The postpartum period is already challenging. Add an MS flare to the mix, and it can feel overwhelming. Your body is recovering from birth while also fighting against itself. You're trying to care for a newborn while managing symptoms that make basic functioning difficult.
This is one of the hardest seasons a mother with MS can face. But you can get through it—one moment at a time.
Understanding Postpartum Flares
Many women with MS experience a higher risk of flares in the months following delivery. This is partly due to hormonal shifts and partly due to the immune system changes that protected you during pregnancy now reversing.
Common postpartum flare symptoms include:
• Extreme fatigue (beyond typical new-mom tiredness)
• Vision changes
• Numbness or tingling
• Weakness in limbs
• Cognitive difficulties
Faith in the Fire
*"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you."* — Isaiah 43:2
Notice that God doesn't promise to prevent the waters. He promises to be with us in them. During a flare, you are not alone. God is present in your pain.
Practical Strategies for Flare Management
Medical Care
• Contact your neurologist immediately when symptoms appear
• Discuss breastfeeding-compatible treatment options
• Don't minimize your symptoms—advocate for yourself
Energy Conservation
• Set up nursing and baby care stations to minimize movement
• Accept every offer of help
• Lower your standards for household tasks (or eliminate them entirely)
• Rest when baby rests, without guilt
Feeding Your Baby
• If nursing, side-lying positions can help conserve energy
• If pumping becomes too exhausting, formula is a valid and healthy option
• Fed is best—don't let anyone make you feel guilty for doing what you need to do
Emotional Support
• Connect with other MS moms who understand
• Allow yourself to grieve this hard season
• Consider talking to a therapist who specializes in chronic illness
What Your Baby Needs Most
During a flare, guilt can be crushing. You might feel like you're failing your baby by not being fully present or capable.
But here's the truth: your baby needs love, safety, and care. Those things can come from you, even in a limited capacity. They can also come from your partner, family, friends, or hired help.
Your baby does not need you to be superhuman. They need you to be present in whatever way you can—even if that's just being near them while someone else does the lifting, changing, and carrying.
A Flare Day Prayer
Lord, my body is struggling today. I don't have the strength I wish I had. But I trust that You are my strength when I am weak. Help me release the guilt of what I cannot do. Surround me with support and fill me with Your peace. Watch over my baby when I cannot. Carry me through this flare, one moment at a time. Amen.
Flares end. This season will pass. And when it does, you'll look back and see that you made it through—not by your own strength, but by the grace of God and the support of those who love you.
