Category: Pregnancy and Chronic Pain, Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia

Pregnancy and Fibromyalgia: An Interview with Doctor Ginevra Liptan Fibromyalgia Specialist

Posted on by melissanreynolds

Pregnancy and fibromyalgia is one of those weird information voids. Having been pregnant three times, and gathering all of the (limited) research together as best as I can for the past several years, something was still lacking. This blog post is the gold mine I was missing. A doctor who has fibromyalgia and has experienced pregnancy herself!

I am so thankful to be able to share this interview with Doctor Ginevra Liptan, a fibromyalgia specialist, who has fibromyalgia. I love her work and have followed it for a long time, so I was super excited when I got up the courage to ask her to do an interview for this blog and she said yes.

pregnancy and fibromyalgia interview with a fibromyalgia specialist

About Dr Liptan

Ginevra Liptan, M.D. is a graduate of Tufts University School of Medicine, board-certified in internal medicine, and trained in functional medicine, a holistic approach that blends both western and alternative medicine. After developing fibromyalgia as a medical student, Dr. Liptan spent many years using herself as guinea pig to find successful treatments, and has fine-tuned her approach by treating thousands of patients. 

She’s one of the few clinical specialists in the world to focus solely on fibromyalgia, and directs The Frida Center for Fibromyalgia in Portland, Oregon. She is the author of The FibroManual: A Complete Fibromyalgia Treatment Guide for You and Your Doctor and The Fibro Food Formula: A Real-Life Approach to Fibromyalgia Relief.

In your experience, do you believe fertility is an issue for those with fibromyalgia?

Clinically my patients with fibromyalgia do seem to have more fertility issues, and I think there are a few reasons for this 1) higher levels of inflammation 2) hormone alterations caused by the chronic fight-or flight response and 3) myofascial restrictions around the uterus and fallopian tubes. All of these factors can have a negative influence on fertility.

However one study from Turkey found no difference in pregnancy or birth rates in women with fibromyalgia compared to healthy women Most of my patients have ultimately conceived even if the road to conception was a bit bumpier or longer.

Most of my patients have ultimately conceived even if the road to conception was a bit bumpier or longer.

Do you have recommendations for women prior to trying to conceive with fibromyalgia?

I encourage my patients to boost their nutritional status as much as they can prior to conception, as growing a fetus takes a lot of nutrients! In particular I recommend checking iron, B12, Vit. D levels and supplementing to ensure these nutrients are all at optimal levels.

And while you are doing bloodwork I also check for the MTHFR genetic mutation. This sounds scary, but it simply reflects how efficiently your body can activate and use folic acid. If you have this mutation you can counteract the inefficiency by simply supplementing with an already activated form of folic acid called methylfolate or L-5-MTHF. Both Thorne Research and Pure Encapsulations, my two favorite supplement companies, offer great prenatal vitamins with this form of folic acid. 

To optimize fertility in fibromyalgia we need to reverse the three inhibiting factors I mentioned. First reduce inflammation by making dietary changes to avoid triggering foods, or adding a medication like low dose naltrexone (see below). Lowering inflammation can improve hormone balance, as can supporting our adrenals, because any component of adrenal burnout will drag down all the other hormone systems. Learn more about treating adrenal burnout in my blog.

 Finally myofascial release therapy (www.myofascialrelease.com) can break up the myofascial restrictions around the uterus and fallopian tubes. 

Do you have any general recommendations for women during pregnancy with fibromyalgia?

The most common question I get asked is “ Are my fibromyalgia symptoms going to get worse during pregnancy?”  and what I tell patients is most most often the answer is yes. In fact in a study of 26 women with fibromyalgia who had a total of 40 pregnancies, all except one women described a worsening of their symptoms during pregnancy, with the third trimester being the worst.  The good news is that none of these women reported fibromyalgia having a negative outcome on their pregnancy outcome or on the health of the baby.

I personally found my fibromyalgia symptoms were worse during pregnancy. I do have some patients- especially those with both fibromyalgia and an inflammatory/autoimmune illness like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, that feel much better during pregnancy. Pregnancy does alter immune system functioning in a way that can give a temporary remission for autoimmune illnesses.

As far as managing symptoms during pregnancy, fatigue, low back and pelvic pain are common in most pregnant women. In fact one study found that 26% of healthy pregnant without fibromyalgia had widespread pain and fatigue severe enough to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia!

Another study found that 60% of healthy pregnant women reported fatigue during the last trimester and 75% complained of disturbed sleep.

So the addition of even more fatigue and pain due to pregnancy can be extremely challenging when added on to what someone with fibromyalgia is already dealing with. It is especially hard because in pregnancy our pain management toolbox shrinks due to medication safety concerns.

