Updated February 5, 2023
If you’re pregnant, chances are you’ve experienced morning sickness at some point during your pregnancy.
While it can be annoying and at times unbearable, the good news is that there are proven tips and tricks to help relieve morning sickness at night.
From using essential oils and acupressure to changing up your daily routine, here are 10 methods that have helped countless expecting moms just like yourself get through their nauseous evenings with ease.
Though it is called “morning sickness“, many of us can attest to the fact that it can occur at any time of the day…. even all day!
I had very little nausea and vomiting in the morning.
Late afternoon and evening were when it would really hit me.
I was one of those lucky ones that had morning sickness at night.
17 Ways To Relieve Morning Sickness At Night:
We asked our OB/GYN Dr. Doug Penta, MD for tips to ease nighttime morning sickness symptoms.
He gave us the following tried and true methods you can do at home to relieve your pregnancy nausea:
1. Eat a handful of crackers or dry cereal before bed.
Keep crackers or dry cereal next to your bed and eat a little when you feel nauseous.
Saltines get recommended a lot, but they made me feel worse.
I preferred a club cracker or even a Ritz cracker.
Eat the one that works best for you.
Some people really find that potato chips help their nausea.
Don’t be afraid to experiment until you find what works best for you.
2. Get up slowly and avoid sudden movements.
Be sure to stand up slowly.
Moving too quickly can make you feel nauseous and lightheaded.
Move slowly so your body can adjust gradually.
Use caution and be careful when you bend down to pick items up.
Take your time getting out of bed; try to nibble on some crackers or cereal before you stand up.
Sit on the side of the bed and let your feet dangle or rest your feet on the floor for a minute or two minutes before you stand up.
3. Eat small and frequent meals.
Try to eat 5 or 6 meals a day and try not to overload your stomach when you eat.
Avoid greasy and fried foods whenever possible.
Eat a bedtime snack, this can help to minimize nausea and vomiting that occurs when your stomach is empty during the night.
Have a snack that contains both a carbohydrate and a protein.
Protein will help you feel full longer.
Half a sandwich or greek yogurt with berries are great choices.
You don’t want to go long without eating, but you want your dinner to be earlier in the evening so you have time to digest it before bed.
Lying down immediately after eating, especially in the third trimester can cause heartburn due to acid reflux.
Doing these simple things can help relieve your symptoms of morning sickness at night.
4. Eat more carbohydrate foods.
As long as you have no blood sugar problems, eat more high-carbohydrate foods (Pasta, cereal, and toast) until your nausea subsides. This really worked for me.
I ate pancakes every day for weeks. It was the only thing that kept nausea and vomiting away.
Foods that were high in carbohydrates like bread and pasta also helped reduce my symptoms of heartburn, which helped decrease the morning sickness at night too.
5. Try “decaffeinated Tea”
Decaffeinated tea is a great choice.
Be cautious with herbal teas though, you will want to clear drinking them with your provider first.
As an RN, I worked with high-risk pregnant women who were being detoxed from drugs or alcohol.
We used decaf tea all the time for their nausea and sleeping difficulties.
Sometimes just having something hot in a liquid form can help settle your stomach.
6. Avoid fatty meals before bed
Fatty or deep-fried foods take a long time to digest and they can increase your chances of nausea and vomiting.
Fatty foods can cause heartburn and indigestion which can lead to more morning sickness at night. It is better to focus on eating complex carbs and proteins in the evening.
You may need to avoid spicy foods in the evenings too.
Do what works for you. Every pregnancy and every woman is different.
Find the foods that work best for you. Maybe you can only tolerate spicy Mexican from your favorite take-out place…That’s OK!
7. Get more sleep.
Fatigue can lead to increased nausea. NEVER feel guilty if you need a nap.
Try to get to bed at the same time each night.
An excellent way to increase your chances of getting a good night’s sleep is to use a pregnancy pillow. You can get one: HERE
Another effective way to relax and prepare yourself for sleep is to take a warm bath (not a hot bath), listen to soothing music, and light a scented candle (Choose a scent that doesn’t make you nauseous.)
