Natural Home Remedies for Morning Sickness

I am all too familiar with morning sickness and, unfortunately, I didn’t try any natural remedies for morning sickness until my last pregnancy. Thankfully, some of the suggestions I’ve listed worked for me, like peppermint and eating more frequently. Had I tried these in prior pregnancies I think I would have spent far less time feeling miserable.

Other suggestions have been tested and given excellent reviews by several friends who also love to do things naturally. Whichever one(s) you try, I hope they help and give you relief from what can seem like a never-ending queasiness.

Magnesium Oil

Addressing a magnesium deficiency can work wonders for morning sickness. Why? According to Beautiful Babies by Kristen Michaelis, when you’re lacking magnesium, it can cause cortisol, the stress hormone, to elevate. That elevation causes a blood sugar spike, which prompts insulin release, which causes a blood sugar drop. The result? Nausea and vomiting.

Eating foods rich in magnesium, like homemade bone broth, leafy green veggies, unrefined sea salt and properly prepared grains, can help increase magnesium levels. However, the best way get the magnesium you need is by absorbing it through your skin.

I love baths with Epsom salt, which are rich in magnesium. But another great way to get magnesium is by applying magnesium oil. You can buy magnesium oil already made, but it’s pretty easy to make (and you can use the remaining magnesium flakes for a nice bath).

To make magnesium oil, you need: 

• 1 cup hot water (doesn’t need to be boiling, but needs to be warm enough to dissolve the magnesium flakes)
• 1 cup magnesium chloride flakes (find them here)
• Quart-size mason jar with lid (find mason jars here)

Put the magnesium chloride flakes in your jar and pour the hot water over them. Screw the lid on tightly and shake the jar (if it’s too hot to touch, put on an oven mitt) until the magnesium has dissolved. Label before storing.

You can use this oil plain, but I highly recommend using it to make this whipped body butter with magnesium oil. Apply a few times a day to thinner areas of the skin, like inner thighs and arms.

(Note: Magnesium is a stool softener, so if you notice that you’re having problems with diarrhea, use less oil.)

Fermented Cod Liver Oil

If you can stomach it, try fermented cod liver oil, which is high in Vitamin D (as well as Vitamins A & K). In order for magnesium to be absorbed in your body, it needs plenty of Vitamin D, so using both will help increase your magnesium stores. As a bonus, the fermented cod liver oil is a great immune-system booster. (Find the best fermented cod liver oil here.)

Eat often

One cause of morning sickness is low blood sugar. To avoid this, try eating frequently – don’t go longer than 3 hours between snacks/meals.

Protein and Fat

Be sure to eat plenty of protein and healthy fats (again, if you can stomach it). While it may be easier on your stomach to eat a lot of carbohydrates, proteins and fats can sustain you longer and keep your blood sugar levels normal. Hard-boiled eggs, cheese and raw almonds are a nice choice.

Whole Food Multivitamin

A good multivitamin can help you get the vitamins and minerals your body needs to ward off morning sickness, like magnesium and vitamins that help you absorb it, like Vitamins D, B6 and B12.

Look for a multivitamin that is whole foods-based – you don’t want anything synthetic.

Ginger

Ginger can be helpful for nausea. Try eating candied ginger or drinking ginger tea (either by itself or mixed with peppermint).

Peppermint

Try using peppermint essential oil or peppermint tea to alleviate symptoms. With essential oil, it’s best to inhale the oil deeply a few times, and maybe put a drop on the tip of your tongue (make sure you’re using 100% pure essential oils).

Fruit Popsicles

I confess that this helped me as much as ginger and peppermint. When I was extremely nauseated, the only thing I could handle was a fruit popsicle. After one or two of those, I felt well enough to eat a little more, which usually helped me feel much better. You can make your own easily by pouring fresh fruit juice (or juice mixed with yogurt) into popsicle molds.

Bone Broth

Homemade bone broth is a great source of calcium and gelatin (read more about the benefits of gelatin). For some women, this is one of the only foods they can consume without feeling sick and it’s a good choice.

Homeopathy

Homeopathic Ipecac is recommended for morning sickness that includes vomiting (not to be confused with Ipecac syrup, which induces vomiting). Also, Homeopathic Nux vomica can help with nausea, with or without vomiting.

If morning sickness becomes so severe that you’re unable to keep down enough food and water to stay nourished, please seek the help of a healthcare professional. It could be hyperemesis gravidarum, which is an extreme form of morning sickness.

Have you tried any natural remedies for morning sickness? What helped you?

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photo credit to alyxandra