Managing Morning Sickness: Nausea and Vomiting Relief

Healthcare providers can’t say for sure what causes nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, but most theories suggest that hormones are to blame. Hormones such as human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) (the hormone that pregnancy tests measure in your urine), estrogen, and progesterone all rise during early pregnancy, around the same time that morning sickness begins. Genetics, age, history of motion sickness, or hormone-induced nausea are also considered risk factors for developing morning sickness.

The onset of morning sickness can vary from person to person, but it’s common for NVP to begin around week five to week six and end soon after the first trimester.

One study found that a large number of pregnant women experienced a peak in their morning sickness around nine weeks and symptoms resolved around 14 weeks. 

As of now, there are no proven, pregnancy-safe methods for completely preventing morning sickness. The closest option is antiemetic drugs, which may help prevent vomiting and may be prescribed in certain cases. Fortunately, there are other ways to manage NVP and potentially reduce symptoms. 

Many people are familiar with the BRATT diet, which is often encouraged for anyone experiencing nausea, vomiting, and other digestive issues. BRATT stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, toast, and tea, and is a diet focused on low-fat, easily digestible foods. Adding in protein is also thought to help reduce morning sickness. Good sources of protein include animal meats, dairy foods, nuts and seeds, and protein powders or shakes. 

Ginger has long been used for its medicinal properties for helping to support or prevent inflammatory conditions, pain, arthritis, diabetes, and more. Ginger is also widely praised for its beneficial effects on nausea and vomiting. Multiple studies have concluded that ginger is effective and safe for reducing nausea caused by pregnancy, chemotherapy, and some gastrointestinal disorders. Ginger can be consumed in teas, juices, and smoothies, raw, pickled, or cooked into meals.

Learn more about Ginger for Morning Sickness → 

Peppermint oil is another useful food for managing morning sickness. Research shows that smelling and consuming peppermint oil may be useful for reducing nausea and vomiting during pregnancy and postoperative care. Peppermint oil also has researched anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory effects.

You can purchase peppermint oil on its own and use it in an oil diffuser, bathwater, or you may consume peppermint tea, candies, and other supplements. 

Shop Peppermint Tea

Vitamin B6 is a naturally present vitamin found in many different foods and supplements. Vitamin B6 plays an important role in the body and aids in brain development during pregnancy, cellular health, immune function, and more. Studies show that vitamin B6, commonly known as pyridoxine, is very effective for reducing nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Vitamin B6 can be found in many prenatal vitamins, standalone vitamins, nausea relief products, and in foods such as fish, organ meats, potatoes, fruit, and cereal.

Read more about Vitamin B6 for Morning Sickness