Hi @MrsJdot yes this is my 5th baby (very much unexpected and unplanned). In all honesty they've varied so much if they'd all been as bad as the first I'd definitely not have done it.
Pregnancy #1 was complete and utter hell, I was on the bathroom floor/ in hospital for most of it. I threw up until the day she was born it was just the worst, I had some anti sickness but it didn't work and I had an over cautious doctor who was loathe to do anything other than sign me off work.
Pregnancy 2 and 3 were rough but improved massively by 2nd trimester, my GP put me on preventative meds, I knew my body and got fluids straight away, in the first I made mistakes like waiting 12+ hours in A&E instead of going via GP and EPU.
Pregnancy 4 I literally just had awful sickness for the first trimester and was fine for the rest of it.
This pregnancy is up there with my first, actually I've been hospitalised more in my first tri this time than the first. These would be my tips I wish I'd known from the beginning:
Get the antiemetics as soon as you find out your pregnant if you have had HG previously.
If one type isn't working pressure to change
Don't guilt yourself over what you can eat, in my first I felt dreadful that I could only eat Pot Noodles, eat what you can stomach, baby gets what it needs.
If you feel sick, don't put it off. I've taken to just going with "right come on let's get it over with" rather than "please don't be sick".
Constipation makes it worse, Laxido/ Lactulose/ Fibrogel whatever you need if you start to feel backed up try and take it.
Antacid helps massively.
Rest as much as you can. Don't feel guilty about your children, mine are little but even my 3 year old shows empathy about it and asks me every day how I am.
I'll be honest though this pregnancy feels a step too far, my body and mental health are struggling. I know that there's light at the end of the tunnel but it feels like a very long tunnel at the moment 😭