This is something that can not be predicted. Some women with epilepsy experience changes in their attacks while pregnant. During pregnancy, concentrations of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs by its initials in English) may change or decrease, increasing the risk of attacks. Your doctor may increase the dosage to achieve better protection against attacks.
Once the baby is born, your hormones change and medication levels in their blood tend to rise, increasing the chance of side effects. These factors may require that your doctor check the drug levels in the blood more frequently during the first weeks after birth. Keep in close contact with your doctor during this period, until your body returns to normal.
I believe that stress and sleep deprivation worsen my attacks. I am concerned personally take care of my baby.
This is an issue that concerns all parents. Women with newborn babies are faced with disturbed sleep, work and further stress, and hormonal changes – women with seizures of these factors can increase the risk of attacks. Ask other family and friends who help care for her child, in order to rest. As a mother, the best you can do during pregnancy and postnatal care is the best I can. Get enough sleep, eat well, exercise regularly and practice strictly take medication prescribed by your doctor for their attacks. Talk over your problems to your neurologist and your health care provider and ask his advice about the necessary changes in your lifestyle.
Contact the Epilepsy Foundation (Epilepsy Foundation) and request the information sheet entitled ‘Concerns about the Mother with Epilepsy Care Baby (Parenting Concerns for the Mother with Epilepsy).
I breastfeed my baby. Can I do this without any risk?
For most women with epilepsy, breastfeeding their babies without risk. All medicines are in attacks in small quantities in breast milk, but usually it does not affect the baby that has already been exposed to these drugs during pregnancy.
Talk to your doctor about medications you take and explain that you want to breastfeed your baby, especially if you are taking phenobarbital (Luminal), primidone (Mysoline) or benzodiazepines (Valium, lorazepam, and clonazepam). Women taking these drugs need to watch your baby carefully for signs of sleep or excessive irritability. If your baby does not gain weight might have much sleep do not eat. If you have questions, talk to your doctor, nurse or lactation specialist recommended by your doctor to make the switch to formula. The combination of breastmilk and formula can be a good option depending on your baby’s symptoms. If you see a lactation specialist, this person will work with your doctor, nurse and with you to determine what is best for you. You could be asked to keep a detailed diary of the time that you feed the baby and the number of minutes that breastfeeding, as well as a record of every time the baby urinates or defecates so the doctor can assess the degree of it is receiving power.
If you breastfeed, or have scheduled to have another baby, it is important to continue taking your prenatal vitamins.
During pregnancy, the report recommends that all you can about how to feed the baby and the resources offered by your community to help.
What happens when I feed the baby at night and not sleep enough?
Breastfeeding your baby is good for him and for you but creates more demands on you, especially at night. Keep the baby next to your bed and feed him without getting up. When you get to eat, sit or lie down – this is a perfect time to relax. If their attacks are very easily caused by lack of sleep, can express milk with a pump during the day and your partner or another family can feed the baby at night. Having a relative who should feed the baby at night is ideal, although not always possible.
If you are alone and gives the baby bottle, do not carry the baby to the kitchen – leave it in her crib and bring a bottle.
I recently heard much about postpartum depression. Is this something I should worry?
Women with epilepsy undergo the same emotional adjustments that any woman who has had a baby. Be sure to talk about changes in your feelings with your doctor, especially if they continue or recur over time and prevent him from carrying out their normal routine.
I worry about getting pregnant too soon after having a baby. What can I do to prevent an unplanned pregnancy?
It’sa good idea to think about this issue. Breastfeeding and the normal hormonal changes during the months immediately after delivery may complicate the birth control of any woman. Check with your neurologist and your gynecologist / obstetrician to choose the contraceptive method that best fits your personal situation.
If you are using hormonal methods (pills, hormone implants or hormone injections), you may need to consider using a barrier method instead or in addition to hormonal methods. Barrier methods are diaphragms, spermicidal vaginal creams, intrauterine devices (IUD by its initials in English) and condoms. Check with your health care providers and may well make a decision that is entirely satisfactory.