5 Morning Sickness Remedies for Nausea-Free Mornings

We’ve all heard about morning sickness – waves of intense nausea and vomiting that hit you during pregnancy, and are at their worst in the morning. It’s such a common complaint amongst pregnant women, in fact, that it has become a go-to Hollywood trope to clue the audience in on a pregnancy! But is morning sickness really an inseparable part of pregnancy, or is there any way to ease the symptoms? Keep reading to find out more about when morning sickness starts, learn about morning sickness symptoms and remedies, and find out what you can expect throughout your pregnancy.

Is It Morning Sickness?

Before tackling the problem head-on, make sure that it really is pregnancy-associated morning sickness and not something else. Morning sickness symptoms in pregnant women include strong and sudden bouts of nausea that are often more intense and frequent in the mornings when you’ve just woken up. Contrary to popular belief, however, morning sickness does not always involve being physically sick (i.e. vomiting), nor is it confined to the AM. With vomiting or without, the waves of nausea that seem to hit you out of nowhere can be debilitating. 

If you’re finding yourself unable to keep liquids down, or you begin experiencing any signs of dehydration (including an elevated heartrate and dizziness), speak to your doctor right away to see if they’re able to prescribe something to help you eat and drink more easily. You should also speak to your doctor if you’re having other symptoms in addition to nausea and vomiting, as there may be another underlying reason you’re suddenly feeling unwell.

So When Does Morning Sickness Start?

If you’re here, you’ve probably already gotten a preview of morning sickness, but if you’re still asking yourself when does morning sickness start, you’re in for some good news – morning sickness generally begins at your 5th or 6th week of pregnancy, begins to improve after the 9th week, and disappears for most women by the end of the 20th week. So once you’ve got that first trimester under your belt, you can breathe a sigh of relief, ‘cause the worst of it is over!

Risk Factors – Who’s Prone to Morning Sickness?

Morning sickness is incredibly common, affecting around 80% of pregnant women to some degree during their pregnancy. That said, there are a few risk factors that can help you predict how likely you are to experience morning sickness, and to what degree of severity. You’re more likely to experience morning sickness if:

-          You have a sensitive stomach, suffer from migraines, or are prone to motion sickness. Women who’ve had sensitive stomachs even before pregnancy, as well as women who suffer from migraines and motion sickness, may be more acutely affected by hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy, which may make morning sickness symptoms worse.

-          You’ve had morning sickness during pregnancy before. If you’ve been pregnant before and experienced morning sickness, you’re likely to experience it this time around too. It may vary in severity, but previous experience is a pretty good indicator of what to expect.

-          You’ve got more than one little one on the way. Women who are pregnant with twins (or more!) are generally more prone to morning sickness, with their morning sickness symptoms oftentimes presenting more severely than in women who are pregnant with one child.

-          You’ve experienced nausea from hormonal birth control containing estrogen. Pregnancy does a number on your hormones, and if you’ve experienced nausea in the past from estrogen-containing hormonal contraceptives, you’re more likely to experience morning sickness during your pregnancy.

Can You Prevent Morning Sickness?

It’s unfortunately impossible to all-out prevent morning sickness, but you can definitely take proactive steps to reduce the severity of your symptoms. Keep reading for simple lifestyle changes and home remedies that can help you better manage your morning sickness during pregnancy.

5 All-Natural Morning Sickness Remedies 

Morning sickness may be an inseparable fact of pregnant life, but that doesn’t mean that there’s nothing you can do about it. These simple morning sickness remedies require just a few minor changes to your eating and sleeping habits, so you can start alleviating the nausea and vomiting ASAP!

Eat Small Meals Throughout the Day

Large meals can cause feelings of heaviness and nausea, and that’s doubly true when you’re pregnant. Skip the big lunch, and opt for smaller meals throughout the day. This avoids the nausea associated with large meals, and prevents spikes in blood sugar that can bring sudden energy crashes with them!

Don’t Forget Your Snacks!

Snacking is a good way to keep your energy up while making sure that your stomach is never running on empty – a big no-no if you want to stave off nausea! Keep easily digestible snacks – such as plain crackers or pretzels – within arm’s reach, and snack on them often. Some women even find that eating a small snack like this first thing in the morning, before getting out of bed, helps steady their stomach and stave off morning sickness. 

Add a Daily Dose of Ginger 

Try incorporating ginger into your diet in the form of tea, lozenges, or even consult with your doctor about adding a daily ginger supplement. Ginger is an all-natural morning sickness remedy, with a proven track record in minimizing nausea and soothing upset stomachs!

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Staying well-rested is important for many reasons, especially during your pregnancy, and here’s another – getting a good night’s sleep can help ease your morning sickness! Insufficient sleep can cause a sensation of nausea, and can exacerbate your morning sickness, which is why it’s now more important than ever to get your solid eight hours a night.

Stay Well-Hydrated  

Another piece of great advice in general proves to be doubly important during pregnancy – who knew?! Staying hydrated is a great way to care for your body and prevent a multitude of issues down the road, but it can also help minimize your morning sickness symptoms. There is a small caveat, however: just like large meals can trigger nausea, so can chugging a whole glass of water in one go. The trick to staying properly hydrated is drinking water frequently and taking small sips. Keep a reusable water bottle in your purse, and throw an extra one in your car, too, ‘cause this is the easiest morning sickness remedy ever that you can start implementing today!