Morning Sickness Remedies That Actually Work

Morning sickness affects 70-80% of pregnant people, typically starting around week 6 and improving by week 12-16. The good news: several evidence-based remedies can help reduce nausea and vomiting. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and ginger are first-line treatments recommended by ACOG, and small frequent meals, hydration, and avoiding triggers also provide relief.¹

What is Morning Sickness?

Morning sickness (nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, or NVP) is caused by rapidly rising hormone levels, particularly human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and estrogen. Despite its name, morning sickness can occur any time of day or night.²

When it starts: Usually begins around week 6, peaks around weeks 8-11, and improves by weeks 12-16 for most people. About 10% continue experiencing nausea into the second trimester.

Severity ranges: From mild queasiness to severe vomiting (hyperemesis gravidarum) that requires medical treatment.

Not harmful to baby: While miserable for you, typical morning sickness doesn’t harm your baby. In fact, some research suggests mild to moderate nausea is associated with lower miscarriage risk.³

Evidence-Based Remedies That Work

Ginger and vitamin B6 for morning sickness relief

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)

Why it works: Vitamin B6 is ACOG’s first-line recommendation for morning sickness. Research shows it significantly reduces nausea, though evidence for reducing vomiting is more limited.⁴

Dosing: 10-25 mg taken 3-4 times daily (total daily dose 30-100 mg). Talk to your provider about the right dose for you.

Safety: Vitamin B6 is safe during pregnancy and available over-the-counter.

Effectiveness: Studies show 60-70% of people experience reduced nausea with vitamin B6.

How to take it: Start with a low dose and increase if needed. Take with food to enhance absorption.

Ginger

Why it works: Ginger has natural anti-nausea properties and has been used for centuries to treat digestive issues. Multiple studies confirm its effectiveness for pregnancy nausea.⁵

Dosing: 250 mg capsules taken 4 times daily, or 1 gram total daily dose. Fresh ginger tea made with 1-inch piece of fresh ginger root is also effective.

Forms that work:

Ginger capsules (250-500 mg)
Fresh ginger tea
Ginger chews or candies (ensure they contain real ginger)
Crystallized ginger

Safety: Generally safe in recommended doses. Avoid excessive amounts (over 2-3 grams daily).

Effectiveness: Research shows ginger reduces nausea severity by 30-40% compared to placebo. Some studies find it as effective as vitamin B6.

Doxylamine + Vitamin B6 (Diclegis/Bonjesta)

What it is: Prescription combination of doxylamine (an antihistamine) and vitamin B6, specifically approved by the FDA for pregnancy nausea.⁶

Why it works: The combination is more effective than either ingredient alone.

Safety: Extensively studied and considered safe during pregnancy.

Effectiveness: Reduces nausea and vomiting in 70-80% of users.

When to consider: If over-the-counter vitamin B6 and ginger aren’t providing sufficient relief.

Small, Frequent Meals

Eating small frequent meals to reduce pregnancy nausea

Why it helps: Empty stomach increases nausea, but overly full stomach can too. Small frequent meals keep blood sugar stable and prevent stomach from being too empty or too full.⁷

How to do it: Eat 5-6 small meals/snacks throughout the day rather than 3 large meals.

Best foods:

Bland carbohydrates: crackers, toast, rice, oatmeal
Protein: eggs, Greek yogurt, nuts, lean chicken
Cold foods: often more tolerable than hot foods due to less smell
Salty foods: pretzels, saltines, chips (in moderation)

What to avoid:

Spicy, fatty, or greasy foods
Strong-smelling foods
Foods with textures that trigger nausea

Hydration Strategies

Why it matters: Dehydration worsens nausea and can lead to serious complications.⁸

How to stay hydrated:

Sip fluids slowly throughout the day rather than drinking large amounts at once
Try ice chips, popsicles, or frozen fruit if drinking is difficult
Add lemon or ginger to water for flavor and anti-nausea benefits
Cold fluids are often easier to tolerate than room temperature

Best fluids:

Water (plain or flavored with lemon/cucumber)
Ginger tea
Peppermint tea
Electrolyte drinks if vomiting frequently
Bone broth (provides both hydration and nutrients)

Acupressure

Why it works: Pressure on the P6 (Nei Guan) acupressure point on the wrist has shown modest effectiveness in reducing nausea.⁹

How to do it: The P6 point is located on the inside of your wrist, about three finger-widths below the wrist crease, between two tendons.

