Morning sickness can be a challenging part of early pregnancy for many women. Up to 70% of women experience nausea during their pregnancy (and not just during the mornings!), but most of these women can expect to feel relief after the first trimester ends. While there is ongoing research about the potential causes of morning sickness, we do not currently have a cure-all for this unfortunate symptom of pregnancy. That being said, we’ve got ten remedies you can try if you are currently in the throes of first trimester morning sickness.
Below is a list of different remedies for morning sickness, beginning with simple options that have no side effects and ending with some more powerful medications that would require a prescription from a doctor. If you’re experiencing pregnancy nausea, it might be helpful to layer multiple remedies and experiment to find what works for you, as there is no one-size-fits-all approach. And remember: there is a very good chance that this is only a brief season of discomfort, and it will eventually end!
Note: The morning sickness remedies listed below are intended to ease the discomfort of pregnancy-related nausea. If you find that your nausea and vomiting is preventing you from functioning during the day, contact your healthcare professional right away, as you may be experiencing a serious medical condition called hyperemesis gravidarum.
Tip #1: Eat frequent small meals and snacks
Instead of eating three large meals in one day, try splitting them up into smaller meals (or by adding snacks) throughout your day. Not letting your stomach become completely empty will help ward off the hunger pains that might exacerbate nausea. Many think of saltine crackers when they think of nausea, but these are virtually nutritionless, and often chock-full of seed oils. Consider other gentle (think: not too strongly flavored) foods with a bit more nutrition; some women find success with foods like bagels and cream cheese, fresh fruit with a nut butter for protein and fat, carrots with hummus, rice or pasta with butter, or yogurt.
The bottom line is: eat before you’re extremely hungry. You might benefit from setting a timer on your phone to eat a small snack every two or three hours. Alternatively, you might split a larger meal like dinner into two portions. I’ve found that when I’m pregnant, I have a sweet spot where I can eat a meal or snack and feel relatively fine, but if I wait too long, then my hunger turns into nausea (which makes it impossible to eat anything). Eating more frequently can be extremely helpful in these cases, even if it’s just a small snack.
Tip #2: Try ginger
Ginger is another classic morning sickness cure, and for good reason. Multiple systematic reviews on scientific studies have found that ginger decreases nausea and vomiting in pregnant women [1]. You can consume ginger in a variety of forms: hard candy, tea, or pill capsules. You can even go straight to the source and make your own ginger tea by letting pieces of peeled ginger root steep in hot water. Another option is ginger candies. Bonus: at least one brand also has vitamin B6 (try these!), which further helps ease nausea.
In talking to women who have experienced pregnancy nausea, I’ve largely found that ginger works really well for some and does nothing for others (Editor’s Note: I am one of those women it does nothing for!). Fortunately, there are no side effects to sipping on ginger tea or taking a ginger supplement, so it’s worth a try.
Tip #3: Use aromatherapy
If you’ve ever been pregnant, you know that smells can be intense. Especially during the first trimester, smells can trigger nausea within a matter of seconds. This is largely because pregnancy heightens our sense of smell [2]. Luckily, we can use our sensitive noses to our advantage by using aromatherapy to help quell nausea. Research suggests that both peppermint and lemon essential oils help reduce mild or moderate levels of nausea in pregnancy [3].
You can try either diffusing these oils with an oil diffuser (which puts the scent into the air when mixed with water) or you can smell the oil directly. I’ve found benefit in putting a few drops of peppermint essential oil onto a cloth scrunchie and wearing it on my wrist like a bracelet, bringing it up to my nose when a wave of nausea hits. You can also put drops of essential oil into a trash can or emesis bag if you’re experiencing regular vomiting. Make sure to avoid putting pure essential oils directly on your skin (unless diluted with a carrier oil like coconut or almond oil), and do not consume them orally.
Tip #4: Take walks or get outside when possible
If the weather allows, it might be helpful to step outside. Cold, fresh air is helpful for nausea in general, especially if you’re feeling motion sick. There is also evidence to suggest that light exercise (like walking) during pregnancy can decrease long-term morning sickness, so you can combine the benefits of taking a walk with the nausea-easing abilities of fresh air with an outdoor walk [4]. I’ve also benefited from sitting outside during the morning when it’s still cool and slightly breezy outside, or stepping out if the smells of the home (especially when dinner is cooking!) become too much to handle.
Tip #5: Try acupressure bands
Acupressure bands, which are also called Sea-Bands, are commonly used by boat passengers to alleviate seasickness, due to their ability to stimulate the P6 acupressure point which alleviates nausea. They can be found at many drugstores and online retailers for around $10. There is older evidence backing up their effectiveness, with one trial finding that the group wearing the acupressure bands experienced significantly less nausea than the control group [5].
If you’re looking for something more high-tech, some acupressure bands deliver electronic pulses to the P6 acupressure point, rather than just pressing a plastic button into your wrist. Examples include companies like ReliefBand, which are significantly more expensive (between $100 and $250). These bands are also evidence-backed, but are a larger investment than a $10 set of Sea-Bands from Amazon or your local drugstore [6].
Tip #6: Experiment with cold or sour foods
If you’re struggling to find foods that you can tolerate, try foods that are cold or sour. Cold foods are easier to eat when you’re nauseous due to their lack of smell, and sour flavors may decrease nausea. You can even find sour hard candies which are meant for pregnancy nausea like Preggie Pops, or you can try sipping on iced lemon water throughout the day.
