House + Family
Typically, sufferers of HG or NVP find themselves unable to carry out simple everyday tasks, let alone the commitment of running a home. You are not alone if the best you can manage is rolling from your bed to the bathroom - there is no reason to feel guilty. Your body is under attack, while simultaneously trying to grow a baby - there’s a lot going on and you need to listen to your body when it asks for a break.
There are a few simple things you can do to ease the burden when it comes to household responsibilities. Remember, you are entitled to ask for help, to be given the space and time to take care of yourself, and to be guilt-free about it all.
Housework
Some days you will not be able to get out of bed because of HG - or you may find yourself admitted to hospital for a stretch if your symptoms become severe. This can leave you feeling guilty, stressed and overwhelmed by the washing, ironing and other chores that may go untouched in your absence. It’s worth repeating that you do not have anything to feel guilty about if your usual attention to the household falters while you battle this condition. You wouldn’t expect a cancer patient or someone recovering from a dreadful accident to lift a finger, so you shouldn’t expect it from yourself right now.
Asking for help is vital to keeping your house and mind clear of clutter at this time. If you have people around you who won’t mind being asked to clean the bathroom, fold the laundry or stock up your fridge reach out to them as soon as you can. Rely on the people in your home, who love you, to pick up the slack.
If you can afford to outsource some duties then do so. Look into cleaning and laundry services or grocery delivery to take some of the pressure off. If you can afford to spend some money on these tasks it will remove some of the guilt and anxiety you may feel. It will keep your home running smoothly, your family clothed and fed, and will give you some much-needed peace of mind.
Feeding the family
When you’re in the depths of NVP and HG it can seem like a mammoth task to provide meals for the rest of your family. Ideally, you can delegate this job to your partner or another family member so that you can keep out of the kitchen. If this isn’t an option, we recommend using a meal delivery service that will supply prepared meals that just need to be reheated. This will cut down your exposure to food and ensure the rest of your family can eat normally. We recommend investigating the following companies:
Or ask a friend or family member to start a meal train for you. This will let your loved ones support you by cooking meals and stocking your fridge and freezer with ready-to-go meals. This website makes it easy to keep track of who’s cooking what and when.