A mum dropped two dress sizes while pregnant due to extreme morning sickness which saw her vomit up to 30 times a day.
Vanessa Findlay, 33, suffered with hyperemesis gravidarum for two of her pregnancies.
The mum-of-three was left bedbound with her second son Kai, 10, and was constantly feeling queasy and throwing up.
Living in Germany at the time, Vanessa took herbal remedies which made the ordeal more "bearable".
But her symptoms heightened while she was pregnant with her third child, Faith, two, and saw her lose almost two stone and vomit up to 30 times per day.
During the first three months of her third pregnancy, Vanessa says she couldn't eat a single thing and said even drinking water caused her to throw up immediately.
Vanessa is speaking out on her experience of the condition to raise awareness on hyperemesis gravidarum awareness day.
The mum said she is "thankful" for her children but will "definitely" not have anymore - and said her husband, Kurt, 33, even got a vasectomy because he was "scared" of getting her pregnant again.
Vanessa, who works in hospitality, from Catterick, North Yorkshire, said: “I had hyperemesis gravidarum for three months for both of my pregnancies.
“I couldn't eat and drink anything. I couldn’t even swallow my own saliva.
“I was prescribed various anti-nausea medication, but nothing worked.
“But my last pregnancy was way worse, I was in hospital constantly.
“I had to have so many IV drips, and some of my veins collapsed.
“I lost so much weight and went from a size 16 to size 12.
"My husband even had the snip because he was so scared of me getting pregnant again."
Vanessa says in the first three months of her pregnancy with Faith, the smell of any food made her feel sick.
When her husband, Kurt, a lance corporal in the British Army, would be making dinner, she would try and avoid the smell at all costs.
She said: “I could not eat or drink and was spewing everywhere."
Her condition deteriorated three weeks into her pregnancy, and she was in and out of hospital constantly.
Vanessa said: “I had morning sickness throughout the entire day.
“I stayed in bed for first three weeks of pregnancy."
Vanessa first experience of hyperemesis gravidarum was with her second son Kai after having a normal pregnancy with her first Timothy, 14.
She struggled with the symptoms for three months and found some comfort in online support groups.
Vanessa said she was also very comforted after the Princess of Wales revealed she too had been impacted by hyperemesis gravidarum.
She said: “Despite everything I was lucky to only have it for three months.”
“Some women have it throughout their whole pregnancy."
Vanessa was diagnosed with pre-natal depression two months into her third pregnancy, which she said is very common among women suffering with hyperemesis gravidarum.
Vanessa’s advice to other women is to ask for mental health support if they are struggling.
She said: “I would tell other women to not feel guilty.
“It is easy to blame yourself for how you feel but you should hold on to the fact that it will not last forever.”
Vanessa’s third child, Faith, was delivered by emergency c-section at 26 weeks on 13th September 2020, three months before her due date.
She was so tiny she had to be put in a sandwich bag to mimic her mother's womb but thankfully is now thriving along with mum.
Vanessa is hopeful that people are becoming more aware of how debilitating the illness can be and hopes that sharing her experience will get more people talking about it.
Despite two traumatic pregnancies, Vanessa says it’s all been worth it to have three happy and healthy kids.
But she says there’s no chance of her having another baby in the future.
She said: “I am so thankful for my wonderful children, even if I will definitely not be having any more.”
Vanessa Findlay, 33, suffered with hyperemesis gravidarum for two of her pregnancies.
The mum-of-three was left bedbound with her second son Kai, 10, and was constantly feeling queasy and throwing up.
Living in Germany at the time, Vanessa took herbal remedies which made the ordeal more "bearable".
But her symptoms heightened while she was pregnant with her third child, Faith, two, and saw her lose almost two stone and vomit up to 30 times per day.
During the first three months of her third pregnancy, Vanessa says she couldn't eat a single thing and said even drinking water caused her to throw up immediately.
Vanessa is speaking out on her experience of the condition to raise awareness on hyperemesis gravidarum awareness day.
The mum said she is "thankful" for her children but will "definitely" not have anymore - and said her husband, Kurt, 33, even got a vasectomy because he was "scared" of getting her pregnant again.
Vanessa, who works in hospitality, from Catterick, North Yorkshire, said: “I had hyperemesis gravidarum for three months for both of my pregnancies.
“I couldn't eat and drink anything. I couldn’t even swallow my own saliva.
“I was prescribed various anti-nausea medication, but nothing worked.
“But my last pregnancy was way worse, I was in hospital constantly.
“I had to have so many IV drips, and some of my veins collapsed.
“I lost so much weight and went from a size 16 to size 12.
"My husband even had the snip because he was so scared of me getting pregnant again."
Vanessa says in the first three months of her pregnancy with Faith, the smell of any food made her feel sick.
When her husband, Kurt, a lance corporal in the British Army, would be making dinner, she would try and avoid the smell at all costs.
She said: “I could not eat or drink and was spewing everywhere."
Her condition deteriorated three weeks into her pregnancy, and she was in and out of hospital constantly.
Vanessa said: “I had morning sickness throughout the entire day.
“I stayed in bed for first three weeks of pregnancy."
Vanessa first experience of hyperemesis gravidarum was with her second son Kai after having a normal pregnancy with her first Timothy, 14.
She struggled with the symptoms for three months and found some comfort in online support groups.
Vanessa said she was also very comforted after the Princess of Wales revealed she too had been impacted by hyperemesis gravidarum.
She said: “Despite everything I was lucky to only have it for three months.”
“Some women have it throughout their whole pregnancy."
Vanessa was diagnosed with pre-natal depression two months into her third pregnancy, which she said is very common among women suffering with hyperemesis gravidarum.
Vanessa’s advice to other women is to ask for mental health support if they are struggling.
She said: “I would tell other women to not feel guilty.
“It is easy to blame yourself for how you feel but you should hold on to the fact that it will not last forever.”
Vanessa’s third child, Faith, was delivered by emergency c-section at 26 weeks on 13th September 2020, three months before her due date.
She was so tiny she had to be put in a sandwich bag to mimic her mother's womb but thankfully is now thriving along with mum.
Vanessa is hopeful that people are becoming more aware of how debilitating the illness can be and hopes that sharing her experience will get more people talking about it.
Despite two traumatic pregnancies, Vanessa says it’s all been worth it to have three happy and healthy kids.
But she says there’s no chance of her having another baby in the future.
She said: “I am so thankful for my wonderful children, even if I will definitely not be having any more.”
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