How was childbirth for you?

[hope32]

Do any of you mind comparing your "usual" MS to MS during pregnancy? While I'm kind of afraid to go off the meds, I'd gone over 11 years between exacerbations without the meds - undiagnosed, but apparently suspected.....just before there were meds.

Also, what age were you with the first pregnancy? Or, any late starters among you?

I turned 32 a week before I got my positive pregnancy test. I had only mild chronic symptoms at that time--a tendency to paresthesia on my left side, and urinary frequency and urgency. I thought the urinary issues might be MUCH worse while pregnant (especially with two babies in there!) but they really weren't that much worse. My paresthesia did tend to be worse which kind of sucked since it's recommended to lie on your left side more, but I think that was just from the weight of the babies. Otherwise though, things really went pretty smoothly with my pregnancy. I had a lot of issues with dizziness if I stood for more than a few minutes at a time but my drs didn't seem to think that was MS-related.

[lucidity]

I have a thread in here asking for opinions on expanding my family.

I have one daughter who's almost 2 1/2.

When I got pregnant, I had my very first flare (and I obviously wasn't diagnosed yet). I had horrible trouble the first trimester b/c I was getting dx'ed, having spinal taps... etc. I couldn't walk straight, write, and I had numbness in my face.

Well, as the time went on, things subsided. I had a great pregnancy and delivery. It was textbook. I know a lot of women flare after birth but thank God that didn't happen to me. I was so tired, stressed, etc. and I had no ill effects of it.

[teacup]

I had all of my babies after dx at age 24. First baby born at age 25, second 28 and third 31. My first baby was a c-section because he was huge - 8lbs 9oz which is big for me at 5ft1" and 110lbs. I had an epidural of course. Second and third delivered completely natural as I had planned. I delivered my second baby squatting and she was born into nice warm water.

My pregnancies and deliveries were all completely normal except the c-section. There were no complications or anything related to MS.

Good luck with the delivery and congratulations

[Merridy]

36 yrs here

I was amlate starter and had my DD at 36. I had no real issues (other than normal pregnancy fatigue), while pg. I had a complicated delivery, but not due to MS. I was off of Rebif for almost 2 hrs with no issues. BF my daughter for 13'mos when I went back on my meds.

No real issues at all now other than fatigue.

It's possie, good luck!

[lorib]

I'll try to answer all the questions in this thread about MS and pregnancy/delivery. I am currently pregnant and have a daughter who was conceived about 4 years after my diagnosis. The recommendation for DMDs is to be off of them for 3 months. For Tysabri I was told 6 months by my neuro.

I saw and am seeing a high risk OB. It wasn't necessary for my first pregnancy, but if I have a relapse during this pregnancy then I'll want a high risk OB to help me deal with how to stop the relapse.

Delivery was fine. I had an epidural, which was great! So I only spent 1 hour pushing. Relapse is supposed to be more common after delivery, so now my neuro is recommending steroids not long after I deliver. I didn't have a problem after my first baby, so we'll see what I do this time.

[Hawkgirl]

I was dx'd when I was 24. I had my first baby when I was 29. I was induced on Dec. 18 (DH and I agreed the doctor wanted to induce so she wouldn't have to work on Christmas). I was in labor for 24 hours and pushed for 2 hours. Hard work. I did have an epidural. The pregnancy was just fine, no MS problems. Major relapse after the birth, though, combined with post-partum depression.

Baby #2 when I was 33. No problems with MS during pregnancy. Induced again (I was so sick of being preggers), easy labor with epidural, and maybe 30 minutes of pushing. Relapse and some depression after the birth. Got treated and back on my meds right away and everything peachy.

Baby #3 when I was 37. No MS problems during pregnancy. Induced again, although I was having contractions, but doc and I agreed to induce to get her in before the new year--she was born on Dec. 29--had an epidural. Pushed for maybe 10 minutes. She popped right out. I was in the hospital for less than 24 hours with that one, although I wish I'd spent one more night in the hospital so I wouldn't have had to get up with her in the night for just one more night. Major relapse after the birth (although I did not realize it was from MS, long story), slight depression.

Anyone who would like to have a baby but is hesitating because of MS, I would advise to go ahead and have a baby. You will not be sorry.

[Kraheera]

Pregnancy for me was... in a word, hell.

My first pregnancy, I was sick ALL 9 months. Constantly threw up, couldn't gain weight to save my life. I think I managed 15 lbs by the time it was over with. I was TINY, and my doctors yelled at me constantly.

She also tore me up pretty badly. I had to have a lot of stitches, and she was a back labor baby.


The second pregnancy was hell on my hips. I could barely walk, my hips popped whenever I stood or tried to walk with good posture, the ligaments in my hips got stretched all to hell... and the baby nearly died at 27 weeks thanks to the cord getting pinched.

I was pre-heart attack for months, let me tell you. Labor wise though... he wasn't so bad. He basically fell out.

I still had to get 2 stitches, and I had to wrestle with abnormal temperatures for a while... so did he, to be honest. He couldn't self-regulate his body temperature for almost 2 days.

I don't think my MS had anything to do with that, though. I think I was just very unlucky during my pregnancies. They were horridly rough on my body, AND on my mind. I was in a constant state of fugue, trying to get from one minute to the next.

My famously bad memory got even worse.
I walked around with a notebook GLUED to my hand... and I would forget what I was writing mid-sentence.

[workinmammaof2]

2 Babies.

Hi. Nice thread! Lots of info!

I was 29 when I had my first child. (dx at 25). I stopped Avonex about 2-3 months prior to becoming pregnant. I had a great pregnancy with normal nausea in first trimester. Labor and delivery was fine with epidural. Pushed 2 hours. AFTER, I had a pretty bad flare about 6 weeks post partum. Though I did recover. I breast fed for a few months.

Second pregnancy at age 32. Was planned, but happened the first month off birth control. I was still on Copaxone. I stopped as soon as I found out. Pregnancy was great. Labor and delivery were easier. Pushed for 20 mins with epidural. No flares after. Breast fed for a while. Started back on Copaxone about 4 months after delivery.

Now I am soon 36 and on Tysabri. We are still considering if we should have a third or not.....

[dcnm]

I was dx at 6 mos postpartum, but I clearly had MS at least 2 yrs before dx (had optic neuritis in 2009 but was not referred for MS workup). I felt FANTASTIC during pregnancy. Miracle cure for MS in my case.

My labor was very long (38 hrs) and I was very tired. But the epidural at the last minute saved me and after 3 hrs of pushing, my daughter was born vaginally with not a single tear. I breastfed her until I was forced to wean at 10 mos to be enrolled in the estriol trial. I had two episodes of ON postpartum before starting Copaxone and the trial.

The hardest part for me has been weaning and committing to no more children until after the trial ends in 2013. I am really struggling with that right now.