Caring for your baby

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HealthWiki > Epilepsy and Seizures > Chapter 7: Pregnancy and birth with epilepsy > Caring for your baby

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In this chapter:

 

In this chapter:

• Chapter 7: Pregnancy and birth with epilepsy
• Pregnancy and epilepsy
• Regular pregnancy checkups
• Pregnancy and antiseizure medicines
• Tiredness and nausea during pregnancy
• Pregnancy complications
• Labor and birth
• Breastfeeding for people with epilepsy
• Caring for your baby
• Birth control and antiseizure medicine
• Improving local epilepsy care for mothers

Bathing and changing your baby. If you have seizures that make you lose consciousness or control over your movements, or your seizures are not controlled by medicine, try to have another person around when you bathe or change your newborn baby. Having assistance ensures both you and your baby are safe if a seizure happens. A support person can move you and your baby away from danger, provide any needed first aid, or get help in an emergency.

Change your baby’s diapers (nappies) on a mat or blanket on the floor, to avoid any problems if you have a seizure.

Sleeping with your baby. After having a baby, getting enough sleep can be hard, especially when you are feeding your baby every few hours at night. Try to prevent lack of sleep from triggering your seizures. Rest when your baby sleeps and ask family and friends for help so you can get as much rest as possible.

If you have sleep seizures, movements caused by a seizure might injure your small baby sleeping next to you. Instead, have your baby sleep nearby in a bassinet or crib.

Carrying your baby in a sling. If your seizures are wellcontrolled, a sling for your small baby can be used safely. The sling should keep the baby secure and close to your body, but make sure the baby’s face is visible so they have no difficulty breathing. Because babies do not have neck control until they are about 3 months old, avoid carrying very young babies on your back. Babies carried in front get bounced around less and have less trouble breathing.

If your seizures are not well-controlled, consider using a stroller or pram instead.

This page was updated:19 May 2026