magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???

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magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« on: May 12, 2007, 12:38:50 PM » by Melie

I've taken Floradix brand Calcium/Magnesium supplement in my last 2 pregnancies for constipation and it has worked really well. I got to the point during this pregnancy where it seemed to stop working and I was getting constipated again. Well, I asked my midwife what to do and she said it would be fine to double the doseage. She also told me at that time that a friend midwife of hers was doing a study with some of her patients on the effects of higher dosages of magnesium on her patients. She was finding that those taking a higher dosage of magnesium, particularly in the 3rd trimester, were having much easier labors. The pain was much less. Well, I must say that this was the easiest labor out of the 4 I've been through. It was also very short - 4 hours! I was able to totally focus on relaxing through the contractions and letting them do their job. I don't even remember having a transition. I just felt pressure and a hard contraction when it was time to push. I only pushed twice. There was a lot of pain when I pushed the head out and had to wait for the next contraction to get the shoulders out but it was only 4 minutes total. Don't get me wrong - I certainly felt a very uncomfortable level of pain but it was so much less and way more manageable. I remember with each previous labor coming to a point where I didn't think I could manage the pain and exhaustion. I never came to that point.
I hope this is helpful. Sorry I don't have any additional information on why this would work and I don't know if it is okay for everyone but it was significant enough to me that I think it's worth looking in to.
Has anyone else heard anything about this?

« Last Edit: May 12, 2007, 07:58:38 PM by hhmom »
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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2007, 08:45:15 PM » by skelliott2

Yes, I've read it in my pregnancy herbal book, and it seems to be true for me as well. I had my fourth at home, and the labor was the same. I never had that awful time, where I just felt I couldn't do it. It never even hurt until the baby came out, and that was also over in just two pushes. I took shaklee's cal/mag supplement because it helped with back pain, but I'll bet it also helped the labor! I also drank the red raspberry brew every day, and it also has a very usable form of calcium in it. Hmm....

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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #2 on: May 12, 2007, 09:07:15 PM » by Melie

Quote from: skelliott2 on May 12, 2007, 08:45:15 PM

That is very interesting. I also drank the Red Rasperry Tea almost daily in the 3rd trimester but I did that with my last labor which was much more painful than this one, but less than the first 2. Did you take a large dose of the Cal Mag? I doubled mine. Sometimes taking 2 1/2 the recommended doseage.

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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #3 on: May 12, 2007, 09:43:24 PM » by Ruby

How much magnesium is recommended to take? I'm going to be delivering in about 5 or 6 weeks hopefully and I surely would like an easier labor!

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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #4 on: May 12, 2007, 09:58:20 PM » by healthnut

Quote from: Ruby on May 12, 2007, 09:43:24 PM

How much magnesium is recommended to take? I'm going to be delivering in about 5 or 6 weeks hopefully and I surely would like an easier labor!

Please do tell!!!! My first baby was extremely painful Shocked

and I am open to trying anything (not unhealthy or bad, of course) that would help.

Any more info on this would be fabulous ladies Cheesy

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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #5 on: May 12, 2007, 10:05:26 PM » by happyhomemaker

Ok, this has my interest! I'd love to know how much and how often you took/take this to help with labor.

Thanks,
hhm

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Happyhomemaker

Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #6 on: May 12, 2007, 10:18:01 PM » by herbs girl

Yes please tell us how much you took. Also did you take it all during pregnancy too?

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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #7 on: May 12, 2007, 10:38:14 PM » by HappyMum

Quote from: hhmom on May 12, 2007, 12:38:50 PM

She was finding that those taking a higher dosage of magnesium, particularly in the 3rd trimester, were having much easier labors. The pain was much less. Well, I must say that this was the easiest labor out of the 4 I've been through. It was also very short - 4 hours! I was able to totally focus on relaxing through the contractions and letting them do their job. I don't even remember having a transition.

I took Bone Ami during the last half of my recent pregnancy, it's a calcium/magnesium supplement. I only took the recommended dose - but my labor was so painless that I missed it completely. Cheesy

Even transition was only marked by shaking, not by pain. The downside of it was that I had no idea I was having a baby until minutes before she was born... she was my fourth.

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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #8 on: May 12, 2007, 11:06:20 PM » by jessicah

I had great success with my last labor/delivery with drinking RRL brew daily the last month of pregnancy. I also took 2-4 tsp of liquid chrophyll daily.
When I thought I was truly in labor I took a large dose of vit. C (2000 mg?) and went to sleep.
I had my baby 2 AND 1/2 hours later!! I practically had her in my sleep.
I had six babies before and for all of them I had LONG labors.
I know yall were talking about cal.mag. supplements but look into the vit. c during labor..

