10 Tips to Help Reduce Morning Sickness & Nausea

Written by: Co-Founder Amanda Capriglione, RDN, CDN
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Nicole Palmer, DO

One of the most common (and dreaded) 1st Trimester pregnancy symptom is…nausea. Typically it lasts in the morning or for some all day (ouch!). We endure what we have to in order to grow a little one but plain and simple, nausea stinks! Morning sickness can affect as many as 4 out of 5 pregnant women!

Researchers actually believe that morning sickness is a good thing and could be a form of an evolutionary plan to protect developing babies (which is something we can get on board with!). Meaning that women are less likely to eat foods that can cause harm to their baby (i.e. sushi, sprouts, lunch meats) because well when women are nauseous all they crave are CARBS on CARBS, and well CARBS are perfect! The aforementioned is just a theory, but it seems pretty accurate to us. It also helps make nausea a little easier to tolerate.

IF YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE WOMEN WHO ARE EXPERIENCING NAUSEA/MORNING SICKNESS/ALL DAY SICKNESS, THIS IS THE LIST FOR YOU.

1. Eat slowly. Take the time to digest your food. Take small bites. Eating quickly can cause more of an upset stomach or indigestion. Also try not to lay down after eating, which can also cause indigestion.
2. Eat dry foods like crackers or toast. Or better yet, keep crackers by your bedside. CARBS are your friend.
3. Eat salty foods. Pretzels or saltine crackers anyone?
4. Avoid meal preparation. Smelling foods that completely turn you off can worsen nausea. Make meal prep easier with feed mom & me meals.
5. Steer clear from sweet or spicy foods. Foods that have too much flavor can also worsen nausea.
6. Mealtimes. Try to consume small, frequent meals throughout the day. Drink liquids in between meals.
7. Go for a walk, if you can, and breathe in fresh air! Fresh air (and self-care) is the best care.
8. Try adding ginger to different foods or trying ginger gummies.
9. Avoid skipping meals. It may sound counterintuitive because when you’re nauseous you may not want to eat, BUT, less food in the stomach can actually make you more nauseous. Make sure to eat protein foods with meals too!

References: American Pregnancy, Mayoclinic