


Nausea in pregnancy (natural remedies)

Learn to cope with nausea
Pregnant mum with nauseaTry these 12 ways to ease morning sickness



If you have very severe sickness, and struggle to keep down even water, see your doctor as soon as you can. You may have a serious form of morning sickness called hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). HG can leave you dehydrated and under-nourished, and you may need treatment in hospital.

What self-help remedies can help prevent and ease nausea?

It is difficult to prevent sickness completely. It is a natural and normal part of pregnancy. However, you may be able to stop it from becoming a major problem. Here are some tips that may help:

Follow a comfortable routine
Stress and tiredness can make pregnancy sickness worse, so try not to fit in too many things in your day and keep things at an easy pace. Get plenty of rest and consider taking time off work if you're finding it difficult to cope.

Give yourself some extra time in the morning to nibble a few dry biscuits, and then rest for about 20 to 30 minutes before getting out of bed. Keep some simple snacks, such as plain biscuits or rusks, by your bedside.

If kitchen and food smells are triggering your nausea, ask your mum or mum-in-law to come and help in the kitchen for a while until you feel more settled. Hiring a cook may be another option worth exploring as it will free up some of your time.

Eat what you can and whenever you can
Morning sickness won't threaten your baby's wellbeing as long as you're able to keep some food down. Eat little and often and work out which foods make your symptoms worse. Rich, fried, fatty or highly spiced foods often make nausea worse.

Try to have foods rich in vitamin B6, such as brown rice, buckwheat flour (kuttu), colocasia (arbi), sweet potato (shakarkandi), bananas (kela), soya beans, corn (makka), avocado (makhan phal), walnuts (akhrot) and chicken.

Taking a vitamin B supplement may also reduce your nausea if you can swallow the pills, but they probably won't prevent you from vomiting. Always talk to your doctor before taking supplements in pregnancy.

You and your baby can catch up on nutrients in a few weeks when your nausea will most likely subside.

Stay hydrated

Water is best, but you could also sip lemon juice, barley water, or whatever you can manage. Caffeinated beverages, such as coffee, colas and teas shouldn't be counted as part of your fluid intake because they're diuretics.

If you need more options take a look at our slideshow on best drinks for pregnancy.

Relax with yoga
Yoga nidra or deep relaxation can help you to recharge your batteries by relaxing your body and mind and may help you to reduce your stress levels.

The relaxation pose (shavasana) is also helpful and can be done throughout pregnancy.

A trained prenatal yoga teacher will be able to guide you on how to safely practise yoga during pregnancy.

Try home remedies
Ginger (adrak) is often used as a traditional home remedy for nausea although there's not a lot of evidence to prove that this makes a difference. Fresh ginger drinks are a popular choice, but it depends on how sensitive you are to certain smells and flavours.

Some women find it helps settle their stomach and reduces nausea. On the other hand, some say it worsens their symptoms or causes heartburn or acidity. So be guided by your body.

You could make a tea using grated ginger root. Steep two teaspoons in boiled water, leave it to cool and sip it throughout the day. Don't take more than 3g of raw ginger (about three teaspoons) a day. Ginger capsules are an option if you don't like the tea.


Many women find that having sour foods helps keep nausea at bay them and lemons (nimbu) usually top the list. They are versatile can be used to make drinks such as lemonade (nimbu pani) or lemon juice or added to other foods and drinks for flavour. But if you don't like the sour taste you consider sniffing a wedge of lemon instead.

Tamarind (imli) is another popular option. You could try tamarind-based drinks, chutneys or rice preparations. Some women also like Indian gooseberry (amla) in the form of juice, candy or murabba.

Mint (pudina) also a much loved ingredient. If you like the flavour you can use it to prepare drinks, chutney, rice dishes or as a filling for paranthas and rotis. Or, if you prefer, just sniff on a fresh sprig of mint to get some relief.

You could also try sipping peppermint or spearmint tea. Sugar-free peppermint sweets or chewing gum may also help.


Which complementary therapies could help?


However, feeling sick during pregnancy can be so miserable, you may feel that anything is worth a try. Always see a registered and qualified therapist who's experienced in treating pregnant women.

Acupuncture and acupressure
There's some evidence that acupuncture can help with first-trimester nausea and dry retching, though not with vomiting. Studies have also shown that acupuncture relieves nausea after surgery and chemotherapy.

You could try acupressure any time you feel sick, by pressing an acupuncture point (pericardium point six) on your wrist. You can buy wristbands that help you to apply this pressure. These anti-nausea wristbands are available online or in select medical stores.

Refer to the instructions on the packet for any additional information specific to your band. Put the bands on first thing in the morning before you get out of bed.

Aromatherapy may relax you, but bear in mind it doesn't suit everyone. Some women find that the strong smell makes them feel more nauseous. Try a few to see if they help. Essential oils that may relieve your nausea include:
  • peppermint
  • spearmint
  • lime
  • lemon
  • sweet orange
  • mandarin




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Reflexology follows the principle that your feet represent a map of your body. The theory is that pressing certain points on your feet will help to ease your symptoms. There's no strong evidence that reflexology works to treat nausea or any other condition, although you may find it a relaxing treatment.

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