Methods:

Sea-Bands or acupressure wristbands (worn continuously)
Manual pressure: Apply firm pressure for 1-2 minutes several times daily
Acupressure beads worn on wristbands

Effectiveness: Studies show 20-30% reduction in nausea for some people. May work best when combined with other remedies.

Safety: Completely safe with no side effects.

Peppermint

Why it helps: Peppermint has natural anti-nausea properties and can soothe the digestive tract.¹⁰

How to use:

Peppermint tea (avoid on empty stomach if you have heartburn)
Peppermint essential oil aromatherapy (don’t ingest essential oils)
Peppermint candies or gum

Safety: Generally safe in food amounts. Avoid if you have severe heartburn, as peppermint can relax the esophageal sphincter.

Protein Before Bed

Why it works: Eating protein before bed helps maintain stable blood sugar overnight, reducing morning nausea.¹¹

Best options:

Greek yogurt
Cheese and crackers
Handful of nuts
Hard-boiled egg
Protein shake

Avoiding Triggers

Common triggers to identify and avoid:

Strong smells (perfumes, cooking odors, gasoline)
Stuffy, warm rooms (keep bedroom cool and well-ventilated)
Visual triggers (flickering lights, certain patterns)
Fatigue (rest when possible)
Stress
Certain foods (varies individually)

When Morning Sickness Becomes Severe

Hyperemesis gravidarum is severe, persistent vomiting that can lead to dehydration, weight loss, and electrolyte imbalances. Seek medical care if you experience:¹²

Vomiting multiple times daily and unable to keep food/fluids down
Weight loss of 5% or more of pre-pregnancy weight
Signs of dehydration: dark urine, dizziness, rapid heartbeat
Unable to take prenatal vitamins or medications
Vomiting blood
Severe abdominal pain
Fainting or severe weakness

Hyperemesis gravidarum requires medical treatment, which may include IV fluids, anti-nausea medications, and sometimes hospitalization.

What Doesn’t Work (Despite Popular Belief)

Crackers by the bedside: While bland foods help some people, there’s no strong evidence that eating crackers before getting out of bed prevents nausea. Still, if it helps you, continue!

Avoiding all your favorite foods: You don’t need to avoid foods you love unless they specifically trigger your nausea.

“Powering through”: Rest and self-care matter. Pushing yourself when feeling terrible can worsen symptoms.

Track Your Symptoms with Nooko

Morning sickness can be unpredictable, but tracking patterns helps you identify triggers and find what works. Nooko lets you log your nausea severity, vomiting episodes, remedies tried, and foods tolerated.

Share this data with your healthcare provider to get personalized treatment recommendations. Track your symptoms, identify patterns, and find relief faster.

Download Nooko on the App Store | Get Nooko on Google Play

References

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2024). “Morning Sickness: Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy.” https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/morning-sickness-nausea-and-vomiting-of-pregnancy ↩
Cleveland Clinic. (2024). “Morning Sickness (Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy).” https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12011-morning-sickness-nausea-and-vomiting-of-pregnancy ↩
Hinkle SN, et al. (2016). “Association of Nausea and Vomiting During Pregnancy With Pregnancy Loss.” JAMA Internal Medicine, 176(11), 1621-1627. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2549626 ↩
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2024). “Morning Sickness: Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy.” https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/morning-sickness-nausea-and-vomiting-of-pregnancy ↩
Viljoen E, et al. (2014). “A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect and safety of ginger in the treatment of pregnancy-associated nausea and vomiting.” Nutrition Journal, 13, 20. https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1475-2891-13-20 ↩
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2024). “Treating for Two: Medicine and Pregnancy.” https://www.fda.gov/consumers/free-publications-women/treating-two-medicine-and-pregnancy ↩
Mayo Clinic. (2024). “Morning sickness.” https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/morning-sickness/art-20045646 ↩
Cleveland Clinic. (2024). “Morning Sickness (Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy).” https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12011-morning-sickness-nausea-and-vomiting-of-pregnancy ↩
Matthews A, et al. (2015). “Interventions for nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy.” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD007575.pub4/full ↩
Mayo Clinic. (2024). “Morning sickness.” https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/morning-sickness/art-20045646 ↩
American Pregnancy Association. (2024). “Morning Sickness Relief.” https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/pregnancy-health-wellness/morning-sickness-relief/ ↩
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2024). “Morning Sickness: Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy.” https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/morning-sickness-nausea-and-vomiting-of-pregnancy ↩