ask your doctor if a vaginal delivery is possible.
Postpartum
After you have the baby, you may experience your symptoms worsening. Around 75% of women experienced remission (no disease activity) or low disease activity during pregnancy and right after, according to a study.
After about six months of delivery, symptoms increased significantly. If you notice this, you should reach out to your rheumatologist about updating your treatment plan and let them know if you are experiencing any changes in your disease such as back pain and stiffness.
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Your doctor will also be able to develop a treatment plan for after the baby comes, which will be especially essential if you plan to breastfeed.
Your doctor may recommend topical treatments such as creams and low-potency corticosteroids as a first-line of treatment, which are completely safe for both you and your child while breastfeeding. Just be sure to apply the treatments after breastfeeding and remove them before breastfeeding. You should also avoid using them near your nipples so that your baby isn’t ingesting them during breastfeedings.
Your rheumatologist and obstetrician are your best sources at developing the best care plan during and after your pregnancy.
However, there are also some measures you can take to make that process much easier:
- Making healthy lifestyle changes. “As much as possible, exercise, eat right, and get plenty of sleep,” Julie Shafer, PhD, a psychologist in Portland, Oregon says. This reduces your vulnerability to stress and raises your emotional resilience, she notes. Be sure to drop bad habits, too, like smoking and drinking too much, Elaine Husni, MD, MPH, a rheumatologist at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio advises.
- Get to your goal weight. Being overweight stresses your joints, and excess fat can cause your medication to not work as well, Husni notes. Obesity also puts you at greater risk for diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems related to psoriatic arthritis.
- Be kind to yourself. It’s essential for improved self-confidence, Shafer shares. “You won’t be able to feel better about yourself if you’re regularly putting yourself down.”
- Lean on others. Ask family and friends for help if you’re struggling, Shafer suggests. “Connect with other people who have psoriatic disease to talk about your experiences living with the condition,” she adds. “The validation that comes with knowing you are not alone is a great confidence booster.”