This is where the importance of self-care comes in– saying “no” and protecting your time, pacing activities and taking good care of your muscles with gentle stretching and movement. Gentle prenatal yoga- whether in classes or videos at home- and myofascial release self-treatment can be a life-saver for lowering back and pelvic pain during pregnancy. 

Are your food recommendations (from The Fibro Food Formula book) any different during pregnancy and nursing?

Generally my food recommendations are the same during pregnancy such as eating frequent protein and trying to avoid foods that you know you don’t tolerate still apply. But pregnancy is also not a time to try any strict diets or major dietary changes and due to nausea you may need to eat more carbs compared to protein. And pregnancy food cravings can be fierce. So my recommend is to eat what makes your pregnant body feel good. And if the baby demands donuts, eat the donuts!

Do you have any experience using low dose naltrexone during pregnancy? Do you have any resources/tips/ideas around this?

Side note: I (Melissa) personally used LDN in my third pregnancy and it was such a better experience for me (my first two dramatically worsened my pain and fatigue levels) and I am coping with the first year better than before and have managed to breastfeed successfully where I couldn’t maintain supply previously. I could never find any place to share my experience (like a register) or others experiences. I based my choice off Dr Phil Boyle’s work. 

Among practitioners that prescribe LDN it is considered safe in pregnancy, and in fact is used as a treatment for fertility. As you mentioned, anecdotally Dr. Phil Boyle has found LDN safe in his clinical practice.

There haven’t been any studies looking at LDN in pregnancy. In animal studies for naltrexone, the safety data is conflicting, with some showing that naltrexone had negative effects on growth and behavior and others showing positive effects.

The few human studies we do have looked at outcome of pregnancies in women taking higher doses of naltrexone as treatment for opioid abuse. These studies showed slightly higher rate of pregnancy complications, but the dosage of naltrexone is important to keep in mind.

We know that low-dose naltrexone has very different physiologic effects on the body than high doses so can’t assume that LDN would have the same effects in pregnancy as full dose. Also the patient populations in these studies have a history of drug abuse which puts them at a higher risk of pregnancy complications and poor prenatal care.

fertility, pregnancy, delivery and nursing with fibromyalgia

Have you come across any good guidelines for delivery/labor with fibromyalgia?

I have not found any good guidelines, but here is what I usually tell patients- and I admit it may be biased by my own experience, which is to have a low threshold to get an epidural. In fibromyalgia we experience so much pain over our lifetime, if there is a chance to experience a pain-free delivery, then I say go for it.

Of course, many women with fibromyalgia have natural labors with no epidural and do beautifully. Our bodies really are built to do this! But I personally had a brutal pregnancy with severe hyperemesis gravidarum with daily nausea and vomiting for 9 months that required multiple hospitalizations. So when it came time for delivery I happily got an epidural and had an enjoyable and pain-free birth. But of course, epidurals have risks so this is a very individual decision

In fibromyalgia we experience so much pain over our lifetime, if there is a chance to experience a pain-free delivery, then I say go for it.

In your work have you found nursing to be difficult for people with fibromyalgia? Do you have any tips? 

I do see nursing being an issue for women with fibromyalgia. For some women the challenge is milk production. I think the chronic fight or flight response we experience in fibromyalgia affects the hormones of lactation.

The other issue is pain caused by awkward or prolonged positioning associated with nursing. One study examined this issue and in interviews with 9 women with fibromyalgia found frequent reports of fatigue and pain interfering with the breastfeeding process and concerns about insufficient milk supply.

I initially had no issues with milk supply but at 3 months I had to go back to a very stressful hospital rotation and my milk supply dried up really quickly and I was not successful at pumping and had to quickly transition my daughter to formula.

Want to read more about breastfeeding with fibromyalgia? Check out this post.

Do you have anything else you’d like to say about women either trying to conceive, pregnancy, nursing or parenting with fibromyalgia? 

Well the other question I get asked the most is whether having fibromyalgia increases the risk of birth defects. The short answer is no it does not.

The longer answer is that having fibromyalgia does slightly increase risk of intrauterine growth restriction and smaller birth weight babies. This is likely due to the effects of the overactive fight or flight (stress response) as it is also seen in women with pregnancies experiencing external stressors such as war, poverty and intimate partner violence. But in those cases also see higher rates of preterm or early delivery, and that is not seen in women with fibromyalgia.

Well the other question I get asked the most is whether having fibromyalgia increases the risk of birth defects. The short answer is no it does not.

Dr Liptan has two highly recommended books that you might like to check out

Affiliate notice: Please note that some of my links are affiliate links and if you make a purchase using one of these links I may make a commission at no extra cost to you.

The FibroManual – this is my go-to, I recommend it to everyone with fibromyalgia!

The Fibro Food Formula – the best book about nutrition and fibromyalgia, it takes into account how hard it is to enact some of the general recommendations out there and helps us to make the best choices possible.

