Kari's Koupons

Do you have a story to share about how God has provided for you and your family? If so, e-mail me at karikoupon@gmail.com to be considered as a guest post.

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord the fruit of the womb a reward." Psalm 127:3

This post is dedicated to all those mammas out there who struggle with severe morning sickness, or Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG). I hope that by sharing my heart, you encouragement and help during this season.

This is the story of my struggle the last few years. It is the story of the miracle of feeling better.

I have to start by saying praise the Lord. God is gracious. Good health is not guaranteed in this life, it is not a reward for good behavior or healthy living because anyone can get sick. It is only a blessing of God's undeserved grace. God showed His utmost grace when He sent His only Son Jesus into the world to save us from a life separated from Him on this earth (spiritual sickness), and torment after this life for ever. He paid the penalty of our sin, and offers us new life; a life with Him here on earth and in Heaven where there is NO SICKNESS! Praise the Lord for His forgiveness.

What was it like?

When I became pregnant I immediately became violently ill with severe morning sickness. I could not keep anything down. No matter what I tried (eating frequent small meals, protein, sea bands, ginger, mint, vitamins B6, B12, magnesium, sleep, chiropractic, and I am sure other things I am forgetting) nothing took the nausea and vomiting away. I would even throw up while taking Zofran, an anti nausea medicine designed for chemo therapy patients. I worried about my baby since I lost a significant amount of weight, and felt very lonely since most of my days were spent at home close to the bathroom. I felt like I was going to die multiple times due to dehydration, sharp stomach and body pain, muscle atrophy, and the shutting down of my systems.

All I wanted to do was sleep because it was the only relief I could find. As a very active person, it felt like my life as I knew it was being taken away from me. I was in the ER to receive IV's, and took meds until the day I had my babies.

In the midst of this difficulty, there were so many blessings. Jesus became so much more precious to me. I meditated on the book of Philippians. God gave me a passion for motherhood, and my priorities as a wife and mom. He taught me that joy in Christ is always available to a believer but to fully receive that joy in the Holy Spirit we have to focus on what Jesus did for us on that cross, scorning our shame and freeing us from sin and death! Thank you Lord! He taught me to rely on Him, and accept help from others. He also taught me to slow down, and for anyone who has known me for a while, this was a lesson that needed to be learned.

Second to the Lord, my husband was a huge source of strength. Even in the midst of his busyness, he was a strong husband and father. I could not be more thankful to be married to him.

Finally, our family and church family blessed us with meals and visits. Thank you so much to those of you who have been my friend during this time. I cannot say thank you enough and only hope to remember to pray for and visit others when they are sick and in need.

What changed?

In my third and current pregnancy, I changed my diet completely. After watching Forks Over Knives, I began to realize how important diet is to our health! I started implementing a whole foods diet, so I pretty much cut out the processed foods, especially the refined sugars. I also reduced the amount of animal products I was consuming, looked for nutritionally superior sources, and focused on getting my proteins and calcium from plant based sources (all while trying to stick to a budget of course).

I also started taking Sunrider Supplements thanks to my friend. These helped me to have more energy and helped my body to regenerate itself more efficiently. E-mail me at karikoupon@gmail.com if you are interested in learning more about Sunrider and I will get you connected to my friend.

Through research, I started to notice a connection between HG and liver function. Then, I found out 50% of people with HG have a liver disorder. WOW! That was huge to me. I found out about the book Naturally Healthy Pregnancy by Shonda Parker and read up on herbal supplements that are safe during pregnancy. She listed Milk Thistle as a liver protectant. I confirmed that it was safe with my doctor and started to take it.

As soon as I started taking Milk Thistle I started feeling better. Four weeks later, I was off my Zofran!!! WOW! I am now starting to feel like a "normal" pregnant woman. I have dreams of going for a run again, and being able to really take care of my family and home the way I want to! I also want to continue blogging and saving money in a big way.

That is it. This is my story.

For all you pregnant mammas struggling with HG, hang in there. Keep your eyes on the prize. Every second of being sick is absolutely worth that precious babe and eternal soul you are nurturing inside your womb right now! Since every pregnant woman is different, I don't want to say that the Milk Thistle is a miracle cure all, but it did help me. I do hope it helps you too.

For all my other readers, please encourage all those pregnant ladies in your life. Babies are a blessing. Please encourage and support the pregnant women in your life, especially those with HG.

God bless you all for reading this.

-Kari