One of my favorite pregnancy foods that is both easy to get down and can be packed with protein is a homemade smoothie. I choose to make mine with frozen fruit (preferably berries for their added fiber), plain Greek yogurt, milk (or water), and a large scoop of collagen peptides for added protein. If you don’t like smoothies, you can also try making homemade yogurt popsicles which are tasty and offer more nutrition than a standard fruit popsicle.
Tip #7: Balance your blood sugar by eating protein as often as possible
Although reaching for the saltines when you’re feeling nauseous is easy, pairing crackers (or another carb) with a source of protein may be even better. This is because blood sugar spikes (which can happen when you consume carbohydrates without protein or fat to help balance them) are actually a trigger of nausea. According to prenatal Dietician Lily Nichols:
“…sharp blood sugar fluctuations are another nausea trigger, so once you can tolerate a small amount of carbohydrates, try to follow it up with a small portion of protein or fat-containing foods to stabilize your blood sugar such as nuts, cheese, avocado, Greek yogurt, scrambled eggs, or beef jerky. Yes, you may be eating more carbohydrates for the time being and that’s OK. Just try to opt for the least-processed carbohydrates whenever possible and read those ingredient labels to keep pesky additives out.”
“Yes, you may be eating more carbohydrates for the time being and that’s OK. Just try to opt for the least-processed carbohydrates whenever possible and read those ingredient labels to keep pesky additives out.”
Real Food for Pregnancy, 115
Adding protein is a known pregnancy nausea remedy for a reason: it really can make a difference [7]. Beyond adding a source of protein (or fat) to your carbs, you can also swap your carb-heavy dishes for versions with added hidden protein. Examples include cooking your rice with bone broth (and cooking rice, safely cooling it, and thoroughly reheating it before eating actually reduces its glycemic index!), using chickpea pasta instead of regular, or using a protein pancake mix like Kodiak. You can add fat to your carbs by putting a tablespoon of butter onto your rice or smearing cream cheese on toast. One of Lily Nichols’ recommendations, which is also one of my favorites, is using salted roasted cashews as your emergency snack instead of crackers. They’re salty and crunchy just like a cracker, but have added fat and protein to balance your blood sugar.
Tip #8: Supplement with vitamin B6 and/or magnesium
Vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, is a well-known remedy for morning sickness [8]. It is both safe and effective to use during pregnancy, and typically doctors will recommend taking either 25 or 50 mg up to three times a day [9][10]. Natural food sources of vitamin B6 include poultry, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and dried fruits like prunes.
Another supplement to consider during pregnancy is magnesium, a mineral with immense benefits before, during, and after pregnancy. Magnesium is also safe and effective for use by pregnant women [11]. As for its effects on morning sickness, there unfortunately isn’t a lot of research out there, but Magnesium may help morning sickness by balancing cortisol levels and thus blood sugar, which has a direct tie with pregnancy nausea. While Magnesium’s effect on morning sickness is not well studied, since it’s a mineral that many pregnant women are lacking and would benefit from supplementing, it’s worth a try [12][13].
Tip #9: Combine B6 and Unisom (doxylamine) or ask your doctor about the brand name drug Diclegis
If you find that natural morning sickness remedies are not quite cutting it, most doctors will first recommend that you try a combination of vitamin B6 with a sleep medication called doxylamine, which is sold in the United States under the brand name ‘Unisom SleepTabs.’ Physicians typically recommend taking 10 to 25 mg of B6 up to every 8 hours, with a single dose of 25 mg of Unisom right before bed (combining it with your final dose of B6). Unisom is primarily manufactured as a sleep medication so it will make you tired, which is why it’s preferable to take it at night.
This combination is also available in an extended-release prescription drug called Diclegis. This medication (both the prescription form and combining B6 and Unisom) is the most widely-studied medication for nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. In fact, it’s the most widely-studied drug for anything in pregnancy, with over 200,000 pregnant women tested [14][15]. Its safety and efficacy is touted by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG), and it will probably be the first thing your doctor recommends if you ask for morning sickness medication. Make sure to follow your provider’s instructions on taking B6 and Unisom (or the prescription drug Diclegis).
Tip #10: Ask your doctor about other medications, such as Zofran
The last line of defense in the fight against morning sickness is prescription anti-nausea meds such as Zofran. Unlike the rest of the remedies listed here, Zofran has mixed data on whether or not it causes increased risk of birth defects to the developing baby. Zofran’s Fact Sheet (used by doctors who prescribe it to their patients) has this to say: “Most studies have not reported an increased chance for birth defects among thousands of people who used ondansetron in pregnancy. A few studies reported a very small (less than 1%) increase in the chance for a cleft palate (an opening in the roof of the mouth that can be repaired with surgery) or a heart defect.”
This study is an example of one that found a twofold increase in cases of cleft palate among the children of the mothers who took Zofran during pregnancy, but other comparative studies have found no significant statistical difference in birth defects between mothers who did or did not take Zofran [16][17]. Some researchers argue that because there are safer alternatives (like the aforementioned Diclegis), doctors should not prescribe Zofran due to its marginal risk [18]. Others say that the risks are minimal and that it’s a good option for women who have not found another effective medication.
What we do know is that Zofran is very effective at decreasing symptoms of nausea and vomiting in pregnant women, but ultimately weighing the costs and benefits of this medication is up to you with the help of your medical provider [19].
The bottom line on morning sickness relief
Here, we’ve given you options ranging from home remedies to prescription medication. The good news? You’re not doomed to hug the ‘porcelain goddess’ for your first trimester. The bad news? It will likely take time and trial and error to figure out which options are your best bet for easing pregnancy nausea and vomiting. Like pregnancy discomforts in general, the payoff is worth the effort!