If you want an actual book about pregnancy and fibromyalgia, mine is only one of two existing!

Thanks for reading this post. Please feel free to share it with those who need to read it. Let’s close this knowledge gap!

If you want community to do considering, trying to conceive, pregnancy, nursing and parenting with fibromyalgia – come and join our team over in the Facebook group.

Things to Consider Pre Pregnancy with Fibromyalgia, Chronic Pain, Chronic Fatigue

Posted on by melissanreynolds

Considering pregnancy with fibromyalgia, chronic pain, chronic fatigue or any chronic illness is a big deal. There are a host of considerations. If I had thought too intensely about it prior to having my first I am sure I would have gotten myself into a tizzy. Why? Because there was no information available. Even once I was pregnant there was so little information around and even my doctors didn’t know much about it.

After years of researching and sharing my experience and writing about pregnancy with fibromyalgia, chronic pain, chronic fatigue, I have developed a list of things to consider prior to becoming pregnant.

things to consider pre pregnancy with fibromyalgia

Top Considerations Pre Pregnancy with Fibromyalgia, Chronic Pain, Chronic Fatigue

Affiliate notice: Please note that some of my links may be affiliate links and if you make a purchase using those links I may make a commission at no extra cost to you.

Arm yourself with knowledge


Take Pregnancy and Chronic Pain, Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia micro course for an introduction about pregnancy and fibromyalgia (available in my free resources page, simply sign up to the newsletter and receive access)
Read Pregnancy and Fibromyalgia book
Consider taking the Pregnancy and Chronic Pain, Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia course
Learn about pregnancy in general
 Look into delivery and recovery
Read about the early weeks (fourth trimester)

pregnancy and fibromyalgia micro course
Come and join us in this free micro course!

Wean off and stop any medications that are categorically unsafe

This is an area I encourage you to become a self-advocate. Do some research and be involved in the decision making process with your doctor – ensure you are being factored into the cost vs benefit equation. This is a really important one to address. I have seen women who have been forced to go cold turkey off medications during their first trimester and it is not fun.

A top piece of advice for any person approaching a doctor no matter their stage in life? A well researched/thought out decision is harder to ignore than a general plea for help. Arm yourself with knowledge, do your cost vs benefit analysis and then ask the doctor to partner with you. They may disagree but you have created a starting point for a good discussion.

Have an honest discussion with your significant other about:


How you will manage during pregnancy and the first year
What you will do in the event that you cannot continue to work
What will happen if there are times when you are too ill to look after the baby
Agree how you will approach breastfeeding

Nourish yourself well


Drink water
Minimize dehydrating drinks such as tea and coffee (the research suggests these are fine in moderation during pregnancy, but it is good to minimize from the hydration perspective)
Aim for eight servings of fruit and vegetables a day, aim for an array of colours
Include protein and healthy fats at each meal
If you need, consult a medical professional or nutritionist
Start taking a pregnancy multivitamin

Come and join the supportive community in the Pregnancy and Parenting with Chronic Pain, Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia Facebook group. Having social support is magical. It truly made a huge difference for me between my first and second pregnancies. Just having people who got it to bounce ideas off was a relief.

Pregnancy with fibromyalgia, chronic pain, chronic fatigue, doesn’t have to be a scary idea. Just know that with preparation, understanding and support you can do it.

I would love to hear from you: What kind of things are you concerned with if you are considering pregnancy with chronic illness? What kinds of things do you wish someone told you if you are already pregnant or had a baby with chronic illness? Tell us in the comments below!

Do you like the work I do here ensuring that people with fibromyalgia receive the tools, education and support they deserve? Especially while pregnant. Then consider joining the Melissa vs Fibromyalgia Inner Circle Membership group and get access to the exclusive members library. It’s a pay what you can model starting at just $5 per month.

Preparing for the Postpartum Period with Chronic Pain, Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia

Posted on by melissanreynolds

All areas around bearing children with chronic pain, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia are sorely lacking in readily available knowledge. The postpartum period is a mystery to all women, but when there is a chronic illness in the mix it is vital to be prepared. In the Pregnancy and Parenting with Chronic Pain, Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia Facebook group (which you are welcome to join if you are a female considering children, are pregnant or have children) we talk through all of the areas regularly.

Recently though, I realised I hadn’t addressed the postpartum period here on the blog. Mostly because I have no idea how much of my experience was unique to the chronic illness and how much was “normal” to all postpartum periods.

Preparing for the postpartum period with chronic pain, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia: the top five tips

If you have seen the Pregnancy and Fibromyalgia eCourse you will know that as part of that we make plans for coping during delivery and those early weeks and the Postpartum Checklist I have created will now be available as a special bonus for enrolling in the course. Look out for my next post which will discuss things to consider prior to trying to conceive which will include another handy checklist that will also come with it.

So what are my top five things to consider for the postpartum period as a mama who has done this three times?

