50 Herbal and Home Remedies: Morning Sickness

Few pregnant women escape the woes of morning sickness, and may even suffer from it all day. Here are 50 natural or herbal home remedies that many women have found alleviates some or all of their nausea during pregnancy.

The next time you are in your local health food store, ask about capsules, teas, or aromatherapy treatments for morning sickness. As mentioned above, always check with your health care practitioner prior to taking ANY herbal remedies when you are pregnant or nursing.

1. Keep a glass of water on your bedside table when you go to sleep. If you wake during the night, take a few sips. Keeping hydrated seems to help lessen the nausea of pregnancy.
2. Keep a small water bottle in your purse and on your desk at work. Try to drink 1 cup every hour.
3. If you are severely nauseous, keep a cup of ice chips or ice cubes nearby to suck on.
4. Flat, room temperature gingerale.
5. Ginger tea
6. Ginger snaps - dry and not too sweet
7. Ginger capsules from your health food store -check with your health practitioner prior to using any herbs when pregnant.
8. Ginger lemon muffins/cakes - see recipe.
9. Ginger gum.
10. Old fashioned gingerbread - this isn't too sweet and a slice is good for breakfast.
11. Ginger hard candies.

12. Peppermint tea.

13. 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar mixed with 1 tablespoon honey before bed each night.

14. Peppermint/spearmint gum.

15. Crush a few mint leaves into a glass of gingerale or lemonade or water.

16. Try using a mint scented hand cream instead of your usual perfume while pregnant.

17. Suck on a hard peppermint candy.

18. Fish
19. Nuts - especially raw almonds
20. Eggs - try hard boiled or scrambled as fried eggs may make you feel queasy when you are pregnant
21. Whole grain breads, rolls, crackers and bagels
22. Avocados are high in B6 but the texture may not appeal to you if you are nauseous.
23. Brewer's Yeast is also high in Vitamin B6 and is available in both powdered form and capsules from your health food store. Some mums swear by it!
24. Lemon slice in water.
25. Keep a fresh quarter of a lemon beside your bed when you go to bed. If you are nauseous in the early hours of the morning, squeeze the lemon and inhale deeply. The fesh smell of lemon should help.
26. Lemon gummy bears.
27. Lemon drops.
28. Lemonade -not too sweet.
29. Dry whole wheat toast.
30. Melba toast (these come in small packs now so you can keep some in your purse.
31. Ryvita or rusks.
32. Salted soda crackers.
33. 1/2 toasted multi-grain bagel.
34. Wear lemon or lime lip balm. The scent on your lips directly below your nose will help alleviate nausea when pregnant.
35. Avoid wearing strong synthetic perfumes or deodorants - try a citrus scent if you must wear something.
36. Try using a lavendar scent sachet in your pillowcase - the scent may cut your nausea and help you sleep as well.
37. Eat cold food instead of hot meals if you find the cooking smells bother you. There will be less flavour in the cold food and it will be easier to stomach.
38. Avoid fatty and greasy foods.
39. Avoid drinking coffee if possible. Try weak tea with lemon.
40. Chew grapefruit flavoured gum.
41. Try a slice of papaya in the morning, or an all natural papaya juice.
42. Try staying away from red meat in the early months of pregnancy - try fish or chicken instead.
43. Eat many small meals - even if it is only a few bites every hour, keep something in your stomach rather than eating 3 big meals spaced out over the course of the day.
44. Don't drink liquids WITH your meals - have them between meals instead.
45. Try accupressure on your wrists, and/or PSI bands which are used for motion sickness.
46. Fresh air is key. Try to sleep with your window opened a crack.
47. Take a short walk at lunch. Fresh air and gentle exercise will do wonders.
48. Take a 10 minute nap if you can during your coffee breaks and/or lunch hour. Perhaps your lunchroom has a couch, or even try going out to your car and reclining the seat (with your window open a little!)
49. Take your pre-natal vitamins at night before going to bed, rather than in the morning.
50. Yoga is a wonderful stress reliever, helpful with morning sickness, and will help prepare your body for the rigours of labour.