"I didn't get out of bed." Martha Kalifatidis on her tough experience with hyperemesis gravidarum.

After two months of social media silence, Married At First Sight stars Martha Kalifatidis and Michael Brunelli have announced they are expecting a baby. 

The couple returned to Instagram on Monday night to share that they are well into their pregnancy journey, but admitted complications left Martha bedridden for "almost two months".

"It's been a minute since we've been online, so we wanted to explain our situation and make a little bit of an announcement, and that is that Martha is pregnant," Michael said in the joint video. 

Watch: Martha Kalifatidis shares advice to her five-year-old self. Post continues after video. 

Martha chimed in to say that it had not been an "exciting" or "wonderful" time for either of them though.

"I don't want to sound like I am complaining, we are so excited, we are so happy. It was a complete surprise, but at five weeks I was diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum, which is basically severe chronic nausea and vomiting with no relief," she shared.

"It is like 24/7. I literally did not get out of bed for two months, I was so sick. I could not eat or drink anything. There were days that I did not even get up to pee."

Hyperemesis gravidarum often only effects a very small percentage of pregnant women, with little diagnoses for it. 

Martha admitted to fans that she had been "in and out of the emergency room at hospital" throughout the last two months. 

"Here in Melbourne I'm seeing an amazing doctor and she has given me some medication which has literally been life-changing. It is helping me to feel human again and to start moving around again," she explained. 

The pair, who met on season six of Married At First Sight back in 2019, said that while they'd wanted to share the pregnancy news with followers earlier, they thought it was too early to announce. 

"We kind of just had to disappear offline and give a couple of excuses, and there were a lot of people that were concerned," Michael said. 

"If you did message us, thank you so much. We do truly appreciate it."

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A post shared by Martha Kalifatidis (@marthaa__k)

Michael also shared photos on his Instagram story, sharing that he and Martha found out they were pregnant in Rome, Italy. 

In another story, Michael shared that while out for dinner with friends in Istanbul, Turkey, they got a fortune cookie that predicted their future.

"A new baby is coming into your family," it read.

Michael and Martha were on a lengthy trip around Europe before they spontaneously returned home early to Melbourne. 

On Tuesday, Martha confirmed on the Fitzy & Wippa radio show that she was now almost four months pregnant.

Prior to announcing her pregnancy, Martha apologised to fans for being "quiet" on social media.

"Hi everyone, I know I've been quiet on here," she wrote. "I've been bedridden for a few weeks, but I'm finally home and getting the care I need. I'll be back soon!

"Thanks for all the messages, sorry I haven't gotten back to anyone. I really do appreciate the support, though."

As for potential baby names, Martha told Fitzy & Wippa that she and Michael don't yet know the gender of their unborn child yet.

"We do have the envelope with the gender in it. We just haven't opened it yet," she said on Tuesday.

Listen to The Spill, Mamamia's daily entertainment podcast. Post continues after audio. 

When the male radio co-hosts asked Martha about baby names, they wondered if she would choose something with an Italian flair given Martha and Michael realised they were pregnant while in Rome.

"Oh, Maximus is quite chic. I actually love your little girl's name, Francesca," she told Wippa.

Reflecting on the decision to open up about her struggles with hyperemesis gravidarum, Martha said she knew the response would be mixed after their announcement, calling it a "really sensitive subject".

"I feel really bad because like, I don't really know how to navigate this and talk about this because I feel like you know, there's like women who have the best time when they're pregnant. And then there's people who, you know, struggle so hard, and they will do anything to be pregnant. So I kind of like don't know what to say," she explained. 

Now with medication and medical support, Martha said the journey has been a lot smoother as of late. 

"It's been amazing. It's like the only thing that has helped me."

Throughout the whole process, Martha told the Kyle & Jackie O show that Michael has been "a saint" for her.

As for any weird pregnancy side effects, Martha said that hyperemesis gravidarum had greatly impacted her body - both weight wise, but also in the body hair department.

"I've literally grown like this layer of fur all over my body, it's disgusting! I feel like a little marsupial. It's so weird, because I've had my whole body lasered and all of a sudden I'm like a marsupial."

This article was originally published on September 5, 2022, and was updated on September 6, 2022.

Feature Image: Instagram @marthaa__k, @mbrunelli.

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