So Your Misses Got Hyperemesis (Gravidarum)
Chapter 3: Get Ready For...
Part 3: All That Means That…
With a partner suffering from HG, a lot is going to be on your shoulders, buddy. Your wife will need you to take care of her physically and emotionally, as well as to take care of household chores and the children.
All that means that you must prepare for some significant changes in your life.
Your Partner's Capabilities in the Coming Months
Your partner will mostly be capable lying on the couch or bed, vomiting, groaning, and suffering from nausea.
To make her as comfortable as possible, here are some things you can keep within her arm’s reach:
- Vomit bags: she’ll need a lot of these
- Snacks she can eat: we’ll talk about finding these snacks later
- A bottle or cup for drinking: chances are she won’t be able to drink much, but maybe it’ll give her inspiration to try. We’ll also talk about drinking with hyperemesis gravidarum soon.
- Medications for nausea and heartburn relief: yes, we’ll discuss this topic soon as well.
- For entertainment: TV remote, smartphone, tablet and charger, a book. Hope for your wife’s sake that she’s not one of those women with HG who get nauseous from staring at a screen or reading, or else boredom will be another challange to face.
- Essential oils and aromatherapy materials: some women with hyperemesis gravidarum find these helpful. It’s worth a try.
In other words, your wife will mainly be suffering. You can help her feel as comfortable as possible… But even if she has a relatively mild hyperemesis gravidarum and can, for example, eat or watch TV, she’ll still have a tough time when she won’t be able to do much
Prepare not to make plans in the near future
Only after several times I had to cancel meetings at the last moment did I realize that until her hyperemesis stabilizes, I can’t make plans and keep disappointing friends, family and clients.
My social life ceased to exist when hyperemesis gravidarum entered our lives.
Prepare to cancel trips or vacations
I was supposed to fly to a music festival abroad with friends. It was a vacation we booked over three years ago that had been postponed again and again because of COVID, and I was really looking forward to it.
My friends flew without me. It was upsetting, but staying with my wife was the right thing to do.
Prepare to manage the household alone
If you don’t know how to do laundry or clean the bathroom, now’s the time to learn.
Prepare to be more attentive than ever to your wife and understand her vulnerabilities
Your wife will struggle to communicate with doctors and healthcare providers. Many times you’ll need to understand her condition and communicate it to the providers so they can help her as best as possible.
Prepare to deal with each day as it comes
The uncertainty of when the hyperemesis will pass can be frustrating for you and your wife. You’ll need to find a way to cope with each day on its own, maintain optimism, and just do your best. It’s a personal growth challenge for you.
And here's an important one
Remember when I wrote that your wife will find it hard to drink? Prepare to spend a lot of time in hospitals and clinics, and to become an unofficial expert in IV fluids and medications.