Raising a Healthy Baby When You Have Autoimmune Disease

Do you have autoimmunity issues, like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, and are considering getting pregnant? Are you worried about autism, birth defects and Down syndrome? Wondering if you can do something more to protect your baby?

Then this article is for you.

A study published in Molecular Psychiatry on 8/20/13 has found that autism is linked to autoimmune disorders in pregnancy. The study, included a statistically large sample – 2700  mothers, showed that while antibodies that are improperly responding don’t harm the brains of women who have these disorders, they may cross the brain-blood barrier and affect the fetus’s brain.

That said, way back when my own thyroid issues were discovered, I was diagnosed with Graves Disease. I was incredibly clueless, so I never thought much about it, but I was told that Graves could manifest in a variety of ways, generally after a stress trigger – and pretty much assumed that was my stroke. I became hyperthyroid. The treatment for that (God help me, radioiodine) made me hypothyroid.

After that, I had 4 pregnancies – only 2 of which went through to completion. The other two resulted in a baby with a rare form of Down syndrome (peculiar egg splitting) and my other child with sensory processing disorder and later, autism.

So my questions are:

• Regarding the study, which autoimmune diseases affect the fetus? Any of them?
• Why didn’t my doctors talk to me about autoimmune disorders and what they mean? Honestly, I’m still fuzzy, but what I know now certainly comes from the last few years, not back 10 or 12 years ago when I was first diagnosed.
• Did the radioiodine affect my babies? I was only pregnant about 2 and 5 years later, and no one said boo to me about it. How long does that crap actually stay in your body?
• Other toxic prenatal exposure: Pitocin. Epidural. Blood thinners. GMOs. MSG. But no worries, I cut back on caffeine and gave up alcohol. (Can you feel my eyes rolling?) I do remember hearing “Eat anything you want!” but no one ever breathed the word “organic.”

I was feeling really down about all this but this post is helping because in this day and age, you have the power to make things better for your pregnancy and your baby. My womb was a toxic hotbed and maybe my meant-to-be babies were poisoned and doctors didn’t have a clue at that time. I made every single toxic mistake you can possibly make with a baby except drugs and alcohol. Live and learn, though, right? Heavy duty regret is not part of my DNA, so they ONLY thing I can do with this info is to help others.

If you’re pregnant, or becoming pregnant, and kind of freaked out too, you are not completely powerless.  There are things you can do NOW:

• Clean up your eating. Switch to organic fruit, cut down meat and eat organic or grassfed when you do, and stop eating processed food. Preservatives, artificial dyes/flavors, GMOs, MSG…it’s a commitment but you are helping your baby.
• Breastfeed. If, like me, you have sensory issues that you think will prevent this, talk to your doctor, a lactation expert and a natural health expert and ask for help.
• If you must use formulas, avoid those with soy or GMOs.
• If you are concerned about autism, watch the Prenatal Webinar Series at Autism Research Institute
• Check out Womb to Wellness for lots of great tips and advice on growing a safe baby.
• Check out Healthy Child Healthy World’s Resources, especially the nursery toolkit that will teach how NOT to buy a toxic mattress – or paint or anything else.
• Use VOC-free paint to paint that nursery. And PLEASE let someone else paint it!
• Be smart about vaccines and at the very least, read the inserts for yourself. Be super cautious about the flu vaccine for yourself.
• Read The Unhealthy Truth: by Robyn O’Brien > Disclosure: If you make a purchase using this link, I may earn a commission and I am very grateful for your support of my site. 
• Soy, caffeine, alcohol, aspartame, Tylenol are out.
• Stop using pesticides. Instead buy organic (real organic) or DIY lawn care solutions. Or go native – the bees will love your clover!
• Get rid of pans and bottles with BPA or BPS, Teflon, silicone, bad plastics, things with petroleum.
• Avoid talc and vaseline. Look at brand like Earth Mama Angel Baby for the cleanest, organic items fafe for baby.
• Buy either cotton diapers or Seventh Generation clean brands, and clean water-only wipes.
• Avoid over the counter medications and be concerned about using antibiotics as well.

I can’t guarantee this will keep your baby safe. Who knows what is meant to be? But you can create the safest womb and nursery that you can for your baby and set a precedent that will help him or her grow healthy and strong.