Questions about baby making!

[ThatPandaGirl]

Hi Guys,

I'm new to health unlocked, but not new to coeliac (dx 2003)

I was wondering how many of you have successfully had children?

I have suffered with a lot of hormonal problems since coming off the pill to start a family of my own which I'm convinced are down to CD. Me and the boyf have been "trying" for 3 years to no avail, and in 2009 I stopped having periods altogether.

Since then, I have battled with the NHS, eventually gone private, and now, for the first time in 19 months, I have had a period, and some old questions have reared their heads again.

Did you have any problems during pregnancy due to CD?

How long did you "try" for?

Has anyone else had any pituitary/hormonal issues?

And finally, the 2 big ones...

Did you wean your baby GF?

And do they have CD?

Cheers guys!

[SillyYak]

Well ThatPandaGirl I can't help fully as I am avoiding the joy of poopy nappies and screaming kids as long as possible. Of course if George Clooney swept me off my feet it may be a different question. Funnily enought I am off to see my NHS Gyny Professor tomorrow as I've had hormonal problems every since going GF 3 years ago (eg extreme pelvic pain 3 weeks outta 4, waking me up at 2.30am - great fun, and periods lastly barely 2 days). All very intriguing yet not much fun. Ironically I am told I have high testosterone levels - let thankfully I don't look like a yeti just yet ; )

I do know that CD is strongly linked to hormonal and fertility problems. As you mention you have stopped having periods have you been tested for PCOS and /or endometriosis? Good diet of course plays a key part in fertility esp for Coeliacs. I wonder what your hormone & vitamin D levels are especially? Did you know that Vitamin D acts as a hormone and is vital to good health and our hormones? Often us Coeliacs are very very low in it.

I hope others who have braved having kids can shed light on this for you.

Best wishes.

[ThatPandaGirl]

Yes, have been tested for PCOS etc all of which came back negative. I have high prolactin (since my teens) low estrogen and LH. My BUPA doctor have put me on some tablets, which are the reason for the new period, and all m levels have gone back to normal, so a baby might (finally) be on the cards for me!

So now, I'm back to panicking about CD baby issues, just as I was when I first came off the pill in 2007!

[Hidden]

This is a very important issue to you and it takes two so I would get your boy friend to have him self tested for fertility.

I also agree with the advice about making sure that your vitamin and mineral levels are OK.

And good luck.

Jerry

[MadonnaFarthing]

Hi,

I am new to health unlocked too, I'm happy to be able to tell you that I also have two beautiful healthy non coeliac children.

I am 39 and had my first child when I was 19, I had been told I would not be able to have children as I have suffered with chronic autoimmune disease/s since childhood so my son who is now 19 was a big surprise. I had a very healthy and normal pregnancy After he was born I wanted very much to give him a brother or sister and tried for 16 years without success. I had miscarriage after miscarriage and which was put down to my auto immune problems. It was only about 7 years ago that the fertility specialists started to mention how big a part CD and diet was playing in the miscarriages. I was found to be low in vitamin D and folic acid and iron because of the cd damage to my gut.It did not matter what I was eating (I eat very healthily, theres not much choice to do anything else) as my gut had become malabsorptive, though I had been coeliac for years that had never been checked out. Once I got the right nutrients into my system my periods started to be regular I was a lot healthier and more energetic. When I got pregnant again in 2007 I was given tinzaparin injections to thin my blood so I did not miscarry, I mention this only because I was told it is something coeliac women often need to have checked before the placenta is formed as our blood count is often not as it should be. I now have a wonderful healthy 3 and a half year old daughter who is a joy to have. I had to keep her GF for the first year of her life as advised but she did not react at all to gluten when it was introduced after that and I am still thankfully the only coeliac in the family.

I did have terrible problems when pregnant with my daughter, I was sick almost constantly and she stopped growing at 30 weeks because she was not getting any nutrition. I don't know if that is to do with the CD or I was just unlucky, my cell counts and blood went a bit crazy but the baby was very closely monitored all the way through(scanned every two weeks, and every few days towards the end) and soon caught up after she had been born, as soon as her lungs were mature enough I was induced early , she was so tiny only 4lb 10 ozs , but she has flourished ever since and is a very healthy little girl.

Just to let you know I also have hormone probs as I have addisons disease and Atypical polyendocrinopathy and other auto immune conditions. I have at times over the 16 years I tried felt like giving up, and I did give up at times, but in the end I did get there, when I had stopped worrying about it happening or not. I really think the key is to make sure your body has the right vitamins/minerals and you are not deficient in anything , eat super healthy ,

and believe you will get there one day, I hope you are as blessed in the future as I am with my lovely children , best of luck , I hope this is useful for you. Stay positive, dare to dream,

Madonna.

[FionaGFG Administrator]

Hi Thanks for joining and posting!

A great positive post Madonna. We definitely agree that boosting minerals and eating healthily GF is the trick to most GF living.

Would you like to do a short blog on your story as I know we have some members being tested for other auto-immune problems and I'm sure they'd find it very useful? You could cut n paste this as your story as a blog as sometimes these great posts from people can get rather lost in the chit-chat. Let us know if you'd be happy to do so and thanks for sharing - this is what this site is all about!

PS we find people chat a bit more if they see a fun / real picture on profiles so if you do get a minute to add one we're sure you'll make more new friends on here easily.

[Robyn-GFGsNutritionist]

Just a very quick note from me, as I'm at work and not supposed to be on the internet (lol).

There is a seminar on in May, that may interest you. It's called 'Vitamin D and Obstetrics, - Improving Pregnancy and Childbirth.

Some of the world's foremost experts will show the strong evidence that higher levels of vitamin D lead to easier conception, easier pregnancy, easier delivery, less risk of multiple things , less post natal depression and a healthier baby with stronger bones and teeth.

I have some more to contribute to this topic in general, but thought I'd start with that. Let me know if you'd like to know more about it