At that point, I stopped going to work because I could barely walk two steps without wheezing with effort. Despite taking iron supplements, the anaemia persisted right to the birth and for months afterwards.

Giving birth at last…

My baby girl was finally born at exactly 41 weeks. Probably because of what I had gone through, I was not afraid of labour. I actually laboured in the house for ten hours even though my husband thought I was mad and kept insisting that we go to hospital. By the time I arrived at the hospital, I was 8 cm dilated and the midwives were surprised that I was smiling and strolling in at that hour. Five hours later, my baby girl was born.

That night, I was able to eat well for the first time since my pregnancy started though I could still feel the nausea from a distance. The food tasted like wood, but I could still eat it. I started actually feeling the taste of food after a few days. Thankfully, my daughter did not have health complications and is in fact quite healthy.

As for me, one year and two months later, there are days when I still get nauseous for no apparent reason. I have also had to contend with a seemingly permanently irritated throat and often experience difficulty swallowing food. I should add that I eventually did a baby bump photo shoot at 37 weeks, though it was mostly due to threats from my sister and dire warnings that I would regret never taking those photos. Well, what can I say? She was right. I paid such a high price for my daughter but each time I look at those photos and at her, I believe she was worth every bit of the effort. The big question is, will I do this all over again? Honestly, I’m terrified.

And that is my experience with the pregnancy-related condition called hyperemesis gravidarum. Because of what I went through, I have become interested in forming a support group for other women who have been affected by HG, including those who might be going through it right now. Truth is, I am sharing my story now because I feel driven by the need to no longer keep quiet and watch women such as myself suffer not just physically, but also emotionally and psychologically due to the constant invalidation and denial of the condition that is HG by people who don’t understand it –people who dismiss it as just ‘seeking attention’.

To this end, I invite all those who have experienced HG and is interested in being part of a support group to reach me through my email: mcmakhulo@gmail.com

Thank you Mummy Tales for allowing me to share my story through your informative and helpful platform.”

And that is Millicent’s experience. Do you have a pregnancy experience that you would like to share with fellow moms? You can do so by emailing me at maryanne@mummytales.com

Mummy Tales is a platform dedicated to empowering its readers on different aspects of womanhood and motherhood. Read more motherhood experiences of Kenyan moms here. Connect with Mummy Tales on: FACEBOOK l YOU TUBE l INSTAGRAM l TWITTER

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