As I begin to make sense of my pregnancy and my experience with hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), I can now see so much that would have been helpful to know and understand then. In hopes of easing your journey if you or a loved one is experiencing HG — here’s my take.

The phrase “trying for a baby” always made me uncomfortable. I felt like the couple was welcoming everyone into their bedroom as well as their personal lives. I had no idea that perhaps it was their way of reaching out for emotional support during a time of excitement mixed with fear.

Five years ago, I walked into the birthing center of a hospital and built walls with rigid rules of how I did - and didn’t - want to bring my son into the world. I believed in the magic and power of my body. I believed in my control.

Mother — a title that holds so much love, so much weight, so much pain, a swelling experience that consumes and connects us.

Whether you can/decide to breastfeed/formula feed/do a mix of both - it’s most important that your baby eats. This is your decision. Try not to internalize all the noise.