Morning sickness can be miserable, especially when nausea, food aversions, and exhaustion seem to take over your day. Studies show that 70% to 85% of pregnant women experience morning sickness and nausea, usually around the sixth week of pregnancy.1,2
After supporting many clients and talking with friends through this stage, I’ve gathered practical tips that may help ease pregnancy nausea. Not every remedy works for every person, but trying a few small changes can sometimes make the day feel more manageable.
If you can’t keep food or fluids down, are losing weight, feel dehydrated, or your symptoms feel severe, call your healthcare provider. You may need additional support or treatment.
Key Takeaways
- Morning sickness is common and often starts around the sixth week of pregnancy.1,2
- Eating small, frequent meals and keeping bland snacks nearby may help ease nausea.
- Hydration, fresh air, cold foods, ginger, peppermint, vitamin B6, and acupressure may offer relief for some people.
- Avoiding food, smell, and environmental triggers can make symptoms more manageable.
- Call your provider if you cannot keep fluids down, are losing weight, or feel dehydrated.
Related: When Does Morning Sickness Start? When Does It Stop?
Tips for Relieving Morning Sickness
Morning sickness can feel relentless, but there are small things you can do each day to ease nausea and find relief.
1. Eat Small Meals Throughout the Day
An empty stomach can worsen nausea. Eating little and often helps balance your sugar levels, which is what you need. Try eating up to 6 small meals a day rather than 3 large ones. Think small, frequent snacks throughout the day. Some women find that carbohydrates are most appealing when they feel nauseated. Whatever you decide to eat, be sure to eat it slowly.
Related: Foods to Help With Morning Sickness
2. Lie Down, but Not Right After You Eat
If you’re feeling nauseous or dizzy, rest and elevate your feet. Nausea can worsen when you’re stressed and tired, so give yourself time to relax and take naps when possible. It’s important to prioritize sleep during pregnancy. Pregnancy takes a lot of energy, after all.
Just be sure not to lie down right after eating something. This can cause things to come back up. Try to sit up, but if you’re not feeling well, sit back slightly in a well-supported chair, couch, or bed.
Preparing for Birth? Start Here.
3. Get Up Slowly in the Morning
Sitting on your bed for a few minutes before getting out may also be helpful.
4. Keep Snacks Around
Stash food everywhere you go throughout the day, such as your bedroom, car, office, and so on. This helps remind you to lightly graze throughout the day. You’ll want to find foods or drinks that ease nausea. Snacks like crackers or dry-roasted nuts, along with drinks like flat Coke, 7UP, or seltzer with a slice of lemon, lime, or orange, are said to help. Just make sure to keep bland snacks handy for nibbling.
I also recommend keeping crackers by your bed. When you first wake up, nibble a few crackers and rest for 20 minutes before getting up. Snacking on crackers may also help alleviate nausea if you wake up feeling unwell in the middle of the night.
Related: 22 Best Pregnancy Snacks That Are Healthy and Easy
5. Eat Protein-Rich Foods
Studies show that simple, high-protein foods and those rich in vitamin B, such as nuts, can help relieve morning sickness/nausea.3
6. Steer Clear of Spicy, Acidic, and Fried Foods
Spicy, acidic, and fried foods can irritate your digestive system, slowing its breakdown and digestion. Stick to bland foods and avoid those that are spicy, fried, or acidic.13
7. Eat Food That Is Cold or at Room Temperature
Food tends to have a stronger aroma when it’s hot, and those aromas can trigger nausea when you’re cooking. I recommend sticking to cold meals or room-temperature meals until your morning sickness subsides.
Related: First Trimester Checklist: What to Do in Weeks 1 to 12
8. Try To Avoid Foods and Smells That Trigger Your Nausea
If almost everything seems nauseating to you, it’s okay to eat the few things that do appeal to you for this part of your pregnancy, even if they don’t add up to a perfectly balanced diet.
9. Brush Your Teeth and Rinse Out Your Mouth After Eating
A fresh scent, a fresh taste, and a clean mouth can help.
10. Keep Yourself Hydrated
Aim to drink about a quart and a half (48 oz) daily. Keeping bottles or pitchers on hand throughout your home is smart because they serve as a reminder and provide relief.
If you’ve been vomiting frequently, try a sports drink that contains glucose, salt, and potassium to help replace lost electrolytes. I just want to remind you to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day, as staying hydrated is crucial during pregnancy.
Related: 8 Tips for Preventing Dehydration in Pregnancy
11. Drink Between Meals
If you’re having trouble keeping fluids down, limit your fluid intake while eating. You might find cold, carbonated beverages easiest to keep down. Try ginger ale, Sprite, 7 UP, or soda water.
