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If HG continued past mid-pregnancy, did you experience complications during delivery related to your poor health such as a strained ligaments/joints, pelvic floor damage, prolonged or weak pushing, fainting, low blood pressure, low pain tolerance, forceps/assisted delivery, broken bones, nerve damage, low amniotic fluid, fetal problems due to difficult delivery, etc.?

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Survival Strategies

Try to implement as many of the following strategies as you can:

Take it one day at a time and just do all you can to make it easier. Don't focus on how many weeks you have left or how you will deal with another day of being sick.
Give yourself permission to rest as much as you need, and listen to your body. Don't fight the need to lay down or do nothing when you are very nauseous and/or vomiting. Being active will often worsen your symptoms.
Do whatever is necessary to cope, including quitting your job or hiring help. If possible, avoid major stressors such as moving until you have recovered. (See "Related Links" on the right.)
Ask for help. Make a list of ways others can help and let them choose what best suits their skills and schedule. If you have limited support and can afford to hire help, consider a teen, college student or doula. (See "Related Links" on the right.)
Arrange for someone to visit or call often to avoid depression and isolation.
Ask others to drive you to appointments and stores so you can lay down and rest in the car. Doing both can be too much. Order online if needed to avoid the stress of running errands. (More info on #shopping online.)
If your doctor wants to test you for gestational diabetes (glucose tolerance test), discuss the option of apple juice or jelly beans (medical studies show this is acceptable) instead of Glucola.
Purchase Ketostix from a drug store or online and test your urine at least daily. These are the strips the nurse dips in your urine to test for Ketones to monitor your hydration. Get IV hydration or drink more as soon as you begin producing ketones. Ketones worsen nausea and vomiting. (See "Related Links" on the right.)
Try cold foods and beverages which have less smell and if frozen, may decrease your sense of taste. Ice water may go down better than chilled. Freeze a 1/2 full bottle of water (or juice) on its side, then fill with cool water so the ice will keep the water cold for hours.
Have a variety of snacks prepared in case you have a decrease in nausea and feel you can eat. Keep a cooler next to the sofa and/or bed with snacks to avoid trips to the kitchen.
Eat a snack before getting off of the sofa or out of bed. Try to sip any fluid possible all day. Avoid eating large amount will distend your stomach and encourage nausea/vomiting.
Wear loose clothes and use lots of pillows to keep yourself comfortable. Adding a foam egg crate or mattress pad may ease pain.
Read about others who have experienced HG, and contact them for support. Know that HG can be very traumatic and seeking professional counseling is not a sign of weakness, but rather a positive coping strategy. (More info on support groups.)

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Updated on: Sep. 15, 2022