Protective against relapse with child #1 - same with additional children?

[alyith]

I know that recent studies have shown that breastfeeding is protective against MS relapses. Is there any information out there discussing how that changes from child to child for the same mother?

I am 30 years old and have had MS symptoms since I was 15. The last 5 years have been nearly symptom free until a significant relapse in December. I have one child - he just turned 4 and declared himself "done with milky". My relapse occurred when he stopped nursing on a daily basis.

I am trying to make the case to my husband to have another child, mostly because I would like for my son to have siblings but I feel urgency because I hope it may buy me another 5 years of good health. I am hoping to find some information indicating that since breastfeeding was protective for me with our first child that it would also be protective for me with any additional children.

[admin]

Alyith:

While we know that MS symptoms are reduced during pregnancy, when your body is in a relative immunocompromised state, I did not know that breastfeeding reduces the return of MS. Interesting.

I'd suggest you go to PubMed and search for MS and breastfeeding. I am not familiar with the immune aspects of these two conditions.

Sorry, that I can't really advise you any more than just checking out PubMed (this is what I would do myself). If you don't know how to do this, go to a medical/pharmacy/dental school library and ask them for help.

Tom Hale Ph.D.

[Mom2M]

I have had MS for 10 years with significant relapses until the pregnancy and birth of my daughter in 2005. It got better and better during pregnancy and I continued to breastfeed until she was 4. I had my first relapse when she was 18 months old but it wasn't that bad. I had my second daughter in 2009 and am still breastfeeding and have had only one relapse.
I took copaxone this time throughout my pregnancy and to the present time during breastfeeding so I think that doing that in addition to breastfeeding has extended my remission.
My neurologist said that studies have not shown protective effects of breastfeeding but I have talked with several people on MS forums who have seen the same effect that I have.
I wish I could continue having lots more children!
Good luck!

[Legna]

Look at Neurology 75 August 3 2010. They have an article about it.
On a personal level, I was relapse free until my daughter night weaned last August at 3. Got pregnant again in October, and am again relapse free. So yes, I agree that breastfeeding is helping suppress my MS. As both of my children are nursing (daughter 4, son 12 weeks) I did not even have the post-birth relapse. As far as I'm aware, something about the high prolactin levels is what suppresses the MS flares. However, I AM still getting "silent" lesions.

[chal4oye]

I have one child - he just turned 4 and declared himself "done with milky". My relapse occurred when he stopped nursing on a daily basis.

I am trying to make the case to my husband to have another child, mostly because I would like for my son to have siblings but I feel urgency because I hope it may buy me another 5 years of good health. I am hoping to find some information indicating that since breastfeeding was protective for me with our first child that it would also be protective for me with any additional children.