Arm yourself with knowledge

The first step is always to arm yourself with knowledge. You need to know what to expect during a “normal” postpartum period and what might occur as a mama with fibromyalgia, chronic pain, chronic fatigue.
 As a good start you can check out my Pregnancy Resources page.
 Learn about breastfeeding, expressing, formula feeding and mix feeding so you are prepared for whatever happens. Take advantage of your midwife or doctor’s experience but disregard what doesn’t work for you. Take the knowledge that you can mix feed in so it doesn’t feel like all or nothing if breastfeeding is a kick in the pants.

Have your natural pain relief mechanisms down

Not only crafted a list, but actually use them so often that they are second nature to reach for. In the pregnancy and nursing period, the more natural options the better. This is not to say medicine doesn’t have a place, but natural options are vital. See this post for My Top Five Natural Pain Relief Mechanisms.

Research and discuss medicinal options with your doctor/medical team

Be prepared before you have had the baby and realise that your are having a massive flare up or the after pains are mean. Have your medicines pre vetted for the breastfeeding (if you are) and ensure that nothing you have been given interacts with the other. The Pregnancy and Fibromyalgia course has a list of advanced pain relief options including lots of places to go for more information, but www.drugs.com is a good place to start. I always encourage people to do some information gathering themselves so they can make an informed decision with their doctors.

pregnancy and fibromyalgia micro course
Come and join us in this free micro course!

Consider what and how you will tell the delivery team about your illness

In my first delivery/postpartum no one really knew what fibromyalgia was and I didn’t know what or how to tell them. For my second and third I knew better. I was able to advocate for myself much more strongly. Although my pelvis issues needed more advocating than the chronic pain and fatigue. Consider making a list with a brief description of your illness, how it might impact you in your labour/postpartum period, what medicines you are on, what you cannot tolerate and if there are any special considerations.

Compile a list of handy items that will help you

Things like urine alkiliser, warm socks, nursing bras, bottle spray with witch hazel for a sore botty, open button pyjamas, heat pack, your pillow and your pre approved medicines and natural pain relief options. All those things that will make you comfortable as a postpartum person and as a person with chronic pain and fatigue.

In Pregnancy and Fibromyalgia book I share my research and personal journey through three pregnancies, deliveries and postpartum periods. In Pregnancy and Fibromyalgia eCourse I help you prepare for the best pregnancy, delivery and postpartum periods possible despite chronic pain and fatigue. It is practical, easy to understand, with heaps of resources and made by a mama who has done it all three times herself.

“This course gave me the confidence to know I will cope and I will get through it.” – A Fibro Parent

Do you like the work I do here ensuring that people with fibromyalgia receive the tools, education and support they deserve? Especially while pregnant. Then consider joining the Melissa vs Fibromyalgia Inner Circle Membership group and get access to the exclusive members library. It’s a pay what you can model starting at just $5 per month.

Fibro Mama Interview: Using Essential Oils to Manage Chronic Pain, Fibromyalgia

Posted on by melissanreynolds

This is another interview with a fellow fibro mama, this time we are learning about how one mama uses essential oils to manage chronic pain, fibromyalgia. Since this interview was conducted Kara welcomed her gorgeous baby.

Fibro mama interview managing chronic pain with essential oils

Could you introduce yourself in a few sentences for us?

My name is Kara Carril, I’m 28, and soon-to-be first time mom! I live in Arizona with my husband and our two dogs, Diesel and Rain!

How did you get into essential oils for fibromyalgia?

My mom is a distributor for Young Living Essential Oils here in the US. After she had breast cancer 10 years ago, she got into living a more chemical-free lifestyle. She did a lot of research on essential oils and the potential help they could give to autoimmune diseases. She has fibromyalgia as well as ankylosing spondylitis amongst other health issues. The oils helped her pain management dramatically, so she eventually introduced them to me, and I was hooked!

What are your favourite ones and what do they help with?

The ones I use most often are lavender, frankincense, copaiba, PanAway (a blend), Valor (a blend), cedarwood, and eucalyptus/peppermint. I use lavender and cedarwood mixed with distilled water for a pillow spray before bed. It helps calm and relax to be able to go into a deeper sleep. I use lavender/cedarwood in mascara to help strengthen lashes (I know it’s not fibro related but a cool trick!-just a drop of each).

I use lavender/frankincense in homemade face soap with coconut oil and baking soda. PanAway I use on my back spasms. Valor and copaiba I also use on my back spasms. Valor is often referred to as a “chiropractor in a bottle” and copaiba is compared to “morphine in a bottle” and often enhances whatever other oils you use in conjunction with it. I use eucalyptus/peppermint on my sinuses and throat when I feel I’m getting sick, and I also use either with lavender and epsom salts in baths when I’m having a bad flare up.

