Morning sickness or pregnancy nausea is a normal part of early pregnancy. Around 80% of women feel sick during the first trimester, and it feels awful. Being sick all the time ruins the happiness you feel at being pregnant, and despite its name, morning sickness can hit at any time of the day, so mums-to-be need to be ready to tackle nausea and vomiting.
Morning sickness medication makes me feel drowsy, tired, and even a little dizzy, so it's not ideal for someone with a busy life. But natural remedies can stop pregnancy nausea without any side effects, so you can carry on your day.
If you are suffering from morning sickness or nausea and want to find a way to get on with your life, you need to find the best natural nausea remedy for you. We've researched the best ways to beat morning sickness that are 100% safe for your baby.
Read on to learn more about why you feel sick and what to do when pregnancy nausea strikes.
Morning sickness is a normal part of a healthy pregnancy
It's normal for most pregnant women to experience morning sickness in the first trimester.
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Although it doesn't feel nice, pregnancy nausea is actually a sign that your pregnancy is healthy and your baby is growing. |
In fact, almost all women will feel sick or suffer from vomiting during the first trimester. So, if you're feeling ill, it's nothing to worry about. Some research suggests that women who experience morning sickness in the early stages of pregnancy are less likely to miscarry.
What causes morning sickness in pregnancy
Feeling sick in the first trimester signifies that your body is producing the human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) hormone. The HCG hormone tells your body to stop menstruating and focus on having a baby. So, the more HCG, the lower the risk of miscarriage. However, this hormone can make you nauseous, so women with higher levels of HCG suffer from severe morning sickness but are less likely to miscarry.
When does morning sickness start?
Since morning sickness is generally caused by high levels of HCG, it starts as soon as your body produces this hormone. Some women experience morning sickness within days of the fertilised egg implanting. However, it usually begins at around week 6 and can continue for several months.
Morning sickness or vomiting is actually one of the first signs of pregnancy that most women experience. To find out more about signs you might be pregnant, check out:
What weeks is morning sickness the worst?
Morning sickness is different for every woman. However, morning sickness usually gets progressively worse for the first few weeks until about week 9 or 10 of your pregnancy. After week 10, it may become a little better until it finally goes away before the second trimester. However, some unlucky women get pregnancy nausea during the second trimester too. It's nothing to worry about, just frustrating!
SUMMARYMorning sickness is a normal part of pregnancy. Pregnant women feel nauseous because they produce a new hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). HCG helps stop miscarriage but can make you feel sick. Nausea might start within days, but it usually begins around week six and can last for months. Week 9 or 10 are traditionally the worst weeks for morning sickness. |
Difference between a normal morning sickness and Severe Morning Sickness
While morning sickness is very normal, some women suffer with greater severity. Medically, extreme morning sickness is called hyperemesis gravidarum and could signify something else is wrong.
To work out if your morning sickness is normal, check out these symptoms:
| Symptoms | Normal morning sickness | Severe morning sickness |
| Vomiting daily | Y | Y |
| Feeling tired | Y | Y |
| Heartburn and acid reflux | Y | Y |
| Bad taste in the mouth | Y | Y |
| Feeling dizzy after vomiting | Y | Y |
| Frequent migraines | N | Y |
| Vomiting blood | N | Y |
| Vomiting after every meal | N | Y |
| Weight loss | N | Y |
| Fast heart rate | N | Y |
| Confusion | N | Y |
| Fainting | N | Y |
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If you think you are suffering from extreme morning sickness, it might be a good idea to speak to your doctor, who will be able to keep an eye on your baby. Severe morning sickness can cause you to lose weight which could be dangerous. |
However, another fairly common sign of normal morning sickness is heartburn and acid reflux. You can find out more about why pregnant women get acid reflux and how to safely treat acid reflux during pregnancy here:
Why is my morning sickness so bad?
If you have really bad morning sickness, it could be a sign you're having twins. Women with twins or triplets produce more of the HCG hormone that causes nausea. So, the sicker you are, the more babies you might be carrying.
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You may experience horrible morning sickness if you regularly suffer from motion sickness or travel sickness. Doctors don't know why, but some women just get sicker than others. It's also worth asking your mum if she had terrible morning sickness as it tends to be genetic. |
Some research says morning sickness might be linked to depression and anxiety. Your morning sickness might also worsen if you are not getting the proper nutrient you need during pregnancy. When your body isn't healthy, the nausea may become worse.
Can you stop morning sickness?
Unfortunately, you can't stop morning sickness from happening. Some women feel sick, some don't. However, you can treat the symptoms and prevent it from getting worse.
Some women treat morning sickness with medication, but this can make you feel sleepy and dizzy. Medications are not an option for women who want to work or keep going with their day.
