I awoke this morning to the news that Kate Middleton is pregnant and has been admitted to hospital with Hyperemesis Gravidarum. I have felt nauseas since I heard the news and I’ve been actively avoiding reading any of the comments surrounding the press, because honestly, people are cold hearted and mean, especially when they are lucky enough to have no idea what they are talking about.
I’m not one that’s swayed by celebrities, in any which way, but as a first time mother, I too faced HG and I want to stand up in defence of the Duchess of Cambridge and say IT IS NOT JUST MORNING SICKNESS.
Hyperemesis Gravidarum is debilitating. It is like being so hungover you can’t even keep water in your body. And it’s like that 24/7 for however long it lasts. For Ameli that was my life for 18 weeks. With Aviya it was 26 weeks.
My advice to anyone who says ‘it’s just morning sickness’ is this: go out tonight. Get VERY drunk. So drunk you throw up all day tomorrow. Then imagine that day after day after day after day. Then imagine doing it with the world watching. Then feel free to comment on what the Duchess is experiencing right now. If you just had morning sickness, count your blessing, hug your child, and keep your comments to yourself.
Like all diseases, Hyperemesis Gravidarum picks you, no matter who you are.
P.S. If you want to know more about Hyperemesis Gravidarum you can find out more on that link. I’ve written about what its like living with Hyperemesis Gravidarum and the general journey of life for an HG sufferer, including mourning the loss of a joyous pregnancy.