New Mum with epilepsy needs advice

[KellyD]

Hi guys!

I just received a message from a friend of mine asking me for some advice and I thought who better to ask than the very knowledgeable peeps on this forum.

Her sister in law has epilepsy and has just given birth to her first bub. She is very stressed and sleep deprived which are her main triggers. Her husband is in the navy and will be shipping out soon and she is very unwilling to accept advice from anyone which has the family very concerned. My friend remembers me mentioning things I had to be aware of when I had my babies, things like change tables and bathing and is trying to offer this advice to her but like I said she isn't listening. Does anyone know of any useful websites or fact sheets that may be worth sharing with her as she may be more open to this. I think she is probably already feeling worried herself and is feeling a little criticised. It's easy to feel that way as you adjust to being a new mum. I had a quick look online and found a pdf file that might be helpful but just thought I might ask in here too.

Thanks!

[SexyMama208]

What I would recommend doing is looking up some information online. Also go into an epilepsy doctors office and ask them for their advice on what to help her out for her during the time to raise the baby. I've been there.

[crazychick]

hiya kelly d if you need any info or advice this website is good, i found out a lot from this site, i was given a fact booklet with an email on www.epilepsy.org.uk. this mite help you, but feel free to ask me any questions or advice and i will try my best to help you, i know what its like having epilepsy but it must be harder when you have kids to. you could also go to a baby clinic and ask there advice to?

[emma]

My biggest lifesafer was a 32.99 from target, infantino hands-free carrier. I can breastfeed in it, I can do all my chores hand free, and I *never* have to worry about dropping the baby.

I use a changing table, or the bed or floor to change my daughter and always move slow and careful when my world is foggy. - There are some resources if you type in google how to deal with epilepsy and babies (I just recently got diagnosed and have had 2 kids, and both times i've just naturally compensated for my "quirks" by doing most of the things on those lists.)

If I take baths, I wait till my husband is home - in her case, she's better off taking showers and sponge bathing her baby until her baby is stable and not likely to tip over, and then just do small amounts of water, like 2-4 inches with some toys in the tub.

When my son was little, I had one of my dogs trained to help me find him on command, he liked to hide... and was an escape artist...and all it took was for me to zone out for a second for my son to try and go hide somewhere and give me heart attacks. ^.^

baby gates will be useful as the baby gets older, and baby proofing the house is ideal to prevent any kind of accident for both mom and baby!

Strollers when out and about if the carrier is too heavy!

If you google ways to cope with epilepsy and being a mom - they will have tons and tons and tons of suggestions.