It is possible to lessen the nausea by using natural, at-home remedies for pregnancy nausea to treat the symptoms and help prevent you from feeling so bad. At-home remedies can be easy to take and won't make you feel sleepy, so you can get on with your day until the morning sickness disappears in the second trimester.
Why is it called morning sickness when I get sick all day?
Pregnancy nausea is usually called morning sickness because, for most women, it only happens in the morning. However, research found that many women have morning sickness all day long. Some unlucky women even feel sick at night.
More severe morning sickness can happen all day.
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Being sick in the afternoon and evening is a sign your morning sickness is more severe, but it isn't necessarily a reason to worry. |
SUMMARYMorning sickness usually only happens in the morning, but it isn't unusual for it to continue throughout the day. Many women are sick all day and night during the first trimester. This isn't unusual, but you should keep an eye out for other signs of extreme morning sickness and speak to your doctor if in doubt. Severe morning sickness can cause you to lose weight which could be bad for the baby. |
Natural remedies for morning sickness
One great way to help deal with morning sickness is to wake up and drink herbal tea. Staying hydrated helps with pregnancy nausea, and some herbal remedies can help treat nausea and settle your stomach.
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Popular herbal remedies such as ginger, peppermint and chamomile can help stop nausea, minimise the chances of you actually vomiting and help you keep your food down. Furthermore, studies show that waking up and immediately getting hydrated can stop morning sickness. |
Pregnancy-safe herbal teas can help treat nausea without any adverse side effects. Herbal teas can be great for morning sickness because they are packed with nutrients, have no side effects and go straight to the source of the sickness; your stomach. Also helps you stay hydrated and won't make you tired like medications.
Ginger helps with morning sickness
Ginger is a popular herbal tea to help with any kind of nausea, but it is especially effective against morning sickness.
Ginger root contains a compound called gingerols that help settle your stomach and stop you from feeling sick. In fact, studies show that ginger is so effective at causing nausea that in trials, it had the same effect as anti-nausea medications but without any side effects.
Ginger not only stops you from feeling sick, but it can also stop you from actually vomiting by soothing cramps to stop retching. Drinking ginger root tea first thing in the morning can stop nausea from ruining your day and ensure you digest food smoothly and quickly.
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Try drinking one cup of ginger root tea first thing in the morning and then one more cup at lunch and dinner. This should help stop morning sickness after you eat. |
Peppermint for Pregnancy nausea
Peppermint tea is also an excellent herbal tea for pregnancy nausea. The sharp mint taste can help get rid of the bad taste in your mouth and settle your stomach to stop vomiting.
Peppermint tea contains traces of menthol, limonene and menthone. These compounds can help your digestion, stop you from feeling sick, and help your stomach calm down.
The taste and smell of peppermint teas can also help eliminate the nasty sour taste in your mouth that happens before and after you are sick. Studies show that just one cup of peppermint tea can eliminate the bad taste and stop you from getting even more nauseous.
Drinking peppermint tea is safe when you're pregnant, so it's a great way to get rid of the taste of morning sickness and stop feeling nauseous. You can drink it before and after you feel sick.
The best morning sickness tea blend
Of course, the best herbal tea for morning sickness is to drink a blend of teas designed to stop nausea. The Black Leaves Specific Morning Sickness Tea Jolie Matin Blend contains both peppermint and ginger as well as chamomile to prevent pregnancy nausea and help you feel better.
Ginger, peppermint and chamomile are all pregnancy-safe and can help with morning sickness. To get more intense relief from nausea, try a blend of all three teas to improve digestion, settle your stomach, stop cramps and get rid of the nasty taste in your mouth.
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Using a blend of teas can give targeted relief from pregnancy nausea. |
Chamomile can help stop cramps, soothe your stomach and help your body relax. Ginger improves your digestion and reduces vomiting, and peppermint helps get rid of the taste of vomit.
One study found that herbal tea blends helped with morning sickness because it contains a low concentration of natural compounds that help with nausea without any adverse side effects. The study found that different teas helped with various things such as cramping, feeling sick and actually vomiting.
To find out more about herbal teas during pregnancy, check out these articles:
SUMMARYHerbal teas contain a safe concentration of natural compounds that can help stop nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Ginger root, peppermint and chamomile are the best. Different women respond to different teas, so using a blend of teas can provide additional relief from morning sickness. |
Eat smaller meals to stop feeling sick during pregnancy
One way to get relief from morning sickness is to eat smaller meals when you feel nauseous. A full stomach can make you feel even sicker.
To beat pregnancy nausea, try eating smaller meals more frequently. This is more comfortable for you, reduces your chance of being sick and prevents nausea. Healthy snacks or spacing out 5 smaller meals can help stop your stomach before too full.
