My husband and I are thinking of trying for our second child. And I'm pretty sure I will get HG again. It's supposed to be hereditary and my mom had it with both my sister and me.
I was diagnosed with HG relatively early with my daughter, but the medical treatment I received barely helped (I went to the ER a few times between weeks 6-8, and on my last trip to the ER, I was admitted and hospitalized for 5 days before being placed on homehealth care, which basically included IV fluids and meds, from week 8 through week 20). The meds really didn't work in preventing nausea/vomiting (maybe it did, and my symptoms would've been worse without them); the only thing that kept nausea and vomiting away was sleep so I tried to sleep much as possible.
With my next pregnancy, I won't have the luxury of sleeping through the first half of my pregnancy since I have a toddler to care for. For those who went through HG while caring for another child/children, how did you manage it? Any advice/tips on how to prepare for it, both mentally and physically?
Attitude has nothing to do with HG. You are not imagining it. I had toddlers when I had HG. I would make everything as easy as possible for myself. After their shower in the night I would put them to bed in the next day's clothes. I would give them super easy breakfasts, and I took everything slowly. I enlisted the help of my mother who stayed over often to assist. Nothing but time helped me. Good luck.
There is an in incredible connection between the mind and the body. Seems like you have convinced yourself you will have it. Try working on a positive attitude, positive you won't have it. Good luck.
Elliebird,
I'm sorry. I didn't experience this!! I hope that you don't with your second!!
I would keep a positive attitude. I know Attitude is Everything! :)
Good luck!!
Hello -
I was diagnosed with it for my first pregnancy around week 9 and it continued through week 24. I used IV and Zofran. After about week 24, I was okay. Not to say that I never vomited, but I was able to plan around it and it was much, much less than earlier on. I also slept a lot!
For my second pregnancy, I had a 3 year old and a job. I was with a different OB and he didn't take it seriously. I switched and my current OB put me on the Zofran pump. It is not fun but wonderful to keep going...after around week 20 I was able to get off the pump but I stayed on Zofran through the rest of the pregnancy (42 weeks!).
My OB has told me that basically if you had HG twice, you are virtually guaranteed if you have another preganancy. My baby is 3...not sure what the future holds here.
Get as much support as possible in place (sitters, a cleanig service, laundry service, etc. Visit this website: www.helpher.org
Here is an excellent section on how to plan for a pregnancy with possible HG.
http://www.helpher.org/mothers/get-going/prepare-for-hg.php
By the way, for WildWoman in Reston - HG is a very real, debilitating and life threatening pregnancy disease. A positive attitude will change HG about as much as it will change diabetes. I am sure you meant well.
Good luck - if you want to ask any other questions, message me directly.
C.
Just wanted to send you some virtual moral support. My mom had HG with both me and my sister. I had pretty severe morning sickness for 16 and then 21 weeks with my pregnancies, but not HG. My mom had both girls, I had both boys, maybe if your next one is a boy it will be a little better? I know HG is a whole different animal from morning sickness, but I just kept telling myself that it would end and focused on today. Thinking about how many more weeks there were to come was miserable.
I would suggest talking to your doctor about what you can do now. Get yourself in great shape (not talking weight, overall health) so you are as healthy as possible going into the pregnancy- prepare for it like a marathon!
You are an amazing person to voluntarily step up for that again.
Well I didn't exactly have HG. I didn't vomit to the point where I had to be hospitalized, although I did my fair share with my daughter. While things evened off around 20 weeks, I did have the all day nausea the entire pregnancy. I literally felt like vomiting 24 hours a day. On top of that, I had a toddler and a full time job. It sounds horrible, but I just got used to it. It's amazing what your mind will overcome when it has to. When I felt like I was going to throw up, esp at work, I would take a walk and get some fresh air. I think that warded off the actual vomiting some. I wish I had more advice. I hope you don't have it this time around.
I had horrible, debilitating nausea all through my 1st trimester. The only thing that soothed my gag reflex was sucking on peppermints. I only have one child and was very old when I had her (although they say older women have less nausea - I was almost 45 and I was sick as a dog).
