After such success with my first pregnancy and birth, my husband and I decided to expand our family. Again, I was nervous and scared. How long could my luck last? Well I didn’t have any problems with my second pregnancy or birth. I had planned on breastfeeding for six months, like with my firstborn. Well, 4 weeks after my daughter was born, I awoke and was having trouble seeing out of my right eye. It was a weird double vision thing. It was like my right eye was seeing everything a second after my left. On Monday morning, while at work, I called my neurologist. She had me go for an exam, followed by a five-day stay at the hospital. I was so depressed. I wanted to be home with my family. Here I was, in the same hospital that I had just given birth in, miserable and lactating. The bottom line was that I needed to start taking an interferon. I chose Avonex for only having to see a needle once a week.

I stayed on Avonex successfully, and “discovered” that I was pregnant with my third child! I yet again had another uneventful pregnancy. The baby was breech and 9 ½ lbs. so I ended up having a c-section. I chose to not breastfeed and went straight on my Avonex. A few weeks after the birth, I had light MS symptoms, my neurologist gave me a three-day course of solumedrol from home and that seemed to take care of the problem.

I’m still on Avonex. I HATE taking it, but it is working for me. After having three beautiful children, I have to say that it has NOT affected my overall health and I had no new symptoms during my pregnancies. Yes, with all three I had temporary flare-ups afterwards, but the risk was miniscule compared to the joy of my children.