Morning sickness has to be one of the worst parts of being pregnant. We looked all over the web for a complete list of ways to treat or reduce the nausea of morning sickness, in a form that could be printed out and used. We finally compiled our own list of morning sickness remedies, most of which we tried and some of which helped. In any case, it often feels better to be proactive about something as miserable as morning sickness, even if the relief is minimal – or imaginary! The good news: morning sickness usually goes away around the end of the first trimester. So, each day you get through is a day closer to it going away.
These suggestions are not medical advice. In fact, most of these morning sickness cures are strictly apocryphal, passed to us by others, and you use them at your own risk. Particularly in the case of herbs and vitamins, it is essential to discuss every aspect of your pregnancy with your healthcare provider.
Two general tips for reducing morning sickness: rest, and nibble-and-sip your way through the day and night.
Every pregnant woman is different; every pregnancy is different. So, what worked for me might not work for you; what reduces your morning sickness today might have no effect tomorrow. That’s why this list is so long, and will get longer as I find more stuff to put up here.
Oh, one other thing: your computer monitor may be causing some nausea – it’s the rapid flickering of the display. Pass your open hand between the monitor and your eyes and you’ll see what I mean. No, wait, don’t do that – the stroboscopic effect might make you sick. You can adjust the refresh rate of your computer monitor to be faster, which sometimes helps. In Microsoft Windows, click on Start > Settings > Control Panel > Display (icon) > Settings (tab) > Advanced (button) > Adapter (tab) > Refresh Rate (a space with some options). Choose the fastest option (100 Hz or higher) and see if that helps … or crashes your computer.
Onto the morning sickness remedies, straight from the Old Wives, books, and well-meaning relatives and friends …
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Activity
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Acupressure/Acupuncture
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Apple cider vinegar in water, with honey
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Applesauce
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Asian pears
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Baked potato
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Bananas
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Bread with peanut butter and honey
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Children’s vitamins instead of pre-natal
vitamins
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Citrus fruit (try lemon or lime too)
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Cola (be careful of the caffeine)
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Cold cereal with ice-cold milk
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Distraction (television, puzzles, work,
etc.)
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Dry toast (whole grain has folic acid)
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Dry breakfast cereal
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Emetrol anti-nausea liquid (try a couple
flavors)
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Fennel seeds (chew them whole)
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Fresh air and sunshine
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Frozen yogurt (try citrus-y flavors)
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Gatorade (Lemon Ice flavor worked for us)
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Ginger ale (the more gingery the better)
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Ginger candy (the kind from the Asian
markets)
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Ginger root (thin slices in water or eaten)
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Graham crackers
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Green tea (be careful of the caffeine)
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Hypnotherapy
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Ice chips (try a squeeze of lemon
in the ice)
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Ice cream (low-fat)
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Iron supplements - stop taking them temporarily
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Jello (make it weaker than usual)
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Lemon-lime soda, such as 7Up
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Lemon (fresh) scent from rind
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Lemon (fresh) squeezed onto tongue
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Lemon water
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Lying very still in the dark
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Mint herbal tea (be careful with herbs)
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Multi-vitamins – stop taking them temporarily
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Natural licorice candy (not
"licorice flavor")
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Oatmeal
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Peanuts or peanut butter
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Pears
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Peppermints
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Pickled baby plums (from Asian food stores)
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Popsicles (try freezing lemonade)
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Potato chips (baked has less fat)
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Pre-natal vitamins – stop taking them
temporarily
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Protein at dinner (beef, pork, even a fish
burrito)
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Room-temperature drinks
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Root beer (beware: some have
caffeine)
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Saltines
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Salty plus Sour (e.g. saltines and lemon
water)
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! SeaBands acupressure wristbands
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Sherbet (sour flavors, like berry or lemon)
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Soup
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Sourballs and other sour candies
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Sparkling water (try cold and at
room temperature)
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Vitamin C
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Vitamin B6
Tried | Yuck! | Maybe | YES! Watermelon
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