I've heard every pregnancy is different...just because you were sick with one doesn't mean you'll be as sick with the next.
I had HG with both pregnancies and it was extremely difficult. My children are 6.5 years apart, and that probably made it easier than dealing with it with a toddler except that my oldest still has vivid memories of my second pregnancy, and he's almost 16 now.
I wasn't a very good mom during my second pregnancy, but I had to accept the fact that I was doing the best I could. I had lots of other complications in addition to HG, so I was on bedrest pretty early on, too. We watched lots of movies together, read a ton of books, and played a bunch of games. I was also hospitalized for dehydration a few times, and had to have IVs often. Both boys were born at 35 weeks.
I know this doesn't sound very encouraging, but in the whole scheme of things, pregnancy is a relatively short time - I know it doesn't seem like it at the time. :) I have two amazing sons now, so the agony of that second pregnancy was well worth it.
My mom helped a ton, and my husband is a very involved, supportive father and husband who helped/s a lot, too. Friends were helpful, too. I'm not always good about allowing others to help, but I had to learn to let others help me. It will help you if you will let others help you out too. Take a nap while others play with your daughter for an afternoon, or while they do laundry for you.
HG runs in my family, too. I wish you luck. I envy women who love pregnancy, but even with challenging pregnancies we do end up with wonderful babies. :)
I had pretty severe nausea, but not actual HG (not extreme vomiting, just regular vomiting of stomach acid every. single. morning. and continual nausea constantly all day every day for the entire 40 weeks... to the point I just wanted to curl on the sofa and sleep through the pregnancy... taking a shower was awful even.)
Zofran helped me. It didn't "fix" it, but it helped me be functional. I also went and stayed with my parents for a few weeks during the worst of it, so my 2 year old didn't burn the house down around us both.
Good luck.
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Oh, I also had excessive salivation. My pillow would be soaked by morning and just trying to fall asleep was horrible, because of the constant need to swallow (or spit). Eventually, I sort of gave up and just put a fresh towel on my pillow before bed and let whatever drooled out drool out. To help me fall asleep, I actually sucked on lemon drops AS I went to sleep. I'd wake up in the middle of the night with a half dissolved one in my cheek. But it helped me deal with the salivation and be able to fall asleep. I worked really hard to keep my teeth clean otherwise, but I still ended up losing some enamel due to the daily acid vomiting sessions. My dentist (a new one for me at that time) asked me if I'd ever had an eating disorder due to the enamel damage from the vomiting of 2 pregnancies where I vomited every single morning throughout the entire pregnancy... 41 1/2 weeks long with the first, 39 with the 2nd. Of course, it didn't start until about week 4 or 5... but it didn't let up until delivery.
Try sucking on lemon drops. I ate a lot of cheetos, too. Super healthy, I know. But constant eating was a necessity to keep the "taste" out of my mouth and deal with the saliva. Banana icees also were a Godsend.. when I could find them. I had to stay away from ALL caffeine, too, b/c I could taste it. Even in chocolate. Thank goodness I wasn't yet a coffee drinker.
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Sorry to keep adding.
But wanted to add that I have one boy and one girl and the sex of the baby didn't seem to have anything to do with it. The only difference with #2 was that I couldn't baby myself as much b/c I had to deal with #1 while I was pregnant with her. I was working with #1, so that was a bit of a distraction, but I was SAHM by #2, and the distraction of a toddler is not the same as the distraction of office work or adult needs/conversations. So that was hard. The sofa always being RIGHT. THERE. When it was all I wanted. For some weeks, I just wanted the bed with the curtains drawn and to sleep. Husband made me cheese toast in the oven. He was great. But he couldn't stay home with me the whole pregnancy to take care of me. We did ship our son off to stay with grands for a week, and then I went with him to my parents' as well. After about 24-26 weeks, it either got a little better, or I got used to it. Not sure which. I weaned off of the zofran and just made do.
