Mums with ME/Chronic Fatige Syndrome - Do you think it affected your pregnancy and labour?

[liquidclocks]

My friend has just got past her first 12 weeks and is now looking forward to the next part...

Has anybody got some good recommendations - books, web resources, anything that might help her?

(she's also still got really bad morning sickness so any ideas there would be useful too...)

[Minkus]

Hello liquidclocks

No personal experience, but a good friend who has ME/CFS found that she felt hugely better when pregnant. Although like your chum she was quite sick, once she got past that stage she looked and felt great. It seemed that her ME symptoms virtually disappeared. Her gorgeous little boy is now 7 months old and although some of her symptoms have returned, none of them are anywhere near as bad as they were pre-baby.
She doesn't come onto mumsnet (how odd!) but I will tell her that someone is looking for info and see if she can come and post herself about her experiences.

Good luck to your friend
x

[MrsCellophane]

Hi. I had ME for years (though not as badly as a lot of people - I could do things, just suffered afterwards). I really feel to have been cheated out of my youth!

Like Minkus's friend, I kind of feel that pregnancy "sorted me out". I had improved a lot by the time I was pg, but have def felt better since.

I still get very tired (as all mums do) and if I have a late night it takes me 2-3 weeks to catch up and feel "right" again(this may be fairly normal for a busy mum too?)

A sceptic would probably argue that having a baby took my mind off it. I have people in my own family who didn't take it seriously . Your friend will probably have experience of this, too.

Anyway, hopefully we're sending positive vibes to your pal... there is hope!

[ayrshirelolo]

Ooooo- interesting! Like MrsCellophane i had "mild" ME for years and feel like i slept for most of my 20s. I've always had to be really careful about getting a cold or flu as it's always hit me harder than everyone else and i NEVER take antibiotics if i can help it at all! I hadn't thought about it in a while but since i got pregnant with dd i've actually been better than i have for years... and i'd put it down to finally chucking the fags! I'll follow this one with interest, especially as i'm expecting number 2 in about 12 weeks and this time i've had a really good pregnancy!

[mellymooks]

Hi, I have had ME since I was 19 (am now 31) and after an initial rough morning sickness phase I have felt fantastic, I have had more energy and have often felt how I did in pre-ME days.
Now I'm nearing the end I'm pretty tired but no more than any other pregnant woman would be at this point. I'm hoping that once I'm through the labour and get into a routine that my health will continue to improve.
A friend of mine had her baby a year ago and said her ME improved during pregnancy and has remained at bay ever since, so here's hoping.........

It's weird but maybe something about the huge hormonal changes we're going through rebalances whatever it was that was unbalancing us and causing the ME.
I have also always suffered with eczema and that has also nearly completed cleared up while pregnant.

Hope this helps, would be really interested to hear other people's experiences.
I haven't been able to find much info on pregnancy and ME as I don't think much, if any research has been carried out so far.

[liquidclocks]

Hi ladies - thanks for your responses. Sorry I 'posted and ran' a bit - I never seems to have enough time for MN these days. Any books or websites anyone could recommend would be great...

Sound like most of you are doing well so I hope you continue to do so.