Pregnancy is one of those special times in your life when you want to be particularly aware of and careful about absolutely everything you put in your body that might have an effect on the wellbeing of the tiny new being that is growing inside of you.

Unfortunately, that healthy resolve may lead many women who are suffering from morning sickness not to seek treatment for their nausea and vomiting because they are concerned about the side effects of medication injuring their unborn child.

There are, however, a couple of natural remedies that have been studied extensively and clinically proven to alleviate nausea for many people, including being a cure to morning sickness for pregnant women.

Vitamin B6

A research team lead by Dr. Jennifer Niebyl, professor and head of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Iowa College of Medicine, conducted clinical studies that found that 25 milligrams of vitamin B6 taken three times a day can significantly reduce the nausea and vomiting of pregnancy for many women. A second study found that a lower dose of 10 milligrams every eight hours was also effective. According to Dr. Niebyl, “It’s safe, with no risk of side effects or birth defects at 25 milligrams, and it works for at least half of the women who try it.”

Whether 10 mg or 25 mg, the first dose should be taken in the morning, as soon as you get up or even before. Take the next dose 8 hours later and the third one at bedtime. A day or two will tell you if it’s going to work in your case. It’s reportedly most effective for women with moderate or severe symptoms.

Don’t exceed 25 mg x 3 per day, since B6 levels over 100 mg per day have been found to cause nerve problems. Of course, it’s important to consult your physician before adding any supplement to your diet during pregnancy. And check your prenatal vitamin if you are taking one, since it may already contain B6-though not at the levels that have been found to be most therapeutic.

Ginger

Scientific studies have also confirmed that ginger-one of the oldest known remedies-really is effective in treating nausea and vomiting from many different causes. A common ingredient in Chinese and Indian cuisines, ginger has long been recognized as an aid to digestion. It seems to work directly on the intestinal system to block the bowel/brain communication that triggers nausea.

In studies of people who suffer from motion sickness, a half-teaspoon of powdered ginger was just as effective as the over-the-counter anti-nausea drug Dramamine. It’s also been tested and found to relieve post-surgical nausea caused by general anesthetics. For women who had to be hospitalized due to severe nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, doctors in Denmark found that as taking as little as 1/8 teaspoon of ginger four times a day alleviated their symptoms.

Because it is the strongest form and also can be measured accurately for therapeutic purposes, powdered ginger is generally used in medical studies. But you can also add ginger to your diet in many baked items (such as ginger cookies), in ginger ale (the kind made from real ginger), in crystallized ginger, and in ginger teas or ginger infusion.

According to Dr. Niebyl, ginger has not been found to have any known negative side effects.

Acupressure

Acupressure is another ancient remedy that is gaining increasing attention as a treatment for nausea. Based on the Chinese acupuncture points, acupressure involves applying pressure to a precise location known as the P6 point or Nei Guan found between the two tendons in the middle of the wrist, three finger-widths below the crease between the wrist and the palm of the hand.

Elastic wristbands that apply pressure to that spot continually are marketed for people suffering from seasickness and other forms of motion sickness and also for treating the nausea associated with chemotherapy. Clinical studies have come up with mixed results on the effectiveness of these bands. One doctor who has studied acupressure found that better results may be gained by applying stronger pressure manually by rubbing the P6 point.

These three old-but-new and wholly natural approaches to treating the nausea and vomiting of pregnancy are certainly worth a try for any expectant mother who is suffering from morning sickness.