Pregnancy and RA

[Guest guest]

First of all, I should mention that I don't have RA but do have a closely

related condition (sjogren's) with my major problem being joint issues

(bilateral pain, stiffness, swelling, redness, etc.). I have three children.

My first two were before I knew what I had. With all three, my pregnancies

caused great relief from my disease. Basically we have an auto-immune disease

and with pregnancy, the body very much slows down its immune process to allow

the baby to grow and not be attacked. It's why pregnant women tend to get more

colds but also why for many auto-immune disease, pregnancy is a relief. Here

are some pointers-- you probably need to get off your medications before you get

pregnant and try hard to get pregnant fast. With my third, it happened right

away and was a true blessing. Before you get pregnant, have the doctor check

for anti-phospholipids, a common problem with RA, sjogren's, lupus,etc. and one

that can cause miscarriages. I have this but managed to carry all threee

pregnancies to term. They just monitored me more carefully. After the baby

comes, start back on your medications right away. Plan that you won't

breastfeed and just start on your medications. Your disease will most likely

come back in a flare soon after the pregnancy ends. Learn to put the baby down

in safe places ( playpen, crib, stroller, infant seat) and then prepare bottles,

get diapers or whatever else you need to do and then get the baby. It isn't

easy but it isn't that hard either. The hardest thing is to have the thick skin

to ignore all bombardment of messages about how you are doing a disservice to

your child by not breastfeeding, not carrying the baby 24/7, not doing whatever

some other person thinks is the thing to do. Also, be prepared that you may

very well have smaller children. All of mine were in the 6 pound range and that

was smaller than any of the children born to either one of the grandmothers who

had 7 and 8 lb. children. I think that is because of my disease. If the dad is

healthy, have him do the more active things with the child. My husband does

biking, hiking, soccer, cross-sountry skiing, etc. with our kids. My kids have

been a real blessing to my life and given me a great purpose. None of them have

any chronic illnesses and they are now 9, 12 and almost 17.

in Belgium