I will stop using peppermint when I’m breastfeeding though because it is said to drastically reduce your milk supply (good for when you’re trying to stop producing though!).

“The ones I use most often are lavender, frankincense, copaiba, PanAway (a blend), Valor (a blend), cedarwood, and eucalyptus/peppermint.”

Do you have any blends you make yourself?

Lavender/Cedarwood for sleep/relaxation- 5-10 drops of each in a 3oz spray bottle filled with distilled water. Make the strength based on your scent preferences. I also spray it on the bottoms of my feet before bed or will use straight lavender drops when my feet are really sore. I also use this combo in my diffuser at night next to my bed.

I make a ton of diffuser blends based on what my needs are. Lemon/peppermint combo is really good for getting rid of stinky smells, lavender/cedarwood is great for relaxing/sleep. Orange and lemon or any citrus combination is great for morning and energy! Ginger, peppermint, and lemon is good for tummy aches too!

For more research into using essential oils in your journey you may like

Essential Oils for Pain Relief and a Pain Cream I am Loving
Copaiba Essential Oil for Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain

If you are a mama fighting chronic pain and fatigue you may like the following:

Come and join Pregnancy and Parenting with Chronic Pain, Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia Facebook group

Pregnancy and parenting with chronic pain, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia

Melissa vs Fibromyalgia January Update

Posted on by melissanreynolds

In this January update, I share how the first 11 weeks with baby have gone. Discuss helping baby to sleep. My pain levels. The Fibromyalgia Framework and the future of Melissa vs Fibromyalgia.

Here’s the January Update:

Links I discuss:

Affiliate notice: Some of my links are affiliate links, I may make a small commission if you make a purchase using my links at no extra cost to you.

Fibro Framework physical book (affiliate) this is my framework sharing the key ways to fight fibromyalgia. It has all of the lessons, resource sheets and templates all in one place.

Melissa vs Fibromyalgia Facebook group – come and discuss our fight against fibromyalgia, this is where we discuss highly practical ways to manage chronic pain and fatigue.

Melissa vs Fibromyalgia book (affiliate) my journey in one tidy place!

Pregnancy and Fibromyalgia Facebook group –  come and chat pregnancy, parenting and fibromyalgia. This is a supportive, judgement-free group – I moderate it very carefully so that it is a safe place for women to discuss pregnancy, trying to conceive, nursing and parenting with chronic pain and fatigue.

Pregnancy and Fibromyalgia book (affiliate) my book sharing my journey through three pregnancies, deliveries and first years!

January update for Melissa vs Fibromyalgia

Come and join the newsletter list and receive access to my free resource library! It is packed full of micro courses, workshops, templates, reports and more!

free resource library

My Third Birth with Fibromyalgia

Posted on by melissanreynolds

It’s taken a while, seven weeks to be precise, but it is time to share a brief account of my third birth story while living with fibromyalgia.

If you have followed any of this pregnancy journey (my third), you will know that this has been a much better pregnancy despite severe pelvis issues and it is all thanks to low dose naltrexone. You can check out my Pregnancy and Fibromyalgia playlist on YouTube for my honest pregnancy updates.

my third birth story with fibromyalgia, the day Nathaniel joined us

Early labour

In the closing days of October (2018) I began to experience pre labour pains. I spent the weekend with period like pains which turned into mild, irregular contractions. During this time I read and ate and relaxed, knowing full well it might be a long journey to getting baby. On the Monday things escalated and I knew I couldn’t safely drive my children or look after them well, so I asked my husband to stay home from work. By that evening the contractions were getting closer together and more painful but I was coping well using my breath and heat pack.

At 3am I thought I had lasted til nearly the end and called my midwife. I was 3cm. Sigh. After a few more hours the contractions were still manageable but the pelvis pains were not, I began to panic with each contraction due to the low back and front of my pelvis feeling like they were being ripped apart.

Heavily pregnant 2018 Melissa Reynolds
One of my last bump pics

We went to the hospital with the plan to get some rest with pain relief while my midwife got some sleep after an overnight delivery. By the time the hospital midwife examined me I was in active labour (4cm) so they gave me gas and left me to it for some time. At 11am I begged for the epidural to give me a break from the pelvis pain. Unfortunately it didn’t cover the pelvis pain at all. So every three minutes I continued to feel the excruciating pain.

Thinking that it would be some time yet, I sent my husband off to get some lunch so my midwife could place the catheter and check my progress. The second she tried to get in there my body began to push explosively. I had no control. Suddenly I was fully dilated and pushing. My midwife called my husband. I desperately sucked on the gas for some relief from the pelvis feeling like it was being wrenched apart.

24 minutes of pushing and just over two hours of active labour produced my precious baby boy. He was born so fast he was a bit shocked upon arrival and needed a little air to remind his lungs to breathe. Within minutes he was on my chest and not long after that he was nursing.