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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #9 on: May 12, 2007, 11:59:00 PM » by skelliott2

The amount of magnesium I took daily was just the normal amount in my pills -- 200 mg. I will say that I let the red raspberry brew sit overnight. I would boil the water and pour over 1 tbsp of herbs in a two cup french press before I went to bed. I would drink it over ice the next morning. My herbal book says that to get the most minerals from the herbs, you need to let it steep a long time, about 8 hours. What a great thing to figure out!

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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #10 on: May 13, 2007, 09:53:23 AM » by Melie

I took double the recommended amount of floradix cal/mag (one of the best and most $$$). My midwife said double the dose so whatever the package says, double it. Really helps with constipation and if you take it at night, it helps with sleep too. I prepare my rasperry tea the same as skelliot2 but I also leave the tea leaves in until it's all gone.
The floradix is $20.00/bottle and I go through it in under 1 week! Ouch!

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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #11 on: May 13, 2007, 11:17:59 AM » by AllinHisTime

I took a liquid cal/mag/phos/Vit D supplement throughout my 3rd trimester. It really helps with leg cramps (charlie horses). It was also given to me about every hour during my home water birth.

I'm sure it helped a ton during labor and delivery. I didn't happen to notice as much because I delievered a baby that was 8lb 12 oz.!! Not that I minded, but she was a big jump from the 6 lb 12oz baby I had 2 years prior! It was a big jump in size and so it was like I was giving birth for the first time all over again.

I also drank RRL everyday throughout my entire pregnancy. I also drank one, 8oz cup of shepherd's purse tea towards the last two weeks of the pregnancy, which helped enrich my blood and keep iron count up.

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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #12 on: May 13, 2007, 09:42:47 PM » by Melie

Quote from: AllinHisTime on May 13, 2007, 11:17:59 AM

Oh yes, I forgot that leg cramps were the original reason I was taking Cal/Mag in the first place 2 pregnancies ago and then I doubled it for constipation. The reason I forgot is that it worked so well for the cramps that I forgot what a problem they can be!
My first son was 8lbs, then my daughter was 6.5, my next son was 8.8 and my last son was 8.12. My 1st 2 were in the hospital and were long, hard labors. I think the medication really got in the way of progress. It confused my body so I was working against myself. When I had my 3rd at home, he was the biggest at the time, I thought he was the smallest because it was so much easier than the previous birth. Same with this one, I was really surprised to find out he was my largest. Size doesn't really bother me anymore. But then again, the recovery this time has been more difficult, that might have to do with size. I won't complain though, my sister had a 10.8 baby!

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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #13 on: May 13, 2007, 09:45:37 PM » by lewisquiverfull

This is very interesting. I took liquid calcium/magnesium the last 3-4 months of my last 3 pregnancies for muscle cramps in my abdomen. (I doubled up on the doses the last month because it wasn't helping as much) The labors were all about 1 1/2 hours and very little pain. Cool

I never thought about the calcium making the difference! I can't remember the brand, it was a dark brown bottle from the herb store, I took 2 tablespoons a night, the bottle lasted about 2 weeks and was about $13. How cool! I will definitely remember this!

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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #14 on: May 14, 2007, 06:13:39 PM » by healthnut

Okay...Which one would be better? Here is some of the info on two brands of Calcium/Magnesium.

Floradix's info: http://www.florahealth.com/flora/home/canada/products/R4730.asp
Ingredients: (Certified Kosher)
Medicinal ingredients: Each daily dose (2 tbsp/30 ml) provides:

Elemental calcium (from 1,474 mg gluconate and lactate): 155 mg
Elemental magnesium (from 3,106 mg gluconate and citrate): 186 mg
Elemental zinc (citrate): 3.5 mg
Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol): 204 I.U.

And Beeyoutiful's:
http://www.beeyoutiful.com/goodness/product_info.php/products_id/10

Serving Size: 1 Tablespoon (15 mL)
Servings per Container: 31

Vitamin D (as Ergocalciferol)      400 IU
Calcium (from Calcium Citrate) 500 mg
Magnesium (from Magnesium Citrate) 250 mg
Boron (from Boron Amino Acid Chelate) 1 mg

Huh

I just don't get the differences between the sources the vitamins/minerals are being derived from--supposedly the sources affect how well your body can absorb the vitamins/minerals. Huh

Anybody know anything about this?

« Last Edit: May 14, 2007, 06:17:31 PM by healthnut »
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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #15 on: May 14, 2007, 11:18:43 PM » by herbs girl

So your're saying its fine to take Double the dose. For instance if I took Bone Ami, I would take 2 Tablespoons, to get the labor-enhancing effects? That wouldn't be too much? I know you cant overdose on Magnesium, it will just give you diareaha (spoken from expereince Cheesy

) but what about the other ingredients? Sounds like a plan to me! I usually have leg cramps in my pregnancy too, so that should help!!

