The Best Morning Sickness Remedies, According to Parents

Morning sickness—which can actually strike at any time of the day or night—is a common complaint among moms-to-be. “About two thirds of women will experience nausea and vomiting during the first trimester,” explains Gil Weiss, MD, an ob-gyn in Chicago and Northbrook, Illinois. Unfortunately, frequent vomiting or perpetual nausea can cast a shadow over early pregnancy. The good news? It’ll likely fade after the first trimester. Better yet, you might be able to find some morning sickness relief now.

The truth is, fail-proof morning sickness remedies don’t actually exist. But there are steps you can take and products you can use to help quell the queasiness. Certain foods, some lifestyle changes and a few over-the-counter medications can help. Ready to feel better and maybe even enjoy your pregnancy sans sickness? We’ve consulted a team of medical and nutritional experts to serve up information on morning sickness remedies that can work to stave off or curb the nausea. Read on for some smart ideas on how to treat morning sickness.

How We Chose The Best Morning Sickness Remedies

There are many natural remedies for morning sickness, including options you can buy online. We took the following steps to find the best store-bought options:

• We asked members of The Bump community to tell us about the morning sickness remedies that gave them relief for nausea.
• We surveyed 406 new and expectant parents and asked them for their home remedies for nausea during pregnancy.
• We interviewed an ob-gyn and two dietitians that specialize in pre- and post-natal nutrition.
• We consulted research published by the National Library of Medicine.
• Because every pregnant parent’s experience is different, we performed extensive market research across message boards, forums and product reviews to see how these morning sickness remedies performed for moms across the country.

Editorial integrity is at the heart of everything we publish. Read more about how The Bump develops our product reviews.

Best Pregnancy Nausea Candy, According to Parents

Other Morning Sickness Remedies Parents Love

Foods for Morning Sickness Relief

Hard to believe, but many morning sickness remedies can be found in the food aisle at your local grocery store. Here are some ideas for how to treat morning sickness with nutrition.

• Eat foods that are rich in vitamin B6: According to Kipping, “the first line of ‘treatment’ for nausea is increasing foods high in vitamin B6 such as bananas, pistachios, oranges and chicken.”
• Try cold food: To reduce nausea, Kilgore suggests pregnant people try eating cold foods, such as smoothies or yogurt and cool bubbly drinks like seltzer. Weiss adds that “colder foods have less odor, which makes them easier to tolerate than hot food.”
• Load up on carbs: Snacks that are rich in carbohydrates (think: crackers, pretzels, dry toast and cereal) are easy to digest and keep down. Kipping recommends following this type of food with a source of protein, though, as “not eating enough protein, especially with your carbohydrates, could cause blood sugar spikes, leading to increased nausea.”
• Eat small meals more often: Avoiding food altogether is a bad idea as it can make nausea worse. Kilgore suggests trying to eat smaller meals more frequently throughout the day to mitigate nausea and avoid having an empty stomach.

Natural Remedies for Morning Sickness

Sick and tired of being sick and tired? We get it. Sometimes adjusting your diet and lifestyle isn’t going to cut it, which is where other natural morning sickness remedies come into play. While there are no miracle cures, one (or more) of these options may help ease your symptoms.

• Ginger. It’s a classic remedy for a reason—ginger works! Research shows that this ancient root is an effective and safe treatment for nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Kilgore suggests incorporating ginger tea or natural ginger-ale into your diet to help alleviate symptoms. If you don’t like the taste, it’s also possible to buy ginger root capsules. Always consult your doctor before adding a new supplement to your regimen.
• Acupressure. According to Weiss, acupressure bands can help relieve nausea by stimulating the P6 pressure point found on the inside of the wrist.
• Aromatherapy: Just as certain smells trigger nausea, other scents can help alleviate it. “Try placing a cotton ball infused with essential oil, such as mint, lemon or orange under the nose,” suggests Kilgore. Kipping also recommends diffusing essential oils in the air or lighting a candle that smells good to help ease morning sickness symptoms.
• Acupuncture: Studies have found that acupuncture is another effective alternative morning sickness treatment. Like acupressure, this therapy works by stimulating key pressure points on the body. In general, it’s considered safe in pregnancy; just make sure your practitioner knows you’re expecting and get the green light from your doctor beforehand.

Over-the-Counter Morning Sickness Medicine

If none of the above morning sickness remedies work for you, don’t be discouraged! According to Weiss, common over-the-counter medicine like the antihistamine Unisom or supplements like vitamin B6 capsules can help ease morning sickness and pregnancy nausea. “Sometimes a combination of two of these medicines can do the trick-like vitamin B6 and Unisom together,” adds Weiss. But it’s important to note that you should always consult your doctor before taking any over-the-counter medications while pregnant.

What Causes Morning Sickness?

If you’re dealing with morning sickness in pregnancy, know that you’re far from alone: Two out of three women experience nausea and vomiting in their first trimester. Pregnancy hormones—like human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)—peak in those early weeks, leading to this overall feeling of unpleasantness. What’s more, Weiss says that if you’re expecting twins or triplets, you’re more likely to experience morning sickness because of higher levels of hCG in your system. And, yes, while it’s called morning sickness, symptoms can ebb and flow throughout the day. The good news is that for most moms-to-be, symptoms diminish by the end of the first trimester or beginning of the second, says Chelsea Kilgore, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist at Weight Zen in New York City.

While it’s true that hormones are most likely causing your morning sickness, episodes can be triggered by different things around you. “Some people may be sensitive to certain odors, certain foods or may be going too long in between meals,” says Ryann Kipping, MPH, RDN, CLEC, founder of The Prenatal Nutritionist. Other factors—like humidity, excess saliva and hot environments—may aggravate nausea. “Laying down after a meal can also precipitate nausea and vomiting in pregnancy,” says Weiss.

What To Do When Morning Sickness Remedies Don’t Work

While morning sickness is common and normally passes on its own, a small minority of women develop hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). According to Weiss, “HG is the most severe form of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, and may lead to electrolyte imbalances that require in-hospital management and intravenous therapy.” If you start to lose weight or are sick more than three to four times a day, Weiss advises seeking medical attention immediately.

The biggest risk associated with morning sickness is dehydration. “In general, if you’re unable to keep down any food or water for 12 or more hours, a visit to the emergency room is recommended,” says Weiss.

Nevertheless, if you’re suffering from perpetual morning sickness, do what you can to get as much rest as possible, and remember that these symptoms won’t last forever. “If nothing seems to be working, and your day-to-day life has become increasingly challenging, contact your provider to discuss medication and other options,” advises Kipping. There are prescription morning sickness treatment options, and you can decide if this is the right route to take together.

About the author:
Martina Garvey is an editor at The Bump, where she writes and edits e-commerce content for pregnancy, postpartum and parenting. Over a nine plus year career in educational publishing and digital media, Martina has developed a keen eye for detail and robust reporting skills. As a staff member on The Bump for over four years, she leverages an in-depth knowledge of must-have baby gear and postpartum essentials alongside a passion for the latest trends to create informative content parents can trust.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.