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