Herbs to Relieve Morning Sickness

Morning sickness and nausea are just two of the many symptoms from discomfort during pregnancy. Most expectant moms experience the waves of nausea first thing in the morning, or directly after a meal. Although preventative measures can be taken with a change in diet, this is often difficult when the diet is a mixture of strange combinations and cravings!

Some common extensions of morning sickness include dry heaving, nausea at the sight and smell of certain foods (eggs, fish), cramping, bloating, and overall body weakness. In most cases, these cannot be prevented completely; the symptoms are a result of fluctuating blood sugar and hormones, as the body is adjusting to a variety of internal changes. Still, there are some natural herbs and herbal remedies that may create relief, even if temporarily.

Do remember that it’s always best to check with a doctor or physician before you attempt to relive morning sickness on your own; this is even more important if you are already on medication or supplements of any kind. When selecting the right herbs for morning sickness, choose from this summary of herbs available and their properties for possible relief:

Anise: Anise seeds are calming and detoxifiying agents, and help to relieve heartburn and discomfort. An Anise tea can be prepared from crushing seeds and steeping in hot water. This herb is used widely in many cultures to reduce morning sickness and related issues.

Pepperint: This natural herb is available in many herbal tea formulations, and can be sipped during the evening to calm the nerves and digestive system. It may not help morning sickness directly, but helps to calm down the night before to reduce any anxiety.

Ginger: The powerful properties of ginger ensure that this herb can help to eliminate discomfort and distress of the stomach and digestive system. Morning sickness may be decreased in frequency with regular supplementation of ginger root.

Fennel: This legendary seed is used in a variety of cultures as a digestive agent; it helps to relieve discomfort after eating, as well as providing relief from heartburn-related issues. Morning sickness may be reduced by sipping on fennel tea throughout the day.

In addition to attempting to relieve morning sickness direclty, the feelings of discomfort may be reduced by incorporating the following herbs or supplements into a weekly regiment:

Sepia: a recommended homeopathic herb to decrease feelings of depression, lethargy, and irritability. This is a great balancing herb for extreme salty-food cravings.

Colchium: a recommended homeopathic herb to decrease waves of nausea at the sight or smell of specific foods; this may also help with a decreased appetite problem.

Nux vomica: a recommended homeopathic herb to relive constipation, nausea after eating, and bouts of dry heaving

Pulsatilla: a recommended homeopathic herb to help with depression, general discomfort after sweet foods, and to control sweet food cravings.

Ipecacuanha: a recommended homeopathic herb to help with bouts of vomiting, retching, and overall discomfort from food.

When selecting dietary needs and supplementation during pregnancy, always check with your doctor or physician first to determine any allergies, interactions with other drugs/medications, and your overall response to the drug. Morning sickness is very common, and usually decreases in frequency over a period of time; this does vary by individual, but a natural, homeopathic approach to relieve the discomfort is a strong choice for many.