It was amazing!

He arrived…
nathaniel montage

Nathaniel Joseph was born weighing a healthy 3.76kg.

I was so happy that it hadn’t taken anywhere near as long as with my other two sons. It made the world of difference for recovery. So did going home that evening. I got to sleep in my own bed (well, nurse) and eat my own food and drink copious amounts of Milo. For some reason when I am low on energy I crave Milo. It’s probably the iron and other vitamins as well as the sugar.

Our nursing journey will fill a whole other post, but the short version is that we tackled cracked and bleeding nipples, thrush, mastitis and many growth spurts in order to achieve my longest breastfeeding journey. We are still going! I am pretty proud of myself. I do have to say that I wouldn’t be nursing if it wasn’t for my husband. In those first weeks he cooked, cleaned and did the lion’s share of care for my older two boys. Nursing may be reliant upon the mama, but mama wouldn’t have survived without dada. We also have had a lot of help, especially with the older boys. There haven’t been too many days where I have been alone the whole day with all three, which has really helped as Nathaniel doesn’t nap much in his bed and gets quite bad wind.

I am so blessed.

For more about pregnancy, parenting and nursing with fibromyalgia:

Nursing with Fibromyalgia: My Experience and Some Research

Early Pregnancy Symptoms and Fibromyalgia (2018 Edition)

Healthy Practices I’m Doing with Three Tiny Ones and a Chronic Illness

How to Cope with Two Tiny Children, Symphysis Pubis Disorder and Fibromyalgia

Posted on by melissanreynolds

As my third pregnancy progresses and the symphysis pubis disorder reduces my mobility and increases my pain, it is getting more difficult to manage everything else. Namely the two tiny children and the fibromyalgia.

In case other fibro parents are struggling, I thought I’d share how I’m managing. This is not to say I’m doing amazingly, I get discouraged and disappointed with my limitations. But I acknowledge I am doing my best thanks to several things.

8 tips to cope with children, symphysis pubis disorder and fibromyalgia

  1. I wholly believe I am coping this well this time due to sleep – or the low dose naltrexone helping me sleep. It may be disrupted by pain and pee, but it is more restorative than before. Sleep is king.
  2. Meditation– I cannot nap but the fatigue has been creeping higher so I am eternally grateful for guided meditation to help me achieve 30 or so minutes of deep rest to keep me going.
  3. Routine – my boys and I are creatures of routine. We have the same morning and evening framework daily and set plans during the week. They expect the routine and I can provide it even when greatly diminished.
  4. Flexibility – within this routine there is flexibility. For example, some evenings when husband is at work and I’m exhausted we will do a fish and chip, movie evening. Some nights we skip the shower.
  5. Time saving – I bunch jobs. I make their lunches at the same time. I throw dinner in the pressure cooker or slow cooker in a gap in the day. I shower the boys together (Wyatt adores showering with big brother). We sing a family song together at bedtime and they are going to bed around the same time.
  6. Help – we have kept them in their routine from when I was able to work. Noah does kindy two mornings and they both go to their carer’s for two school hour days. This enables me to get to appointments, cleaning, cooking and resting, which I was not managing while at work.
  7. Easy activities – I keep a snap lock bag with crayons and a scrapbook to get out on a whim. There’s a tub of outdoor chalk in the lean-to outside. A box of play dough and supplies lives in the cupboard. We have a trampoline and small slide structure for backyard fun. I keep a rotation of toys going in the lounge so they don’t get stale, the boys both love blocks. Indoor parks are great in wet weather too. And books, they both have their favourites. Don’t underestimate balloons! My boys will play balloon for ages. (Actually I can and will write a whole post on this, look out for it!)
  8. Television – at that time of day when the kids are tired and I need a break, we will sit and snuggle and watch the tele. No mama guilt y’all.

Do you have any other tips?

If you want to learn more:

Pregnancy and Fibromyalgia eCourse

Pregnancy and fibromyalgia the e course

 

Surviving the Newborn Period and Baby Care Log Printable

Posted on by melissanreynolds

When I was a brand new mama, waddling after my episiotomy with an unsettled windy baby, I took real solace in having a miniature framework to follow at home.

Surviving the newborn period and baby care log printable

Frameworks for the Newborn Period

I am a big fan of frameworks over rigid routines, not that newborns are into routines either.

At first it was just feeding 2-3 hourly and taking medicine at 6-8 hour intervals. This was enough to keep me feeling tethered.

A quick note on feeding in those early days (first 12 weeks): 2-3 hourly tends to be a good guide but both my boys cluster fed in the evenings and look out for growth spurts. I don’t believe in “stretching out” to a certain length between feeds until baby is bigger.

I created a chart that I populated for several months. I am a pretty chart person as opposed to an app person. But apps do the job too.

