Multiple Sclerosis and Having a Baby: Everything You Need to Know about Conception, Pregnancy, and Parenthood

by Judy Graham

An essential resource for anyone with MS who is considering having a child. * Firsthand advice from a woman with multiple sclerosis who has successfully borne and raised a child. * Contains information that can change the lives of many of the 250,000 women in the United States suffering from MS. * Highly readable format puts the facts at your fingertips. Diagnosed with MS at twenty-eight, author Judy Graham gave birth for the first time at the age...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0892817887
• ISBN13: 9780892817887
• Release Date: May 1999
• Publisher: Healing Arts Press
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

A Must Have

I loved this book! I had 2 children before MS and was quite unsure about how MS would effect the entire process. This book answered all my questions, provided scientific data for both sides when there was something to think about, and was very encouraging while realistic.

Facts regarding questions I had and anecdotes to consider

This was very readable and offered clear and helpful statements of facts as known by medical literature from a few years ago. The anecdotes from various women helped me imagine what a particular result/situation would be like if I were faced with that, which was a helpful supplement to the statistics. Italso offers many practical tips, which while most of us know/may have read before regarding MS generally (keep cool) it was helpful to have them listed nonetheless. When I am in mother-martyr mode I will try to remember the recommendations to ask for help, accept help, and make time for yourself and to rest...and plan ahead for how to make these things possible. While it would be great if updated, it was still well worth buying and reading. I want to go into pregnancy having thought through as many issues as I can (or at least begun to think about them...), and this book helped me do that regarding having MS.

great book

First, let me say that the only reason I'm giving this 4 stars rather than 5 is because it's 4 yrs old now and with the pace of research & science, I think there may be additional info out there - it'd be great if this book were updated further. That said, this is a terrific book. Its no scarier (for me) than the newsletters that the MS Society sends out - those freak me out sometimes! This book definitely tells you what to watch out for and things to be aware of. I have a great docstor now who focuses on MS so I read through this book but then took some ofthe ideas/my questions to him because he really tells it to me straight and is current with what the findings are, what the real info is. So, this is a good book - but take it with a grain of salt and definitely bounce things around with a good MS doctor too. I wouldn't rely on this book as my sole source of info. It does cover lots of different aspects. Here are the chapters:- Will I get worse if I have a baby?- Can you pass MS on to your child?- Deciding whether to have a baby- Can you stop yourself from getting worse?- Relationships, Sexulaity and Fertility- Pregnancy and prenatal care- Effects of medications on MS- Labor and Childbirth- Breast-feeding- Getting the help you need- Fatigue, depression, and other invisible symptoms- Having more children- Adoption- Single mothers- Practical tips on looking after a child- Older children- Working for a living- Fathers with MS- Being a parent with MSOne note - there's a good chapter in here that I experienced recently - relatives and people who care about me saying "you can't have a baby, you have MS" and all sorts of gloom and doom stuff like "you'll be paralized, its not fair to the baby" (talk about misinformation!!) I've just decided not to talk about it with my relatives because their hearts are in the right place but they're so misinformed and they just won't listen. Anyway, there's a good section on dealing with people like that in the book - I guess its not unusual. I won't live in fear of the unknown.

The only book on this subject...

This book shares some research and a LOT of personal experiences to help women and men with MS decide if parenthood is right for them. The stories from different people aren't all positive or negative and really tell how different people's bodies react to the physical and emotional stress of becoming a parent. I was diagnosed with MS over 10 years ago and am now a happy (and healthy) mother!

realistic & honest

This is a great collection of real-life stories and helpful hints for women with Multiple Sclerosis. If you are thinking about having a child and you have MS, this is a book you need to read. It gives many different options for those who decide to have a baby. I am going to keep this a reference thoughout my pregnancy. Thanks Judy!