Morning sickness, it’s the one symptom that most of pregnant women dread when they find out they’re expecting. But the good news is that there are natural morning sickness cures that you can incorporate into your routine to help combat feeling nauseous. Morning sickness is so extremely common in the first trimester, that between 50 to 80 percent of pregnant gals experience it at some point. Oh and did you know that morning sickness could last all day? For me, I felt nauseous a lot in the evenings (which resulted in me having an 830pm bedtime – I just wanted to sleep it off).
Even if you have only slight nausea in your first trimester, morning sickness is a total b*tch to deal with. Imagine having to run to the toilet 4 times a day FOR WEEKS! Could you imagine? Even though it will pass and it’s only a temporary symptom, it’s still quite a pain in the butt. For me, this is how I found out that I was pregnant. I remember my fiance decided to go to the fish market and make some ALLIGATOR (uh yeah), which is what jump started my own morning sickness. He also smoked up the place from his cooking which made it a million times worse, I literally smelled cooked alligator in our bedroom for days afterwards and it consumed my nostrils and made me feel constantly sick. I also remember that my mom took a road trip with me to pick up Taty (our new pup that I just so happen to get the week before we found out I was expecting – what *timing*), and the ENTIRE 2 hour drive there I was about to hurl and only wanted to eat pigs in a blanket (which is completely out of character for me, as many of you know).
Long story short, I was totally unprepared to deal with morning sickness and only found remedies that helped me about the last 2 weeks that I was experiencing it. Typically, morning sickness begins between week 4-6 and on average goes away between 12-14 weeks. For me, my morning sickness only lasted between week 6-9 and it was only triggered by scents. If you’re newly pregnant (Congrats!!) and want to prepare yourself for dealing with morning sickness, read on to see what natural morning sickness cures I’ve used that I believe work wonders.
Natural morning sickness cures
Cold foods and smoothies. When you feel like you can’t chew on solid foods due to a churning stomach, try sipping on a smoothie. You can blend simple ingredients like banana, almond milk, a handful of spinach (which you won’t taste), and even some nutty granola. Smoothies can help calm down an upset stomach due to acidity and can also help balance your blood sugar levels.
Vitamin B6. Known as a wonderful vitamin to help out with morning sickness, taking vitamin B6 in addition to your prenatal vitamin can help squash feeling queasy. Doctors recommend taking 25 mg of vitamin B6 a day, three times a day.
Ginger. Ginger is a wonderful root to help with alllll sorts of digestive issues! It helps out with morning sickness, digestive issues, bloating, and of course morning sickness. You can add fresh ginger to your smoothies, make ginger tea, or ginger ale. I actually found a ginger and vitamin B6 supplement chew that I used throughout my first trimester that I loved.
Probiotics. Many of your already know my love for probiotics, and I love probiotics even more when I’m pregnant! When you’re growing a lil bub in your tummy, your stomach will eventually get squished as well as pretty much all of your organs, so it’s essential that you keep your digestion kicking by fully breaking down food you consume. Pregnancy can wreak complete havoc on your digestive tract, preventing you from fully digesting food leading to gas and of course feeling nauseous. By balancing the healthy bacteria in your gut, you’re keeping inflammation down and your digestive system working adequately which will help prevent severe morning sickness.
Peppermint. Whether it’s in the form of tea or as a candy to suck on, peppermint is widely known to help out with morning sickness. Even smelling peppermint essential oil can help calm down your stomach and help out when you’re sense of smell is in overdrive.
Digestive enzymes. Even when I’m not pregnant I take digestive enzymes regularly. When taken regularly, enzymes help you break down your food and prevent any further digestive discomfort. If you want to opt for natural sources of digestive enzymes, make a smoothie with papaya or pineapple which are both great sources.
Magnesium. Not only can magnesium help you relax and wind down in the evening, having enough magnesium in your system can also help combat morning sickness. I love taking epsom salt baths (which is magnesium) as well as a magnesium beverage supplement called Calm that I drink in the evening to help me wind down.
Citrus foods. Adding lemon to your water can prevent you from feeling nauseous (and of course drinking extra fluids helps you as well). If you’re vomiting often throughout the day, be sure to increase your fluid consumption and include foods like watermelon, bananas, and even coconut water to help you get more electrolytes back into your system. Lemon balm tea is another great remedy. Also, simply having a sliced lemon to smell has also helped me settle my stomach. Even drinking lemonade helped me as well! I had my hubs make homemade lemonade regularly that I loved.
Red raspberry-leaf tea. This herbal tea is known to help with a slew of pregnancy ailments (but check with your doctor first before taking, as always).
Fennel seeds. If you feel especially uncomfortable after you eat a meal, try chewing on some fennel seeds post meal which is known to help with upset tummies.
Eat simple foods. For me, this was bagels and cream cheese, crackers, and brown rice. Remember to be gentle on yourself and if your body is craving simple foods to settle your stomach, don’t fight it even if it’s not the most nutrient dense food!
Eat small meals throughout the day. Right when I’d wake up I’d have to eat a handful of crackers to prevent my morning sickness from starting. Ensuring that your stomach never hits empty will help A LOT as your stomach acids won’t be churning.
Sip on broth. I had a lot of bone broth and vegetable broth in my first trimester to ensure that I was still getting nutrients in addition to my prenatal vitamin. The first trimester I had a TON of food aversions and really ate bland carbs to get by, so adding these warming broths helped soothe my stomach in addition to providing me and my babe nutrients.
Try acupressure. I wore a sea band that put pressure on the center of my wrist (which is an acupressure spot to help with nausea), and noticed a difference. Acupuncture can also help if used on specific points (but again – get approval from your doctor!).
In addition to these remedies, I also took my prenatal vitamins in the evening when I had a full stomach, I walked outside regularly to help release endorphins, I moved slower, and slept A LOT. Just listen to your body and do what it intuitively tells you to do! Oh and avoid triggers like smelly cooking and bad breath! It’s also important to remember that with any type of nutrition or wellness content found on here – it’s IMPERATIVE that you consult your doctor before adding any new herbs or supplements to your diet while pregnant. This content is only for educational purposes only.