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July 11, 2000

Great Article on Pregnancy Today

Hi,

Just wanted to say congratulations on the hyperemisis gravidarum article. As a sufferer I was really pleased to see the condition getting some coverage. I had a severe case of HG during my first pregnancy -- I vomited non-stop every 15 to 20 minutes day AND night from week 6 to week 22 when it eventually died out. During this time I was unable to eat ANY food at all and could not even manage to keep water down. I was bedridden, became severly dehydrated and was in and out of hospital for rehydration on a drip. I also lost 22kg and experienced severe nerve and muscle damage to my legs due to malnutrition (miraculously this repaired itself following intensive physiotherapy some months after the baby was born). There were fears of liver damage but this fortunately turned out not to be the case. During this nightmare I passed out a couple of times and once, when I was staying at my parents for a couple of days to give my husband a break, became delirious and had to be rushed to hospital by ambulance. Because of the muscle wasting in my legs, once I stopped vomiting I found it very difficult to get around -- especially trying to balance the increasing weight of the baby. When I finally managed to eat again I craved celery, chicken soup (which my husband became a master at making!!) and strawberries by the bucketload. My husband was fantastic, nursing me around the clock and trying to run our own small business at the same time. We also relied on the help of family and a couple of close friends to get us through. Thankfully, everything all worked out OK in the end. All things considered, the birth seemed like a breeze and we had a 7 pound beautiful baby girl. She is now 5 1/2 years old (severly addicted to strawberries -- no joke!) and, believe it or not, I'm ready to try it all again! My doctor believes I will probably suffer the same again, however now I know it won't be so bad because at least I won't be scared. I will know to wait it out and give in when it's time to go to hospital for rehydration, instead of fighting it all the way. I'm expecting the worst but pray maybe this time it might be a little better.

Thank you for running the article. Little by little people are now starting to hear about hyperemisis, which makes it a lot easier when you are a sufferer. At the time it happened to me, even my doctors knew very little about it and confessed (after the birth thankfully!) that at times they had no clue what they were doing! Just knowing that you are not alone is a big help.

Kind regards,
Paula Shearer
Brisbane, Australia

Thanks for Preconception.com

My name is Nicole Guizzo. I currently live on Vancouver. My husband and I have been trying begin our family for two years now. During this time, I have had several diagnostic procedures, and we are still looking to find the solution to our infertility problem. Your Web site has provided me with the emotional support from women dealing with similar issues, and has truly been a lifesaver.

I am writing you today because I love to read the Preconception diaries. They are a source of inspiration to me, and let me know that I am not alone with my emotions on my journey to becoming a parent. I would like to begin keeping an online journal, as I believe my experiences may be of some help to others. I know that Canadians have a unique perspective on infertility, as has been shown by diaries in the past. Unfortunately for us (fortunately for them), they have graduated to the Pregnancy Today diaries, leaving the preconception diaries without the Canadian perspective. I would be honoured if you would consider me as a replacement for those who have moved on.

Thanks again for the forum you have provided to those of us suffering from infertility. It is a very unique issue, and one that is not addressed frequently enough in other areas of the Web.

Regards,

Nicole Guizzo

Letter to the Webfather

You know it's funny -- I always do that when I come from work all stressed and tired. I only leave about five miles away from the beach. This makes you realize how small all your troubles are and how big the world is. My kids love when I scream who wants to go to the beach, all five of them.

Ricardo Espinosa

Addition to Doula Article

There is a big misprint in this article. It states there are only three professional organizations which train and certify doulas. There are more. You forgot a very important one: CAPPA -- the Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association. They offer training and certification of Labor/Birth Doulas, Postpartum Doulas and Childbirth Educators. Their website is http://www.childbirthprofessional.com I do hope an addition to the article will be made as to not forget about their GREAT organization.

Amy Solen
http://www.abetterbirth.com -- Find a Birth Professional in your area or list your services with us!

More on Doulas

Hi,

I just wanted to thank you for including an article on doulas. I am currently in the process of becoming a doula. Many people still do not know about the service that doulas provide. A friend told me that she recently heard Rikki Lake announce her intentions to become a doula. Hooray! Perhaps she can help educate her viewers on what a doula is, what she is trained to do, as well as the benefits of having one. I also wanted to add that there are two more organizations that train doulas. Their focus is on holistic care. They are Birthing From Within http://www.birthpower.com and Birthworks http://www.birthworks.com.

In the doula spirit,

Christina Pagano

Stay-At-Home Moms Excerpt on Babies Today

Dear Babies Today,

I read the excerpt from the book And What Do You Do: When Women Choose to Stay Home, and loved it! I am a military wife and I could completely related to Margo and what she goes through. The bottom-line is each mother needs to find her niche to meet her emotional needs an a group she feels comfortable with every day.

I appreciate the information on here about stay-at-home moms. I share it with one of my girlfriends who is the mother of four and still works full-time. She recently made the decision to leave the Army after 10 years of service. At first it may seem hard to make but once the decision is made to be with your kids it is totally awesome to see them grown. I did the same thing six months ago.

Keep the information coming. I know there are other moms out there who work and want to quit but don't feel they can. They need your support and information.

Thanks,

Susan Hofmann

Thanks for Antepartum Depression Article on Pregnancy Today

I was so glad to see your article on antepartum depression! I had never even heard of it until I suffered with it. I happened to confide in a friend who admitted she had also had it with her pregnancy. She was able to refer me to someone who specialized in this. My daughter is now 15 months old. I always promised myself that I would help any others that went through this. Women need to be informed about this topic so they know they are not alone.

Please continue to educate people about this topic. Thank you.

Wendy Kahn

Read past Letters to the Editor here.