Some women also find sour drinks, such as lemonade, easier to handle. Drinking tea is also a good option for alleviating nausea. I recommend trying Earth Mama’s Ginger Nausea Tea or Yogi’s Ginger Tea. You can also add lemon slices to iced tea or sparkling water and take sips as needed.
12. Sip Fluids Slowly
You don’t want to drink so much that your stomach feels full. A good strategy is to sip fluids throughout the day. If sipping isn’t going well, try using a straw.
Related: Morning Sickness: Myths and Facts
13. Watch for Non-Food Triggers, Too
A warm or stuffy room, the smell of heavy perfume, a car ride, or even changing positions too quickly might trigger your nausea.
Additionally, reducing the brightness on your computer can be beneficial, as strobing can be distracting and cause nausea. Try it with your phone, too. Plus, it saves battery life! Avoidance of triggers can become an important part of helping you feel better.
14. Get Fresh Air
Going for a walk or opening a window might help ease your nausea by bringing in some fresh air.14
15. Sniff a Fresh Scent
When you can’t pop open a window, take a whiff of some fresh scents. Some women find scents such as lemon, mint, and/or orange helpful. You can use a diffuser to dispense an essential oil or carry a drop or two on a towel or hanky to smell when you start to feel queasy. Note: Essential oils are powerful; use only 1 or 2 drops.
Related: Top 5 Essential Oils for the First Trimester
16. Ask About Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 at 50 milligrams per day has been shown to be beneficial.4,5 Consult with your doctor first before trying this option.
17. Try Taking Your Prenatal Vitamins With Food or Just Before Bed
Taking your prenatal vitamin by itself in the morning can trigger those feelings of nausea. Taking it with food or right before bed can help alleviate the symptoms.
You might also want to ask your healthcare provider whether you should switch to a prenatal vitamin with a low dose of iron or no iron for the first trimester, since this mineral can be hard on your digestive system.6 If the prenatal vitamin still makes you nauseous, ask if you can stop taking it until your nausea improves.
Related: Best Prenatal Vitamins: Top Picks and How to Choose
18. Try Ginger
Ginger is an alternative remedy believed to settle the stomach and alleviate nausea.7 See if you can find ginger ale made with real ginger. Most supermarket ginger ales aren’t made with real ginger. You can grate some fresh ginger into hot water to make ginger tea, or try using ginger candies or crystallized ginger for a similar effect. Many people find ginger helpful in a variety of forms, including tea, candies, fresh ginger, and ginger ale made with real ginger.
Research suggests that taking powdered ginger root in capsule form may also offer some relief.8 Unfortunately, you cannot be sure how much active ingredient is in these ginger supplements, so talk to your doctor before taking them.
19. Try Peppermint
Some women find similar relief from sipping peppermint tea or from sucking peppermint candies, especially after eating, or even just the scent of peppermint can be helpful.
20. Try Pregnancy Nausea Drops
These candies are naturally flavored and specially formulated lollipops and lozenges for pregnant women experiencing morning sickness. Preggie Pops & Drops offer relief by combining essential oils and aromatherapy. These may be worth trying if sour candies or lozenges help settle your stomach.
21. Try an Acupressure Band
These soft cotton Sea-Band wristbands are sold at almost all drugstores. You strap it on so that the plastic button pushes against an acupressure point on the underside of your wrist. This simple, inexpensive device, designed to ward off seasickness, has helped some pregnant women with morning sickness. It doesn’t hurt to give it a shot!
Related: 14 First Trimester Must-Haves for Pregnancy
22. Consider Seeing an Acupuncturist
Some therapies, such as reflexology, may help you cope with sickness.9,10 You probably already have looked into this, but make sure you go to a qualified therapist who has experience treating nausea during pregnancy.
23. Carry a Survival Kit
Make a survival kit that includes water, vitamins, acid reflux meds, sour candies, peppermints, oils, and even bowel stimulants. Having everything in one place can make rough days feel a little more manageable.
Related: Healthy and Delicious First Trimester Recipes
When To Call Your Provider About Morning Sickness
While morning sickness is common, severe nausea and vomiting may require medical attention.
If your nausea and vomiting are so severe that you can’t keep anything down, including water, juice, food, prenatal vitamins, or medications, you may have hyperemesis gravidarum. This complication is highlighted by nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and dehydration.
Mild cases are treated with dietary changes, rest, and antacids. More severe cases may require a hospital stay to receive fluids and nutrition through an IV.11,12 If your symptoms feel severe, reach out to your healthcare provider sooner rather than later.
Video: Ways to Relieve Morning Sickness
Watch this quick video where I share my favorite tips to calm nausea and make early pregnancy more manageable.
Morning sickness can test your patience, but for many people, it does improve with time. Be gentle with yourself, rest when you can, and try different remedies until you find what helps.
And remember, if your nausea or vomiting feels severe or you can’t keep fluids down, reach out to your healthcare provider. You deserve support and relief.