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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #16 on: May 15, 2007, 12:06:06 AM » by Melie

Quote from: herbs girl on May 14, 2007, 11:18:43 PM

) but what about the other ingredients? Sounds like a plan to me! I usually have leg cramps in my pregnancy too, so that should help!!

Yes, that is what my midwife said. I would ask your Dr/Midwife though before doing anything. You are right, there are lots of other ingredients in my Floradix as well but she knew that was what I was taking and with that knowledge made her recommendation. I hope it helps you too! Those leg cramps are such a pain! My midwife came out today for a visit and we were talking about this and she said that some people have noticed an easier recovery also, as far as the after-birth pains. Mine were pretty bad but they were only intense for one day. It seems like with #2 & #3 that they were intense for about 3 days.

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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #17 on: May 15, 2007, 10:10:31 AM » by herbs girl

I looked up the Floradix. Whoa, it is expensive. Even at Luckyvitamin.com which has very cheap stuff!!

So to take double the recamended dosage for the Floradix Calcium-Magnesiium you would need 3 1/2 bottles to last a month. According to the price on Luckyvitamin, that would be 86.31 for 3 1/2 bottles to last a months worth. There price is 24.66 for 17 oz. It looks like really good stuff, but at that rate I dont think I could afford it!

I wonder if Bone Ami works as good?

The Floradix look like it would be more absorbable. Natural Calm is wonderful magnesium supplement. They even have one for pregnant and postpartum called Mama Calm. Why couldn't you take that with extra Calcium?

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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #18 on: May 16, 2007, 11:38:03 PM » by Ruby

I have some natural calm also and am thinking of just adding it with the calcium I'm already taking. I wanted the floradix, but I thought the same thing about the price. I only have one month left though, but still that's an awful lot to pay. It would definitely be worth it though if I had an easy birth!

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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #19 on: May 17, 2007, 06:16:29 AM » by herbs girl

I wondered why you coudnt use the Natural Calm with the Floradix calcium, because I think that would be alittle cheaper, not sure?

Natural calm is very high quality and gets absorbed into your body almost immedietly. It works!

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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #20 on: May 17, 2007, 11:07:15 AM » by Melie

I love the floradix. I have taken other liquid cal/mags and they are chalky and gross. Floradix tastes good, like juice. Plus, I know how well the foradix works but it is very spendy. I would think that you should take whatever cal/mag you can afford. It will probably help. I know I'm going to have to stop the floradix now that I don't absolutely need it.

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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #21 on: May 23, 2007, 02:36:36 PM » by Helpmeetmom

This thread interestedme so much! Thanks to the lady who started it! Okay here is a link on Dr Mercola's website about magnesium. Thank you again for raising our awareness of this. http://www.mercola.com/2004/aug/7/miracle_magnesium.htm

I'm taking the Bone Ami from Beeyoutiful. Would it be healthful for me to double my dose of this in my 3rd trimester? Oh and by the way I think it tastes great! It tastes like lemon yogurt, kind of gritty, but that's prob the part that helps with bowel movement. I just read too that our ratio of calcium and magnesium should be 1to1 I'm trying to figure out what Bone Ami's ratio of calciium to magnesium is. Maybe someone could help me out here? Thanks!

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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #22 on: May 23, 2007, 04:45:40 PM » by denim&lace

Quote from: healthnut on May 14, 2007, 06:13:39 PM

Floradix's info: http://www.florahealth.com/flora/home/canada/products/R4730.asp
Ingredients: (Certified Kosher)
Medicinal ingredients: Each daily dose (2 tbsp/30 ml) provides:

Elemental calcium (from 1,474 mg gluconate and lactate): 155 mg
Elemental magnesium (from 3,106 mg gluconate and citrate): 186 mg
Elemental zinc (citrate): 3.5 mg
Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol): 204 I.U.

And Beeyoutiful's:
http://www.beeyoutiful.com/goodness/product_info.php/products_id/10

Serving Size: 1 Tablespoon (15 mL)
Servings per Container: 31

Vitamin D (as Ergocalciferol)      400 IU
Calcium (from Calcium Citrate) 500 mg
Magnesium (from Magnesium Citrate) 250 mg
Boron (from Boron Amino Acid Chelate) 1 mg

Here's a Natures Sunshine Product...
Liquid Calcium (16 oz)
Ingredients:
Supplement Facts
Serving Size 1 Tablespoon (15 ml)
Servings per container: 31
Amount Per 1 Tablespoon %Daily Value

Calcium (as phosphate, citrate, lactate) 500 mg 50%

Magnesium (as oxide) 200 mg 50%

Zinc (as glucanate) 1.5 mg 10%

Other Ingredients: Vitamin D (cholecalciferol) 200 IU at time of manufacture, filtered water, fructose, glycerin, natural flavors, xanthan gum, hydroxylated lecithin from soy, potassium sorbate (as preservative), and sodium benzoate (as preservative).

