Getting Asthma During Pregnancy

Hi there! First of all, congratulations on the birth of your baby! I'm sure that with having a newborn, the last thing you need to worry about is your asthma. I'm linking an experience shared by one of our community members that is similar to what you are describing. https://asthma.net/forums/my-story-take-asthma-seriously Best of luck to you, Lauren (team member)

Hi Mel! I'm glad you reached out to us. I wanted to see if there is anything else you wanted to share about your new asthma diagnosis, so that we might be able to send you some useful information. Do you have a pulmonologist or other specialist that's helping you get control of your asthma symptoms? Are you on medication to manage at this time? If you don't feel like it's helping, I would encourage you to return to your doctor and talk about other options to try. It sometimes takes some trial and error to find the right combinations of medications and correct dosages for you. Having good asthma control means that you won't be struggling most of the time as it seems like you are now. Please keep doing what you can to take good care of yourself, and let us know how you're doing -- we're all here to support you! Sending hugs and congratulations on your new little one. 😀 -Melissa, asthma team

My asthma was also diagnosed during my 3rd trimester, 41 years ago. It was a bit daunting being a first time mom and having that diagnosis, along with migraines. It was then that a friend shared she benefitted from keeping a journal. I kept track of my symptoms, time, and what was going on. Eventually I learned that my main triggers were certain foods and a lot of fragrances. It took a few years for me to find a primary doctor and a pulmonologist that I felt comfortable with but it was well worth the search. I now have a good relationship with both of them. It's important to develop a personal awareness to keep yourself in a good place. There are many medications, but don't rule out alternatives. I also do massage, manipulation, and acupuncture which help both before and after attacks. Be your own advocate, ask a lot of questions to make sure you understand yourself, and your asthma.

I have been journaling life for the 40 years. It's what keeps me on an even keel. I record my asthma and celiac issues, as well as every day life. Then the journal owns my issues and I know they are there and don't clutter my mind yet I can refer back. I know a lot about my triggers. I know that I will wheeze from citrus or milk chocolate. I know that most fragrances are triggers. I also know that sometimes I can't identify what is going on and I have to pay attention to how I breathe. It takes a lot of vigilance so I can have a decent quality of life. Making adjustments can be difficult, so I keep reminding myself that quality is more important than any fragrance or food.