I Have Crohn’s and I Want Kids

If you haven’t read my previous article, click here. In that post, I discuss my serious relationship and our desire to start a family. I ended with the question that tends to flood my mind: Am I capable of being a mom with Crohn’s?

So let’s continue...

Not only do I often think: Will I be capable to manage motherhood with Crohn’s?, I think:

Will I have enough energy?

I still deal with symptoms at the moment, especially in the morning, how will I take kids to school? How will I prepare breakfast? I still struggle with fatigue some days and need a nap. How can I nap with a newborn or toddler? Will I have the energy to keep up with a baby?

Will I even be able to conceive?

How fertile am I? Did taking prednisone and a bunch of biologics do anything to my fertility? Will I be able to give birth naturally or will I need a C-section? If I have a C-section, will I heal quickly? What if I have twins? What if I have a tough pregnancy?

Will I go into remission?

I’ve read in many support groups that a lot of women go into remission during pregnancy. Will that be my experience?  But what if I get to remission and then after I have the baby, I get thrown into a horrible flare? What would that do to me and my husband’s morale?

Will I be able to be a present parent?

What if I get a flare at my children’s graduation or wedding and have to miss it? Will I have to up my income to afford live-in help to manage? Will I be able to still work, raise kids and manage my health?

So many questions with Crohn's

Oh the questions, thoughts, and wonders I have can go on and on. I’ll just be honest, it’s scary. The unknown is scary. And I think the biggest worry is: Will my baby be healthy?

That’s really the most important thing, right? But considering that my body has and is going through so much, am I risking it? Am I risking putting my baby’s health at risk?

Oh man, the wormhole I can get myself into.

My GI doctor is positive

On the flip side, I have spoken with my gastroenterologist about having children in the future and she is so supportive! She is such a believer that I will hit remission soon. She gets excited when I bring up thinking about children and is quick to ask fun questions like, "Oh, how many would you guys like to have? How exciting! You will be a great mom!"

And although hearing such positive thoughts from such a renowned GI is encouraging, the reality is, we won’t know until it happens. All of us in the end know nothing! Everyone who gets pregnant and has Crohn’s has a different journey. And that’s a fact.

I know I want to be a mom

To add to this thought, I can say with surety, that I feel it in my heart and soul that I am meant to be a mom. I’ve always wanted children and it just wouldn’t feel right to at least not to try when the time is right. Yes, I have so many questions, thoughts, and worries, but in the end, I know I am meant to go down this road and give it a shot.

So who knows what the future holds. All I can say is that I have been diagnosed with Crohn’s and I want to try and have children in the future. How it will go, I can’t say.  But I will happily share my journey when the time comes.

What about you? Would you like to start a family in the future but are hesitant due to your diagnosis? Share below, let’s chat!