According to the article on Dr. Mercola's site we should be striving for a 1:1 ratio in our diets... which would make Floradix's supplement the one of choice. But of course it states that is what we humans 'evolved' on... I guess if we don't believe we evolved from other lifeforms we might just be OK with a 2:1 calcium/magnesium ratio! Grin

However when we look at the floradix information we see that we are already getting a 4:1 cal/mag ratio in our diets (typically)... so maybe the extra magnesium in the floradix helps even out our ratios that are already severely out of whack...

« Last Edit: May 23, 2007, 04:57:44 PM by smileyfacecurlyhead »
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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #23 on: May 23, 2007, 11:37:31 PM » by Helpmeetmom

*bump* was hoping for more ladies with experience with magnesium, also what do you think about Bone ami from beeyoutiful?

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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #24 on: May 25, 2007, 12:43:25 AM » by Helpmeetmom

Quote from: Helpmeetmom on May 23, 2007, 11:37:31 PM

*bump* was hoping for more ladies with experience with magnesium, also what do you think about Bone ami from beeyoutiful?

*bump again* sorry, still curious

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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #25 on: May 25, 2007, 12:55:39 AM » by Melie

Quote from: Helpmeetmom on May 23, 2007, 02:36:36 PM

Hi Helpmeetmom,
I am the person who started this thread and it wasn't until my 3rd trimester, in fact probably the last half of my 3rd trimester, that I doubled my dose. I had been taking a single dose for most of this pregnancy. I think doubling your dose now would probably be very useful. When are you due? I hope you will post the details about your labor if you do choose to increase your mag. I am finding this very interesting and encouraging. I can't remember if I mentioned it but my midwife said they are also finding that the recovery has been easier for women who are taking higher doseages of cal/mag. I had typical terrible after birth pains but they were only intense for 1 day this time. With my previous labor, they lasted 3 days!
Keep us updated!
hhmom

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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #26 on: May 29, 2007, 05:48:06 PM » by healthnut

I am curious, is it the magnesium that is making the labors easier? Or is it the Calcium? Or the combination/balance of the Calcium and Magnesium?

If it is just the magnesium then Floradix has a Magnesium supplement that is a little cheaper and requires a smaller dose, making it last longer than the Calcium/Magnesium supplement.

"magnesium concentrate with 250 mg of magnesium per 20 ml." 250ml per bottle

Just curious since my 8.5 oz bottle of Calcium/Magnesium cost $25 and only lasts 8 days Shocked

(if I don't double the dosage).

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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #27 on: May 29, 2007, 06:27:00 PM » by cjanderin

I've been watching this thread with interest too since baby #4 is arriving in the next week or three Cheesy

What about taking the magnesium and calcium through food rather than as a supplement? From what I can find out cocoa powder is really high in magnesium (520mg per 100g) so I figure if I make a nice cocoa drink with milk every day then I can get it from that. What does everyone else think?
Other foods high in magnesium are -
Brazil nuts (410mg per 100g)
Sunflower seeds (390mg per 100g)
Sesame seeds (370mg ...)
Liquorice (170mg ...)

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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #28 on: May 29, 2007, 06:40:26 PM » by Melie

Quote from: cjanderin on May 29, 2007, 06:27:00 PM

I've been watching this thread with interest too since baby #4 is arriving in the next week or three Cheesy

It's the Magnesium that is supposed to be helpful but I think the calcium helps your body absorb the Magnesium or something like that.
On a side note, since you mentioned licorice and you are at the end of your pregnancy - the last 3 nights before I went into labor, I drank licorice tea before bed and I had really strong contractions each night. I really think it had something to do with it. I have no idea if these food sources would work as well. I doubt they are as concentrated???
God bless you. Can't wait to hear how things go! My baby is 3 weeks and I feel like I just can't wait to do it again (quite the opposite of how I was feeling 3 weeks ago - enough to drive my husband crazy!!!)

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Re: magnesium = reduced pain in childbirth???
« Reply #29 on: May 29, 2007, 06:49:09 PM » by cjanderin

Licorice tea...hmmm... will add that to my list of things to try in the next few weeks. Thanks!
I know exactly what you mean about wanting another one - I did the same after #3. The last few weeks of pregnancy are a drag but the moment the baby arrives I forget about them and want to start again!!

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Proud to be a Kiwi.

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