple sugar into your bloodstream. Chances are, you have eaten saltines to settle your stomach before and we suggest that you return to that practice to help neutralize your queasiness. While it’s not one of the sexiest morning sickness remedies, saltines can really turn things around for an upset stomach.
Get Blending
Smoothies are a healthy breakfast option that can tame an overly acidic stomach and replenish your blood sugar levels. Throw in whatever fruits you love but be sure to include a banana as it is rich in potassium and also helps relieve anxiety. Sip your smoothie slowly and you’ll fast realize that the cool and sweet beverage is one of your favorite morning sickness remedies.
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
If you find yourself vomiting often you might be dehydrated and you should replenish those fluids in as many ways as possible. Try to up your water intake to 80 oz per day. To make this more enjoyable, you can freeze fruit in ice trays to add to water for fresh flavor. Also, popsicles, ice chips, Italian ices, and even fruit slushies are a great way to get more fluids.
Go Nuts
Snacking throughout the day instead of large meals is going to be your best bet. Sip water and chew on some nuts or trail mix for protein that does not weigh you down. We know we just told you to hydrate but if you are taking meals, don’t drink a ton of water with them or that can trigger nausea. Slow and steady with food and drink is one of the best morning sickness remedies.
Other Natural Morning Sickness Remedies to Try
B6 Vitamins
In addition to your prenatal vitamins, consider taking vitamin B6 as it has been shown to suppress morning sickness. Take 25 mg three times a day to see if the vitamin will fight nausea for you.
Acupressure & Acupuncture
Acupuncture and acupressure use gentle pressure or tiny needles to stimulate nerve centers and ultimately relieve nausea. Consider wearing sea bands that put pressure on a nerve at the center of the wrist or conversely, go see an Eastern Medicine specialist for acupuncture treatment.
Also, you can try some acupressure yourself by taking a few deep breathes and then pressing firmly with three fingers at the base of the wrist just above where you would take a pulse. Press until you feel slight discomfort and hold for a minute. Pretend like you’re giving yourself a mini massage. This point should help relieve nausea. It’s one of the morning sickness remedies that requires absolutely nothing except a little time.
Eating Patterns
While we did tell you about some great foods to consume to relieve nausea and morning sickness we also must talk about eating patterns and how changing your’s up could result in tons of relief. Eat small meals and start the day with a little something bland immediately after waking up. Rice, saltines, and other white, plain foods are perfect to get you started and getting something on your stomach before you get sick. The healthier you can eat, the better you will feel!
Take a Walk
So, you’re probably not into the idea of running a marathon when you’re feeling like you’re about to get sick, but an easy walk does your body a world of good. With just a 20-30 minute walk each day you will release endorphins which could turn out to be one of the best morning sickness remedies for you!
Aromatherapy
Certain essential oils can significantly reduce nausea. Lavender, ginger, peppermint, spearmint, cardamom, and fennel oils all have shown promise for folks suffering from nausea. You can even get relief by putting on lemon or peppermint hand lotions.
Hypnosis
While the efficacy of such treatment is debatable a number of pregnant women have found that being hypnotized cured their morning sickness.
Avoid Strong Smells
On the opposite end of aromatherapy is avoiding strong smells completely. Pungent aromas like perfume, cigarette smoke, certain foods, and more can trigger nausea, especially in the morning. Avoid the triggers!
RELATED: Tips to Help with Morning Sickness: Advice from Pediatrician Dr. Tiffany Fischman
Properly Time Your Prenatal Vitamins
Most prenatal vitamins contain iron which is really good for your pregnant body but not so great for your stomach, especially if taken in the morning. Consult your doctor to see if taking the vitamins at bedtime instead of in the morning is an option. Iron sits heavy in the stomach and easily makes most queasy, especially if taken on an empty stomach. Take it at night and you might find that it’s one of the morning sickness remedies you did not know you needed!
Try Prenatal Yoga
Another one of the morning sickness remedies worth trying is prenatal yoga. If you had already been practicing yoga before your pregnancy you can continue on with your normal class throughout the first trimester. However, you should consult with your doctor especially if it’s an intense class like hot yoga. Yoga helps relax the body and mind and will likely ease your morning sickness.
Get a Massage
A way to release tension and relax is through massage. You can go for your favorite massage or choose to get a prenatal one if available. A massage will help you ease the tension that can build up and make nausea even more potent. Even if this remedy does not cure your morning sickness, it will feel very nice and you deserve it!
Get Into PMR
One of the morning sickness remedies to do as soon as your symptoms start is progressive muscle relaxation or PMR. It’s a technique that requires individuals to tense and relax muscles in a continuous sequence as a way to achieve physical and mental relaxation.
Stay Upright After Eating
No matter how tired you might feel, it’s wise to stay upright for at least an hour after you eat. Laying down too soon after eating can cause acid reflux and your stomach to become unsettled, if not right away, at a later time. It is best to let things settle before allowing yourself to as well. It’s one of the easiest morning sickness remedies on this list!
Sleep More
After you’ve sat up following a meal, you might be ready to go to bed. Good. Your body needs more sleep at this time for a variety of reasons but one really important one is that being sleepy exacerbates nausea. So, the more well-rested you are, the better you will feel.
Chew, Chew, & Chew More
We suppose we could have lumped this one with the other food morning sickness remedies but we’ll share it here as it is a good rule of thumb. Most of us don’t put much thought into chewing our food. You throw a piece of food in your mouth and then swallow. That might have been fine pre-pregnancy but you should really focus on it now. Chew your food extremely well, meaning 30 chews per mouthful of food. We know it sounds extreme but you need to break the food down so it’s easier on your digestion.
Sleep On a Heating Pad
One of the morning sickness remedies that might surprise you is the use of a heating pad. Get yourself an electric heating pad that will allow your muscles to relax as you sleep. Relaxation and calmness both fight nausea. It will also feel lovely!
Over the Counter Mornings Sickness Remedies
Antihistamines
We’ve said it before but we must stress this again: consult your doctor before taking any medication or over-the-counter morning sickness remedies. Antihistamines are used to treat insomnia and allergies but they can be really great for morning sickness, especially if you’re getting sick right after you wake up. Benadryl and Unisom are commonly suggested for use in this situation.
Acid Reflux Medicines
If your stomach feels consistently sour and acidic, consider taking an Antacid to help balance things out. Ask your doctor if these over-the-counter medications like Tums or Gaviscon can be safely used to help you out.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Is It True You Get Sicker When You’re Pregnant With a Boy?
Fresh Air
We told you to go for a walk before and we really meant it! But, if you don’t feel like going out for some fresh air. Bring it to you. Open the windows in your home to let in some clean, refreshing air that really does a body good and reduces anxiety, stress, and ultimately nausea. It’s one of the morning sickness remedies that does not feel like much but it will truly make a huge difference.
There you go! We hope you give some of these morning sickness remedies a shot and find some real relief during your pregnancy. There’s no need to suffer through weeks of unease during your first trimester and beyond. With these morning sickness remedies, we think you will find some much-needed relief. While you might not be feeling your best, we sincerely wish you congratulations!