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When you already feel sick, eating a big meal isn't going to help. The research found that smaller meals, throughout the day can help settle your stomach. |
Keeping your digestive system working at a slow, steady pace can reduce feelings of nausea. And, of course, if your stomach is empty, you're less likely to be sick.
You should only eat foods when you feel ready, which might mean your mealtimes are a little unusual. Don't force yourself to eat if you feel nauseous.
However, you still need to eat and make sure you are getting the proper nutrition. Read on to find out which foods you should eat and which you should avoid.
Minimise morning sickness with a bland diet
Sometimes, you might have to eat even if you feel nauseous because you need to make sure you are still eating enough to keep you and your baby healthy. But you can minimise morning sickness by choosing bland foods high in nutrition.
Worst foods for morning sickness:
- Spicy foods and curry
- Rich, hot soups and stews
- Onion
- Garlic
- Caffeine
- Tuna
- Grapes
- Fried food
Best foods to help morning sickness:
- Simple soups and broths
- Lemon water
- Plain crackers
- Cold sandwiches
- Raw Vegetables
- Bananas
As well as dealing with morning sickness, you will also have to deal with leg cramps during pregnancy. Find out more about leg cramps and how to handle them here:
SUMMARYYour diet can have a big impact on morning sickness so try to avoid eating when you feel the most nauseous. If it helps, have more frequent smaller meals to balance your digestive system. Avoid spicy, rich, flavourful foods which can make nausea worse and instead eat plain, simple, nutritious foods to stay healthy and stop morning sickness. |
More tips to reduce morning sickness
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Morning sickness is common but although most women feel nauseous during the first months of pregnancy, the cure for morning sickness is different for everybody. |
You might have to try several different ways to lessen morning sickness before you find the one that works best for you and your body.
Here are some popular tips and tricks to help reduce morning sickness without medication:
- Keeping the house clean to avoid nasty smells which could make you feel sick.
- Relax to soothe the mind and stomach to stop retching and help stop vomiting.
- Distract yourself with a puzzle, game or book. When your mind is elsewhere, you'll feel better.
- Breathing exercises can help to settle your stomach and prevent nausea and dizziness.
- Acupuncture can treat pregnancy nausea by stimulating hormones and pressure points in your body.
- Eat mints or clean your teeth regularly to get rid of that nasty taste in your mouth.
- Chew gum to keep your saliva production going and help stop yourself from vomiting.
- Gentle exercise in the morning can help regulate your hormone levels to relieve pregnancy nausea.
- Try aromatherapy. You might find a specific smell that stops you from feeling sick. Peppermint, pine and lavender are popular nausea remedies.
Remember: Always go to a doctor before trying new foods and exercises or routines as your first priority is your baby's safety.
SUMMARYThe cure for morning sickness is different for everyone. Try going for a short walk, practising breathing exercises, distracting yourself and chewing gum to help with pregnancy nausea. Most women find smells very important for stopping nausea, so keep your house clean and try aromatherapy. |
When should I call a doctor for my morning sickness?
Morning sickness is normal but can have a significant impact on your life. If you find that your nausea is bad enough to stop you from living a reasonably normal life, you should speak to your doctor.
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Severe morning sickness could be a sign you aren't getting the proper nutrients or be caused by another underlying health condition. If your morning sickness is severe, speak to your doctor about treatments and diagnosis. |
Your doctor may want to run tests to see if there is a problem with your diet, health or hormone levels. If you suffer from any of the following symptoms, call your doctor:
- Vomiting blood
- Unable to keep food down
- Sudden weight loss
- Fainting
- Pain when vomiting
- Frequent migraines
How long can morning sickness last?
Morning sickness usually stops during the second trimester. Everyone is different, but if you reach the third trimester or week 27 and you are still experiencing nauseas, speak to your doctor.
SUMMARYMorning sickness is usually nothing to worry about, but if your nausea makes you faint, causes you pain or lasts all day, you should speak to your doctor. You should also talk to your doctor if it causes you to lose weight or if it continues into the third trimester. |
Conclusion
Morning sickness during pregnancy is very normal. But it can be very unpleasant and make it hard to carry on with your day and go to work. Most anti-nausea medication is not safe for a baby or makes you tired.
Natural nausea remedies include herbal teas such as ginger, peppermint, and chamomile can help treat morning sickness. You can also eliminate pregnancy nausea by changing your diet to include more bland foods and eating smaller portions at mealtime but snacking in between meals.
Other tips may include aromatherapy, acupuncture, gentle exercise and keeping your home extra clean to avoid nasty smells.
You should keep trying different at-home remedies for morning sickness until you find one that works. If your pregnancy nausea is severe or continues into the third trimester, speak to your doctor.