Everything You Need to Know to Cure Your Morning Sickness

Morning sickness can make your first trimester or even your whole pregnancy really tough. My morning sickness for all of my pregnancies began really early around week 5. I got to the point where I was puking at least once a day. I also didn’t want to share that I was pregnant yet making it even harder.

The good news is that by week 13 when the placenta takes over, my morning sickness went away. Until then, here is what really helped me get through those brutal weeks of being really sick.

Switch your prenatal pill and take it at night

I had no idea that a prenatal pill could be really hard on your stomach until my provider mentioned that it might be worth switching to a different brand. After searching for different options, I decided on the morning prep prenatal pill and noticed an improvement.

Another thing that made a big difference was taking my prenatal pill at night before bed. I was taking it first thing in the morning and my stomach was just too sensitive in the morning. You could try this first before switching brands.

Grab seasick wristbands

If you have lots of nausea, then I highly recommend grabbing some seasick acupressure wristbands.  They made a big difference for me. When I took them off, I would feel an immediate wave of nausea. I actually wore them overnight which helped me sleep because my nausea actually got worse overnight during my second pregnancy.  

My husband wrote about this wild goose chase I sent him on in his guest post on how to prepare dad for a new baby.

Eat every two hours

Do not eat meals instead only do snacks. Your best way to curb nausea is to never have a full stomach but also to never have an empty stomach. I actually set a timer on my phone to remind me to have a few crackers or a snack every two hours. It really helped.

If I made meals for everyone else, then I would have only a snack portion of it. Other times, I would just stick to eating my own snacks. I found that trail mix worked pretty well. It was able to help keep me full without making me feel awful.

Eat bland

Simple, plain and bland should be your goal. Most meals are a mixture of foods, smells and textures. Your goal here is to eat all foods by themselves. I could stomach a lot more variety this way.

My go-to items have been toast, plain noodles, plain rice and chicken noodle soup. I then try to add a few vegetables and fruits on the side or as a separate snack. I never was able to stomach meat, so I ate a lot of hummus with my crackers or carrots.

Yogurt also has a lot of protein and probiotics so I would try to make a smoothie every morning and then sip on it throughout the day. There are some really awesome pregnancy smoothie recipes so be sure to search.

Eat before you get out of bed

I found that when I woke in the morning and got out of bed, I would get really sick. I think this had a lot to do with how empty my stomach was. The trick really is to always have your stomach a little full.

To help with this, when I would wake up, I would snack on a few crackers before I get out of bed. I also drank something and then after I had been awake for a few minutes I got up slowly.

Even just having those crackers in the middle of the night if I woke made a big difference. Usually an empty stomach would trigger morning sickness so if I got up to pee, I couldn’t fall back asleep because of how sick I would feel. At some point during my second pregnancy, I was puking every time I woke up in the night. It was awful.

So, make sure you have supplies like snacks and a drink on your nightstand.  

What to drink if water makes you nauseous?

Water was an absolute no for me. I just couldn’t stomach it, so I stuck to red Gatorade, Sprite, and ginger ale. I had never liked ginger ale but during that first trimester it was really good. Go figure. I was also able to do broth. I grabbed some bone broth, which is really good for you.

If you are a coffee drinker like me, then try to lower your coffee intake or spread it out more throughout the day. I found that by doing a half a cup in the morning and then another half a cup mid-morning helped.

Another option is to do tea especially because there are a lot of teas out there for morning sickness. I am not a big fan of tea so it didn’t really help me but might be for you.

Try frozen

I didn’t learn this tip until my second pregnancy, but frozen treats are great. I grabbed some fruit popsicles and Italian ice and not only are they really yummy, but they also helped curb my nausea. I would have one almost every evening during my second pregnancy. A lot of times what I would try to eat for a dinner would upset my stomach and the frozen treat after really helped to calm it down. 

Take an afternoon nap if you can, or go to bed early

Being tired can be a trigger for morning sickness. It was for me and when I was tired, my morning sickness would get worse. The increased morning sickness made it harder for me to sleep resulting in getting even sicker.

While I couldn’t take a nap every day, I really tried to prioritize it on the weekends. Even just taking a 15-minute break to rest helped a lot.

On days when I couldn’t get a nap, then I would make an effort to get to bed early.

Call your practice about Unisom and Vitamin B6

At about week 10, I called my practice because my morning sickness that week was really bad. I was unable to sleep because I was so nauseous, and I was puking a lot. They said to try Unisom and Vitamin B6. They are both over the counter. As always check with your provider on if this is a good idea for you and how much to take of each.

But, honestly, this has made the biggest difference. If nothing else has worked for you then this could be what you need. The reason I think it was so effective is that the Unisom allowed me to finally get good sleep. The more sleep I got, the better I felt. I really don’t know why the Vitamin B6 is effective but the mix of these two made me feel like a new person after a day. 

Keep tummy drops and peppermint gum with you

Being nauseous always left a bad taste in my mouth. I found that when I could eat something or take a break from something I was doing, grabbing a tummy drop or chewing on peppermint gum really did the trick.

So, in addition to always having a snack and a ginger ale or another drink on hand, I always had these two options with me as well.

Be careful about brushing your teeth

I also started carrying around toothbrush and toothpaste in my bag. If something left a bad taste or I puked, then these were an absolute necessity.

HOWEVER! Speaking of teeth, I read something that is pretty important if you are puking a lot from morning sickness. If you brush your teeth right after puking, then you are brushing your teeth with acid. You absolutely must rinse your mouth with water a few times before brushing your teeth. This will help to remove the acid from the puke off your teeth before you brush.

Get outside, walk or try pregnancy yoga

The fresh air can really help if you are feeling sick. Hopefully the weather where you live is good but even if it is just for a few minutes. Try to get outside.

I would always feel much better after getting some movement in, such as going for a walk. 

If you can’t get outside, then sign up for a local pregnancy yoga class. Yoga was not only a great way to help with morning sickness but also to make friends and prepare your body for birth.

Pursue curing your morning sickness today

Morning sickness can be just plain awful, but I promise you, it will be over soon. The best part of morning sickness is that it’s a sign of a healthy pregnancy. And hopefully, some of these tips will help you out.

Start by making yourself a morning sickness survival kit with snacks, drinks, gum and anything else that is helpful to you. Remember to always try to keep your stomach a little full and prioritize rest. If all else fails, then call your practice to see if you can try Vitamin B6 and Unisom. And be sure to rinse your mouth with water after puking before you brush your teeth.

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Emilia Lewis

I am a wife, teacher, and mother to two awesome girls. I write about what I am passionate about, which includes being a mom, house projects, beauty and skincare. I love to share my experiences, failures, and successes with my readers.  Let this space be a resource for you to pursue your very best day.

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