Topics in Staying Well
Women who experienced hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) during pregnancy may take up to two years for their bodies to recover. HG is a severe form of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy that is usually non-stop and keeps mothers from being able to take in enough food and liquid. Women who had HG and it wasn’t recognized and treated appropriately and quickly, may have suffered from rapid weight loss, dehydration, a lack of nutrients, difficulty carrying out normal activities, and isolation and stress. This may have been through the entire pregnancy or just the first half.
After delivery, many women with HG get immediate relief from the nausea, though it may take some women a couple of days before it is completely gone. Because nausea and vomiting during pregnancy in women with HG is often triggered by foods, textures, smells, lights, sounds, and motion, it is not uncommon for women to continue to struggle with food and/or texture aversions, motion sickness, and difficulty with smells and other triggers, even after the baby is born.
Women who lost a lot of weight during pregnancy or had long periods of dehydration may find that it takes longer than average for their energy to come back. They may need to start slowly with any exercise to build back strength. Taking a multivitamin now may help build back up a supply of nutrients, such as iron, vitamin D, and folic acid, but talk with your health care provider or a nutritionist about the best way to get the needed calories and nutrients to recover.
It can be very stressful and isolating to experience HG, and about half of HG moms report post-traumatic stress symptoms, while almost 1 in 5 report post-traumatic stress disorder. Women who had HG are also at higher risk for experiencing postpartum depression and anxiety. Please reach out to your health care provider and your loved ones if you are feeling sad or anxious, struggling with aversions or triggers, or are feeling overwhelmed.
Resources:
The Hyperemesis Education and Research (HER) Foundation has lots of great resources to help cope with HG, support a loved one with HG, recover from HG, and plan for future pregnancies. Check out their Facebook groups and Support Forums for real-life advice and support from other HG moms.
