12 Tips to Beat Morning Sickness

Posted by Claire | Thursday December 16, 2010

Among the first of my friends, cousins and siblings to start a family, I had few to turn to when I began to experience Morning Sickness (which I quickly renamed “All Day Sickness”). Since then, I’ve had 3 healthy babies, which supposedly qualifies me to field every kind of pregnancy question anxiously asked by newbie moms in my circle of acquaintance.

As a result of the frequent inquiries on the topic, I did my homework in search of the best tried-and-true remedies for pregnancy-related nausea:

1. Go for Ginger, including cookies, teas, candies, and Gingerale. Studies have shown that Ginger contains natural anti-nausea properties (and anytime cookies are healthfully recommended, well that’s just win/win).

2. Increase your Vitamin B6 intake. B6-rich foods include fortified breakfast cereal, baked potato, banana, oatmeal, chicken breast, roast beef, sunflower seeds, spinach, and more.

3. Try Peppermint, as tea, candies, or aromatherapy oils. Other fresh smells such as rosemary sprigs or lemon extract can distract a hyper-sensitive sense of smell (thanks to that boost of estrogen).

4. Avoid fatty and spicy foods.

5. Switch to children’s vitamins if your prenatal supplement makes you queasy. Read the labels carefully to check if you need an additional calcium or folic acid supplement.

6. Keep exercising, but not too strenuously. Try a brisk walk or aqua aerobics to keep your energy up while keeping your heart rate in check. Many docs recommend against starting a new, vigorous routine after the start of pregnancy.

7. Limit your computer time. The screen flickers too rapidly for you to detect consciously but can trigger your nausea.

8. Don’t drink with your meal – separate eating and drinking by 30 minutes.

9. Try acupressure or acupuncture for relief. You can also purchase anti-nausea wristbands intended to activate pressure points on your wrists (commonly used for travel nausea).

10. Don’t allow yourself to become ravenously hungry. This is a good rule of thumb for anyone, but extreme hunger can trigger your nausea. Try eating small snacks throughout the day to keep your blood sugar stable and stomach settled. Have a small high-protein snack just before bed for nighttime comfort.

11. Nibble a few saltine crackers in the morning before sitting up in bed. For that matter, a small salty snack before regular meals can be helpful too.

12. Track your triggers by keeping a nausea journal to identify which foods and smells are no-nos for you, and know that this list may change as your pregnancy progresses.

Editor's Note: As always, discuss any possible remedies with your doctor to ensure they are right for you. This list was derived from anecdotal sources and generic advice, and should not be considered as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Do you have any Morning Sickness tips to share?

More by Claire
More on Pregnancy

Pin It

3 Tricks to Add Volume to Fine Hair

12 Fabulous Flat Boots for $200 or...

8 Comments

	on March 11, 2014 Diane32 806 said: I have had 4 babies and with my 3 girls I had all day sickness first 2 months and with my boy all day sickness for 4 months and nothing worked with him had to get meds from the doctor . Everything made me throw up even different smells. And I have tried a few things on this list.
	on December 16, 2010 Bren 26,031 said: These are all excellant tips.I used to drink lots of peppermint or ginger herbal tea to settle my stomach.If you have a diffuser a few drops of peppermint or lavender helps to circulate in the air helps as well.
	on December 16, 2010 jchang212 106 said: @cathy good tip! No wonder ginger ale didn't work for me the last time I tired it...it was still fizzy and made me feel even worse :( All this talk about pregnancy is making me imagine myself with a big belly and something inside of it! So foreign to me
	on December 16, 2010 Bubblybunny 4,709 said: Black tea - I drink it plain, no milk, no sugar. It doesn't matter what flavour; I prefer Earl Grey. It works for me every time. The nausea subsided after 10-15 min of drinking the tea. I always make sure my stomach is not empty. I found those little saltine crackers (unsalted top) really works and I always carried a bunch in my purse to munch on throughout the day. I haven't tried this tip myself but in Chinese culture, it is said that you can alleviate nausea by sucking on sour stuff, like lemons. Also, ginger is supposed to help too. I have some gingered lemons at home but I didn't find that it did much good. I much preferred the black tea and the saltine crackers.
	on December 16, 2010 mamaluv STAFF said: I had to switch vitamins a couple of times because of my nausea. My grandparents bought me one of those liquid supplements from a very expensive vitamin company (one of those multi-level businesses) but it made me feel even worse! Gummy Bear vitamins all the way! And definitely don't let yourself become too hungry - makes it much worse. Sometimes you don't think you are hungry because you feel so ill, but in my experience, you are nauseated because you're so hungry and only food will fix the problem.
	on December 16, 2010 cathy3087 98 said: I've always found that ginger ale helps upset stomachs, so I'm sure it must work for morning sickness too. But to avoid getting gassy, you should take the fizz out by either stirring it with a silver spoon or mixing a little bit of sugar (you will see the bubbles come out)
	on December 16, 2010 Anony Mouse 578 said: These are really great tips. I completely agree that calling it morning sickness is a bold-faced lie. It's all day sickness. I often feel the worst at night or during the day. I am taking diclectin, which is helpful but it sure does make you drowsy!
	on December 16, 2010 jchang212 106 said: Not preggers yet! But will also try these for regular nausea/sickness :)