end of pregnancy, concerned about post-birth flare

I'm in my third trimester and due in six weeks.  Had some minor flaring during the first trimester, second trimester was GREAT w/ normal daily BMs for the first time in years (LOVE that pregnancy suppresses the immune system!), and now in the third trimester I've had a little cramping so have started using enemas nightly, instead of 3x weekly, in hopes that I can keep my system from flaring.

What have others experienced?  Did you all flare immediately post-birth from all of the stress and medications?  I'm planning to get an epidural and I'm not sure how this will react with my UC.

Thanks!

 

Thanks. To my knowledge I've been checked for everything, including strep B. I have a dr appt this week so will ask to be sure.

I'm also antsy about flaring after birth. I'm due a week from today, but have a c-section scheduled for Tuesday due to an anal fistula (that's not related to my UC) -- if I tear much at all during a vaginal birth, I could be left fecally incontinent.

At any rate, I've still only had one UC flare, which started after my son was born. So childbirth seems to be a trigger for me. I haven't had any UC problems my entire pregnancy, though, and my GI feels that's a really good sign. I also plan to stay on my 6x dose of probiotics for a while after birth (I upped them due to being on amoxicillin recently for bacterial bronchitis) and will try to use rectal meds, either canasa or rowasa, nightly, to hopefully keep everything in check.

As for an epidural, I don't see how it could possibly affect your UC.

I think it's probably a bit early for you to have been checked for Group B strep, since you're just 34 weeks. I wasn't checked until my 37 week appointment (they swab your vagina, so you'd definitely know if you have/haven't been tested for it -- it's not a blood test).

If it's positive, she'd be given antibiotics via IV during labor/delivery. I was positive for group B strep with my son too and I forget if I got one or two doses.

They go ahead and test even if you're having a planned c-section just in case they can't do the c-section for some reason (like you show up at the hospital too dilated to do it). Of course, in that case, it's probably silly to give them, because there's no way they're making it into the mom's bloodstream in time to actually protect the baby.

You might want to ask about a vitamin K shot, some of the UC meds can thin your blood and you won't be able to clot as easily. I don't think that the epidural would hurt anything. I did flare after my son was born, and never got it under control. But, anyway, hopefully you won't have any problems! Good luck!