You made it through a pregnancy filled with morning sickness, here's how to support your body for breastfeeding.

This blog is written by Emma Michelsen, co-founder of Aggie, who develop science-led supplements to support women through pregnancy. Emma has been a Hyperemesis Gravidarum sufferer with lived experience of successfully breastfeeding after being left depleted post-pregnancy.

If you’ve spent most of your pregnancy sick, arriving at the end of it probably feels equal parts relief and apprehension. You’re almost there. And if breastfeeding is something you’re hoping for, it’s completely normal to look at your exhausted body and wonder whether it has anything left.

It does. But let’s talk honestly about what it’s been through first.

What Hyperemesis Gravidarum actually does to your body

Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) isn’t just bad morning sickness. For the women who experience it, it’s months of severe vomiting, significant weight loss, dehydration, and nutritional depletion that can stretch well into the third trimester. The isolation of it, and the feeling of not being taken seriously, adds another layer that’s hard to put into words.

If you want to understand more about what’s happening in your body during HG, the team at Aggie have written something really useful: Navigating Hyperemesis Gravidarum: Understanding, Coping, and Finding Support. There’s also a fascinating read on the science behind why it happens at all: GDF15: The Breakthrough Behind Morning Sickness.

The short version: you’re not starting this next chapter from a place of rest. You’re starting it from wherever you landed — likely exhausted, depleted, and carrying more self-doubt than you deserve.

Can you breastfeed after HG?

Most people who experience HG do go on to breastfeed. The body’s ability to produce milk is more resilient than many expect, and HG doesn’t directly damage the glands or tissue involved in lactation.

That said, a few things are worth knowing going in. Prolonged vomiting and poor nutrition can affect some of the nutrient stores your body draws on in early lactation, particularly iodine, vitamin D, and B vitamins. Hydration matters too. Breast milk is mostly water, and if dehydration has been a feature of your pregnancy, getting on top of fluids before birth is one of the most direct things you can do for your supply. And fatigue is a real factor. Breastfeeding is physically demanding, and coming into it after a hard pregnancy means your reserves are lower than they might otherwise be.

None of this means breastfeeding won’t work. It means going in with the right support around you matters more than usual. 

What actually helps in the lead-up to birth

Drink little and often. Small sips throughout the day are easier to manage than large amounts, and more effective for hydration. If plain water still triggers nausea, which it does for many people with HG even late in pregnancy, electrolytes can make a real difference. Morning Relief by Aggie was made specifically for pregnancy nausea and vomiting, with clinically studied ginger and electrolytes to support hydration when drinking is still a battle.

Eat what your body will accept. Crackers, plain rice, whatever stays down is enough right now. When you do have a window where food feels more possible, protein and complex carbohydrates are worth prioritising, as they support the hormonal balance that feeds into milk production.

Revisit your supplements. Folate, iodine, vitamin D, and B12 all matter for postpartum recovery and milk production. If tablets have been hard to keep down, ask your midwife or pharmacist about liquid or chewable alternatives. Even partial supplementation in the final weeks is worthwhile.

Tell your care team breastfeeding matters to you. Your LMC can only plan around your goals if they know what they are. Letting them know means they can flag any medications worth reviewing post-birth, connect you with a lactation consultant before baby arrives, and plan realistically for the early days, knowing you may arrive more depleted than the average new mum.

Ask your midwife about antenatal colostrum harvesting. Some women hand-express small amounts of colostrum later in their pregnancy. Having a little reserve can ease the pressure in those first days, particularly if baby takes time to latch or you’re running on very little. It’s not right for everyone and not recommended if you have a history of preterm labour or cervical concerns, so always check with your midwife first.

Rest is preparation, not laziness. A well-rested mum going into labour and the newborn days is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your baby. Give yourself permission.

The bra you’re wearing matters

Here’s something that often gets overlooked in conversations about breastfeeding after a difficult pregnancy: your body has likely changed significantly, and the support you wear into those early weeks can make a real difference to your comfort and your confidence.

When you’ve been through HG, your chest may have fluctuated in size throughout pregnancy. Coming into the postpartum period and early breastfeeding, your breasts will change again, often quickly, and sometimes dramatically in those first few days as your milk comes in.

A well-fitted nursing bra does more than just hold things in place. For a depleted body that’s about to take on the physical demands of feeding, proper breast support reduces strain, helps manage engorgement more comfortably, and means one less thing causing you discomfort when everything already feels like a lot.

What to look for in those early weeks:

Softness and adjustability. Your size will shift, sometimes day to day in the first week. A bra with multiple hook positions and soft, stretch-friendly fabric, rather than a rigid fit, will move with you. Hotmilk’s wirefree nursing bras are designed exactly for this, supportive without restriction, and easy to adjust as your body settles.

Easy nursing access. When you’re exhausted and learning to feed, a clip-down cup that works one-handed is not a luxury. It genuinely matters at 3am when you’re half asleep and your baby is hungry.

Something for night. Your body doesn’t clock off between feeds. A nursing sleep bra that keeps breast pads in place and gives you some light support overnight can mean better sleep and less disruption, which are both things a depleted body needs.

The right size. It’s normal to change weight during pregnancy and your pre-pregnancy size may not be your starting point postpartum. Getting properly fitted from Hotmilk’s online fitting room is a good place to start and means you’re not fighting with a bra that doesn’t fit on top of everything else.

What if breastfeeding doesn’t go to plan? 

Fed is always best.

Some people come through HG and breastfeed without much trouble. Some find it harder than they expected. Some can’t, for reasons that have nothing to do with how much they wanted it. And some choose not to breastfeed at all, because they know their body and their limits, and that’s a completely valid decision.

How you feed your baby is not a measure of your love or your effort. You grew this baby through months of being seriously unwell. That’s already extraordinary. If it gets difficult, get support early rather than struggling on alone. A good lactation consultant in those first days can change the whole experience.

Going in with realistic expectations

The first weeks after birth are intense for anyone. After HG, they may be harder than you expected, and being gentle with yourself about that isn’t weakness, it’s sense.

Ask for help before you need it. Be honest with the people around you about how depleted you are. And put some thought into the practical things that are within your control, such as the right bra, the right support network, the right information, before baby arrives, so there’s one less thing to figure out when you’re in it.

Where to find support

References: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2015). ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 153: Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 126(3), e12–e24.