We are all familiar with morning sickness that is a common part of pregnancy, but have you heard of hyperemesis gravidarum (HG)? It is a very significant medical issue that is very different from “normal” morning sickness, yet it’s been minimized even in the medical community, and the expectant mothers who suffer from this condition have not been treated with the care and respect that they deserve. Knowledge is power, so I hope with today’s show comes the education to help people empower themselves in this extreme condition that affects 1-2 out of 100 pregnancies.
Kaleigh Mancha is a licensed mental health therapist, certified full spectrum doula, body positive yoga teacher, and mother. She runs her business, K.a.y. & M.e., offering various wellness services in the Las Vegas Valley. Advocating for underserved and underrepresented populations has been a lifelong passion of hers and is what brought her into the mental health field ten years ago. She has also been heavily involved in advocating for equitable access to education. Her practice specialties include trauma, anxiety, life transitions, and concerns related to reproductive justice, pregnancy, postpartum, and parenthood. As a body positive yoga teacher, she believes that all bodies, abilities, and experience levels are welcome on the mat, and her goal is to reach people who, like her, didn’t grow up in spaces where wellness was a familiar experience. Kaleigh lives by the motto that “Wellness is a necessity, not a luxury.” She believes all people deserve better access to resources and the knowledge to help them live their best lives. She’s here to share her personal story about HG and how this condition has affected her life in many ways.
Show Highlights:
- Ten years ago, she was pregnant with her daughter, extremely sick beyond what is “normal,” but filled with gratitude because a prior surgery had jeopardized her fertility
- At 8 weeks pregnant, her doctor downplayed her nausea and sickness, but she became dehydrated and was diagnosed with HG
- From 8 weeks to 8 months, she was severely sick, but it went away immediately at the birth of her daughter
- As she planned for a 2nd child, she prepared her partner for the idea of more extreme sickness
- She quickly became pregnant in December 2017, felt symptoms right away, but didn’t think it would be a big deal
- At 5 weeks along, her partner was overwhelmed and decided not to continue to be a part of the journey
- How she dealt with full-time work as a yogi, therapist, and doula while pregnant and so sick
- Planning for a home birth with a midwife, but was hospitalized again with dehydration; she then tried acupuncture and CBD oil and was hospitalized again
- Symptoms and facts about HG: Affects less than 2% of pregnancies and is characterized by intense nausea and vomiting (10-20 times/day); can lead to severe dehydration, organ failure, and extreme weight loss. It can vary in severity, can last the entire pregnancy, and is thought to be genetic.
- The impact on Kaleigh was hopelessness and isolation
- How her doula, Christina Hernandez, helped her formulate a plan
- Trying a couple of different medications, which don’t really treat HG well. One was a mixture of B6 and Unisom (a sleep medication)
- How she had to move in with her parents so they could help care for her and her daughter, close her practice, and cancel her doula clients
- How she began home healthcare with a nurse calling or visiting to check on her daily and experienced odd side effects from the medication: dry, flaky skin, anxiety, restlessness, and insomnia
- A new medication and daily IV meds, but her veins were collapsed and she’d already lost 20 lbs.
- Why her midwife recommended a picc line and feeding tube
- At 11 wks., she lost her baby, but was still experiencing the sickness. An ultrasound showed another baby
- How it all made sense now! She was so terribly sick because there were two babies to begin with!
- The decision Kaleigh had to make because of her declining health–a therapeutic termination (1 in 3 HG patients choose this)
- How the illness left immediately and she felt like herself again, but then she had to deal with the grief and loss. She took 3 weeks for self-care and healing
- Her recommitment to her patients, to use her experience to become a better doula to help others who don’t have the same support that she did. She now offers free help for those suffering from HG.
Resources:
Find Kaleigh on Facebook: Kay and Me Doula and Wellness Services
Visit her website: http://www.kayandme.com
Find Kaleigh on Instagram: @kaym86
On Facebook, find HG Moms
For more info, visit http://www.hyperemesis.orgI
