Prince William stands next to his wife Kate, Duchess of Cambridge as she leaves the King Edward VII hospital in London where she was being treated for a severe form of morning sickness.. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Kate Middleton, The Duchess of Cambridge is out of the hospital today and returning home after a bout with hyperemesis gravidarum – a severe form of morning sickness. But is Kate out of the woods yet?
The answer is probably no.
It’s very possible Princess Kate could be readmitted to the hospital again for dehydration. She’s barely in her first trimester, and women who are admitted to the hospital for hyperemesis gravidarum tend to have recurrence and sometimes need to return in order to be rehydrated all over again.
However, I’m going to give the Princess some tips that I give to my patients in order to help them deal with the nausea and vomiting once they return home:
• Don’t worry about gaining weight. There will be plenty of time to readjust your diet later so you can gain a well-balanced amount of weight. The key now is to stay hydrated and to prevent bouts of vomiting, which can ultimately make you lose electrolytes.
• Eliminate triggers. If Prince William is wearing too much cologne or certain fragrances in the house – or should I say, palace – are bothering you, get rid of them. If there are certain odors emitting from the royal kitchen, tell them to stop cooking those broccoli and Brussels sprouts.
• Carbohydrates are your friends – such as pasta, rice and potatoes. One of my favorite recipes is some pasta with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt. Don’t eat garlic or add other spices to your food, because it can give you severe heartburn.
• If you want afternoon tea at 4 p.m., you may want to switch to ginger tea and drop the Earl Grey.
• There are certain fruits that are also very helpful with digestion. Kiwis are rich in vitamin C and frozen seedless grapes make excellent snacks that will cool your palate and help you with hypersalivation. Fruits rich in water – such as watermelon and cantaloupes – are my favorite fruits for soothing a nauseous stomach.
And of course, I’m sure your doctors have considered giving you medication. Here in the United States, a popular medication Zofran – ondansetron hydrochloride tablets, which block the serotonin 5-HT3 receptor type – helps some patients with severe nausea.
Ultimately, the key is to keep your stomach somewhat busy throughout the day. You want to eat small portions – but eat them frequently.
So there you have it. Feel free to call me if you need any further advice. Once you start feeling better, you can start on the Mediterranean diet, which we know is the best for pregnant women.