8. Practice relaxation techniques.
Sometimes the best way to decrease your nausea and vomiting is simply to relax. Stress may make you feel more nauseous and make your morning sickness at night worse.
There are lots of options for activities that might help you relax. You will want to find what works best for you.
Here are some suggestions:
- Deep Breathing
- Guided Imagery
- Yoga (Always clear physical activities with your health care provider)
- Adult Coloring Books – A proven method for reducing stress. They even make pregnancy-related ones!
- Bath with Aromatherapy – lemon or orange scents may be especially helpful during Pregnancy
- Journaling can also be an excellent way to relieve stress and anxiety during pregnancy.
9. Try ginger tea or ginger ale.
Ginger tea or ginger ale is the old standby for settling an upset tummy, even when not pregnant. Studies have shown that ginger is effective at reducing feelings of nausea.
If you can’t stomach ginger ale or ginger tea you can try ginger candies or even ginger cookies could do the trick.
10. Try to limit computer and other electronic use at night.
There are a few very good reasons for limiting electronic use at night:
- First, electronics can be stimulating and make it harder to fall asleep. This can increase your feelings of morning sickness at night.
- Secondly, electronic devices, including computers, tablets, and smartphones have a strobe effect that may make you more nauseous.
Trying to relax and stay off your favorite app or not binge on your favorite Netflix series can be difficult to do.
At least try to take short breaks from looking at the screen.
This can help reduce nausea and allow you to have a better night’s rest.
You could also try listening to soothing music or reading a book instead.
11. Take breaks and get some fresh air.
Fresh air can do wonders for your morning sickness.
Taking a walk around the block after dinner or just sitting outside on the porch with a cool breeze can be very beneficial – even if it’s just for 10 minutes.
Try to fit these short breaks into your daily routine so that you can give yourself some much-needed fresh air.
It can also provide a change of scenery from looking at the same surroundings all day, which can help to break up the monotony and promote feelings of calmness.
12. Wear an acupressure wristband.
Acupressure bands are designed to apply pressure to the Neiguan point (or P6), which is located on the inside of your wrist.
This point has been found to help with nausea, and wearing a band can help relieve some of your symptoms.
The band should be worn just above your wrist bone and should be adjusted every few hours.
It’s important to note that the band should be removed once your nausea subsides, as acupressure bands are not recommended for long-term use.
13. Try Aromatherapy.
Aromatherapy involves using essential oils or other aromatic compounds to promote relaxation and improve physical and mental well-being.
The use of essential oils during pregnancy can be helpful in relieving feelings of pregnancy nausea at night, headaches, and anxiety.
When selecting oils, it’s essential to make sure they are 100% pure and safe for pregnant women.
Some great essential oils that may help reduce nausea are peppermint, ginger, chamomile, and lavender.
When using these oils, it’s best to use them in an aroma diffuser.
But avoid strong smells and concentrations as they can irritate your senses and even cause dizziness and ultimately make your morning sickness at night worse.
Remember, it’s always best to consult with your doctor or midwife before using any essential oils during pregnancy.
14. Try ginger chews.
Ginger has been used for centuries to relieve nausea and morning sickness.
Taking ginger in chewable form may be more effective than drinking tea or taking capsules.
Ginger chews are a safe, natural way of relieving pregnancy-related nausea.
15. Take vitamin B6 supplements.
Vitamin B6 has been used to help treat morning sickness in pregnant women.
Research suggests that taking a daily supplement may reduce nausea by as much as 50 percent.
Be sure to check with your physician or your midwife before taking any vitamins or supplements during pregnancy.
Some vitamins and supplements can be dangerous to take during pregnancy, so your doctor can provide you with the safest options.
16. Doing light exercise during the day may help.
Exercising during pregnancy may help reduce nausea by increasing endorphins and reducing stress.
Walking, yoga, swimming, or gentle stretching can all provide relief from morning sickness symptoms.
Be sure to discuss any new exercise routines with your doctor before beginning them.
They will be able to advise you on the safest way to exercise during pregnancy and provide guidance on what type of exercise is best for you.