By the time my second baby came along I had learnt many good things. Including the magic of appropriate wake times per age. So my chart became augmented not just logging sleep but helping to pre-empt when it was due. It made a huge difference not letting baby get overtired. Who knew you had to tell a baby they needed sleep?

It also helped as I mix fed my second, so I had to track feeding physically and formula and expressing. It was crazy, this alone took most of my day!

I also made it a point to track my rest and medicines so it wasn’t all about baby. “Rest” includes a nap (if you can), meditation, restorative yoga, a hot bath or shower etc. Things that are nourishing for you. As in pregnancy, the postpartum period is not a time to forget mama’s quality of life.

Baby Care Log Printables

As I anticipate my third baby, I have reincarnated my chart, but not just for me this time, it is now available in my Etsy store! So head on over and pick yourself up one too. As an aside, being off work due to severe pelvis issues that left me requiring crutches to walk, I found that I really enjoyed creating templates and helpful products for those of us fighting fibromyalgia and being mamas!

I created the New Mama Daily Log which includes baby feeding and sleeps, with your own self-care such as mama meds and self-care/rest tracking. The Breastfeeding and Expressing Log is for those who want to carefully track these, this is handy for mix feeding and exclusive expressing too. The Baby Care Log has the choice of simple and complex logging – baby feeding, nappies, sleeps, expressing and bottle feeding with a log that enables more detail when you need it and one for less detail (when you’re tired?).

More Information About the Newborn Period

For more information on wake times by age, I love this article with this chart.

For more information about nursing see my article about it here and about expressing/pumping for your baby here.

I like this article on the fourth trimester (aka the first three months).

I like these tips for newborns from the author of The Gentle Sleep Book.

Did you have a framework you followed in those early days? How did you track feeding, sleeping (and other baby stuff) and your medicines and other stuff?

pregnancy and fibromyalgia def ed angleFor more about pregnancy and fibromyalgia, from fertility through to coping with toddlers, grab my book.

Please note that the above link is an affiliate link and if you make a purchase I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

If you would like to come and join the Pregnancy and Fibromyalgia Facebook community – we’d love to have you.

If you are serious about digging in and learning about fighting fibromyalgia while pregnant and during the postpartum period, you might like my Pregnancy and Fibromyalgia Workbook – it will take you through the information and help you to make a pain management plan as well as plans for coping during the third trimester, delivery and the first six weeks. It also goes through nursing with fibromyalgia.

The Best Books I’ve Read About Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Posted on by melissanreynolds

It’s no secret that I’m a reader if you’ve been reading my blog or following my Pinterest for any amount of time. As I gear up for a third baby and delivery and get through a third pregnancy, here’s the books I’ve been loving.

Best Books I've Read about Pregnancy and Breastfeeding - they probably aren't what you expect

Some of these links are affiliate links – if you make a purchase using my link I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

Expecting Better by Emily Oster

Someone in my birth month forum on Baby Centre mentioned this and I’m so glad they did. I adored the fact that Oster has done the research for me so I can consume the data and make my decisions about everything from sleeping position, to deli meat and epidurals.  You can see my full review on this book here.

Bringing up Bebe: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting by Pamela Druckerman

Curious after a quote I read from this book in a blog post, I ordered this book from the library. The insights into another culture’s parenting is amazing. I actually found some sleep tidbits that resonated with me such as “the pause” – where you give baby five minutes to see if they are actually waking or just transitioning sleep cycles. I liked the writing and the content.

The Mama Natural Week by Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth by Genevieve Howland

This was a very pretty week by week guide from Mama Natural packed full of tips and tricks for getting through pregnancy and birth with plenty of data so you can make your own decisions.

Mindful Hypnobirthing: Hypnosis and Mindfulness Techniques for a Calm and Confident Birth by Sophie Fletcher

Meditation has made a huge difference to everyday life so why shouldn’t I employ the principles into labour? Research suggests that there are benefits to mother and baby from meditation! I like their affirmations so much that I created myself some pretty pictures with them written on for use during labour.

Other posts about pregnancy and parenting:

Fibromyalgia Pregnancy: Items on My Baby Registry
Pumping or Expressing for Your Baby: Parenting (Fibromyalgia or Not)
Early Pregnancy Symptoms and Fibromyalgia (2018 Edition)

A Simple Guide to the Hard Parts of Birth by Lindsey A. Van Alstyne from Mother Rising

This is a free ebook that you receive when signing up to this blog’s newsletter. It is a great, compact, not airy fairy guide to labour – the best I’ve read yet. I wholly recommend this.

Breastfeeding Made Simple: Seven Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers by Nancy Mohrbacher and Kathleen Kendall-Tackett

This book really promotes laid back feeding as a way for mama to get more rest and help baby learn to latch well. It goes through the science of nursing and baby biology which I enjoyed. The best piece of learning – use those first two weeks to set up your supply, more milk out equals more milk made. I will really work on getting 8-12 feeds per 24 hours.

