Re: pregnancy and joint replacements

[Guest guest]

Hi :

Congratulations on your pregnancy!!! That is

wonderful. Wow, you are a brave woman to go through

pregnancy after having bilateral hip and knee

replacements! I don't know, but you and your ob can

decide if you want to try for a natural childbirth or

not, perhaps a C-section would be in your best

interest and that of your child. Your ligaments

definately do become more limber and more easily

stretched, especially getting more toward the end of

the pregnancy. You might even be in the high risk

catagory simply because of your jra and the joint

replacements.

I have had two children, now they are 19 and 22, and

the first was born 3 months premature so I really did

not have much problem delivering that little peanut at

all! My daughter was a month premature at almost 7

pounds, 5 pounds more than her brother. I am only 5

foot and my husband 5'6, so we were not expecting

really big babies, which I was happy about lol. How

tall is the baby's father? If he is a big guy, then

you might have a larger baby, hence, it would be more

stress on you.

Talk it all over with your ob/gyn and your rheumy or

whoever handles your ra treatment, and make sure that

they are working together to get you through this. I

wish you the best and enjoy your pregnancy! I loved

being pregnant! Hopefully, during pregnancy, your RA

will give you a break - that does happen!

Kathe in CA

--- brandy_erin1 <brandy_erin@...> wrote:

> hi everyone, im brandy, 29, jra since 5, and i have

> 5 total joint

> replacements including both hips, bilateral knees,

> and tl shoulder. i

> am pregnant with my first child, 8 weeks on monday

> and very happy

> about it, but im concerned about how to give birth

> with artifical

> hips. does anyone here have experience or advice on

> this? im calling

> mr ortho surgeon on monday and am going to ob on

> wednesday. my family

> is worried of course. i have read things online

> about giving birth

> causing joints to loosen and easily dislocate, nerve

> damage, joint

> capsule rupture, and i definitely dont want any of

> these problems.

> any help would be greatly appreciated. also, i am

> petite and small

> boned. one of my hips tried to split during surgery

> and had to be

> clamped. im only 5 foot 1 inches, and i weigh about

> 124 right now.

> do you think this makes a difference?

>

> thanks, brandy

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

,

I can comment on the effect that one's size has on pregnancy and

delivery. Back when I was having my kids, I was very skinny, 5' 7 " and

weighing around 118-122 when not pregnant. My MIL was afraid I was too

skinny to have children successfully. I didn't have any trouble, had

three in all, and the third one weighed 9 lbs. 7 oz. So you are plenty

big enough to have children. Good luck to you.

Sue

On Sunday, June 25, 2006, at 01:52 AM, brandy_erin1 wrote:

> also, i am petite and small

> boned. one of my hips tried to split during surgery and had to be

> clamped. im only 5 foot 1 inches, and i weigh about 124 right now.

> do you think this makes a difference?