If you’re feeling too sick to exercise, gentle stretches or breathing exercises in bed can still help reduce nausea.
It’s important to remember that everyone is different and there may be certain activities or movements that worsen your symptoms.
Listen to your body and adjust your routine as needed.
If exercise is not helping and you’re struggling with severe morning sickness, talk to your healthcare provider about other options for relief.
17. Drink plenty of fluids.
Drinking plenty of water is important for staying properly hydrated during pregnancy, especially if you are feeling nauseous.
Sip on a beverage slowly throughout the day, such as tea or ginger ale (ginger helps with nausea).
If plain water isn’t appealing, try adding some slices of lemon or lime for flavor.
You can also enjoy mild teas, such as peppermint or ginger tea.
A trick I found helpful was to have a small cup of warm soup or broth at night.
Avoid creamy soups or greasy soups and broth, they can make your morning symptoms worse.
What causes evening nausea in pregnancy?
Current scientific theories behind the cause of morning sickness:
HCG Hormone (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin)
HCG is the “pregnancy test” hormone and it doubles every two days during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Because HCG hormone levels are much higher with twins, this theory may also help explain why women with twin pregnancies often experience more severe morning sickness.
- Estrogen Hormone
Estrogen is another hormone thought to contribute to morning sickness. The level of Estrogen can increase 100 times higher during pregnancy.
This theory is more difficult to prove because many women with elevated estrogen levels do not experience morning sickness.
Perhaps certain individuals have a predisposition to estrogen causing nausea and vomiting.
- Progesterone Hormone
Progesterone increases during pregnancy as well.
This hormone causes many maternal body changes.
It increases fluid retention, softens pelvic ligaments, and relaxes smooth muscle (to prevent uterine contractions).
The effect on smooth muscle also slows down the muscle responsible for digestion and gastric emptying which may contribute to nausea and vomiting.
- Hypoglycemia
Though this is unlikely to be a primary cause of morning sickness, due to the metabolic demands of pregnancy, it is advised that women eat more frequent, smaller meals to avoid blood sugar fluctuations which can result in hypoglycemic episodes (low blood sugar).
Hypoglycemia can result in feeling shaky, and lightheaded and in some individuals, can precipitate nausea and vomiting.
Clearly during the very early stages of pregnancy, when metabolic needs are minimal, this is unlikely to be the primary cause of morning sickness.
It is very likely that morning sickness is a result of more than one factor.
The reason for this is that there are many women who have no morning sickness and yet have the same hormonal profiles.
Pregnancy nausea at night gender?
Does morning sickness at night mean a boy or a girl?
It is not possible to determine a baby’s gender based on whether or not a woman experiences morning sickness.
The gender of the baby is determined by which sex chromosomes are passed from the mother and father at conception.
There are many old wives’ tales about morning sickness and gender, but there is no proven link between the two.
Morning sickness at night twins?
More severe morning sickness during the first trimester of pregnancy may be linked to being pregnant with twins.
Women who are pregnant with twins often have higher levels of the pregnancy hormone hCG, which could contribute to more severe morning sickness.
However, it’s important to note that not all women pregnant with twins will experience increased morning sickness.
Can morning sickness only happen at night?
Yes, morning sickness can occur at any time during the day, however, some women may find that their symptoms worsen at night or only occur at night.
It is possible only have morning sickness symptoms at night and feel fine during the day.
It is also possible for pregnant women to experience morning sickness only at night due to hormonal changes throughout the day which may be more pronounced in the evening.
Additionally, some experts believe that anxiety and stress can exacerbate morning sickness symptoms, which could be more intense at night.
If you are experiencing morning sickness at night it may be helpful to practice relaxation techniques before bed or make lifestyle changes to reduce stress and anxiety levels.
Additionally, eating small meals throughout the day instead of large meals can help minimize nausea and vomiting during the evening hours.
Related articles:
- 10 Tips to Fight Fatigue During Pregnancy
- 8 Ways To Relieve Low Back Pain During Pregnancy
- 10 First Trimester Pregnancy Tips You’ll Be Glad You Know