How to Succeed in Breastfeeding Without Really Trying, or 10 Steps to Laugh Your Way Through by Natasha Shur and Paulina Shur

If you want a light-hearted breastfeeding book, this is it. But don’t think it isn’t well backed by scientific knowledge. My number one take away is that postpartum women are the most undertreated of the medical world, ask for the pain relief if you need it. Labour is rough on your body. Pain relief is more likely to support than hinder lactation.

Pregnancy and Fibromyalgia by Melissa Reynolds (that’s me!)

If you want a book specifically about pregnancy with fibromyalgia you might like my book Pregnancy and Fibromyalgia- its my research and experience, including the results of two informal surveys I took with advice from other mamas fighting fibromyalgia while pregnant.

If you love reading like me try Amazon Kindle Unlimited Membership – you can try your first month free and access unlimited reading or listening on any device! They now have magazines too! It’s also available for those of us who use Amazon.com.au *squee*.

If audio books are more your speed, as they are for me with three little ones, you know you can get a free trial of Audible on Amazon here. I’ve recently started reading a lot more audio books as the hands free option is far easier to access with the wee ones. You will get access to two audio books, plus two Audible Originals, and other cool membership options for 30 days. Cancel anytime if you don’t want the full subscription.

If you want to know more about Pregnancy and Fibromyalgia:

Come and see my resources page, including diaries from my pregnancies (I’ve done this three times), articles, resources and more.

How I’m Moving While Pregnant with Fibromyalgia Despite Symphysis Pubis Disorder

Posted on by melissanreynolds

Movement, or gentle exercise, is an often recommended intervention for Fibromyalgia. If you’ve followed my writing for any amount of time you might have picked up on my love of yoga.

A lot of yoga is off the table while I can’t move my legs wider than hip width apart. Most exercise is off the table due to the level of pain. Why can’t I move my legs wider than hip width and why are my pain levels so high?

how i'm moving while pregnant with fibromyalgia despite symphysis pubis disorder

Symphysis Pubis Disorder

Symphysis Pubis Disorder, or pelvic girdle pain, is a condition where the pelvis relaxes too far causing pain ranging from mild to severe. There’s a lot more detail in this article.

This article goes into good detail about symptoms, how you can help yourself and even how it may affect labour.

During my second pregnancy I endured severe pain in the third trimester which went undiagnosed until a couple of days postpartum. It usually clears up by 12 weeks postpartum, but it took me nine months for the pain to reduce. It can take up to two years.

For this pregnancy, when the pain began at week 10, I knew what to do:

  • Kept my legs hip width apart with movement
  • Rested (paced)
  • Applied my heat pack
  • Rub my essential oil pain cream (this is something you need to research- see my post on essential oils here)
  • Did pelvic tilts
  • Used the pelvic support band when needed
  • Saw my physio who gave me an isometric strengthening move (a squat with legs at hip width that focuses on engaging belly, glutes, legs and pelvic floor) to do multiple times a day
  • Asked my midwife for referral to the hospital for specialist input

For my Pregnancy with Fibromyalgia Diaries 2018 see my YouTube channel. I discuss the SPD and more.

Here’s my video on how I’m moving despite the SPD:

More pregnancy posts:

Early Pregnancy Symptoms and Fibromyalgia (2018 Edition)

Navigating Pain Relief in Pregnancy with Fibromyalgia

Fibro Parents Survey Results & Big News about Pregnancy and Fibromyalgia Book

Necessary Baby Items for a Fibro Parent

Meanwhile, here are the stretches I’ve been managing:

Please do Google these for proper form and if you have never done yoga before, ask a practitioner to teach you the right way to do the poses.

  • Pelvic tilts/cat and cow pose
  • Puppy pose
  • Child’s pose
  • Mountain pose
  • Forward bend
  • Neck stretches
  • Shoulder stretches
  • Down dog

I haven’t done much other exercise as the incidental walking with work and the children is my maximum capacity physically for now.

Hopefully something here helps you but please do clear everything with a physical therapist as you need to be sure you’re moving correctly so as to not cause extra pain or damage.

If you want to learn even more information about pain relief during pregnancy, then check out my 15-page printable PDF Pregnancy with Fibromyalgia Micro Course Workbook. It goes through the existing information about pain relief during pregnancy,Pain Managementmicro course my experiences, a list of natural pain relief options, a list of further reading, a template to make your own pain relief plan (pregnancy edition) with space for notes and the brand new Advanced Pain Relief sheet with links to research about medicine use in pregnancy. I have gathered the information and created these printables to make it easier for you to make the best decisions for yourself- it took me years to get it all together.

Don’t forget to come along and join the Pregnancy and Fibromyalgia Facebook group where we chat trying to conceive, pregnancy, nursing etc.