Preparing for Pregnancy: Alternativies to 5 HTP? - Page 2

[jennica]

Originally Posted by herbsgirl

So glad I could help! Hopefully you never have any depression and you have a wonderful pregnancy. Just some heads up on the fish oi thing...... I took high dose fish oil during my pregnancy,and my baby is almost ahead in her development. and VERY alert. I have gotten comments frequently from others how alert she is! She has been alert like this scince birth!

I think the Britelight will work well for you, and the Omega 3 Mood has really made a difference for me.

Ha, well, Ds was very alert since birth as well, to the point where he screamed every night for hours because it was like he was getting to much stimulation than his brain was ready for. He is still "alert" in that he is quite anxious and hyper aware of his surroundings. He was also developmentally ahead, and tested 2 and half years ahead cognitively when we had all his apraxia testing. However, he didn't speak, and got a diagnosis of apraxia. Then we gave him fish oil and he started talking, at an amazingly fast rate to the point that he was completely caught up within six months. Anyway, the alert thing wont sell me, I really want a perfectly average baby this time so it will lay in the sling and be able to fall asleep at night But, the possibility of preventing the whole speech delay, or apraxia issue in the baby would be a bonus. How much fish oil did you take in pregnancy? I'm taking 6000 mg now.

And the brightlight should be great this fall. I live in MN so we have a long winter here.

[herbsgirl]

I guess you and I are talking about different kind of "alert"

My daughter is my 4th baby, and the only one I took fish oil with. She is my happiest baby, VERY smiley, more than any of my other kids were. For the first 5 months of her life, she hardly cried at all. I mean it. It was like she was the perfect baby!!!!!!! I really think the fish oil made a difference. I took around 2500 mg combined EPA/DHA on average, probably like 4-6,000 mg fish oil (total on bottle) She is getting teeth now, and has been sick some, so she isnt quite as happy as she was, but still has a very happy disposition. She is pulling up to things and standing up at 7 months!

My first baby screamed alot too!

[jennica]

Originally Posted by herbsgirl

I guess you and I are talking about different kind of "alert"

My daughter is my 4th baby, and the only one I took fish oil with. She is my happiest baby, VERY smiley, more than any of my other kids were. For the first 5 months of her life, she hardly cried at all. I mean it. It was like she was the perfect baby!!!!!!! I really think the fish oil made a difference. I took around 2500 mg combined EPA/DHA on average, probably like 4-6,000 mg fish oil (total on bottle) She is getting teeth now, and has been sick some, so she isnt quite as happy as she was, but still has a very happy disposition. She is pulling up to things and standing up at 7 months!

My first baby screamed alot too!

Ah, sounds good. I'll just keep taking the 6000 mg then (of total fish oil), and hope I have a happy alert baby too

[dot1]

I'm glad people mentioned the light therapy to stimulate seretonin production.

No one has mentioned exercise yet. Do you go out in the early morning for a walk that elevates your heart rate for 20+ minutes? The combo of exercise and morning sunlight is a great seretonin booster and helpful for sleeping at night (aerobic exercise can combat hypomania and anxiety also by reducting the body's production of stress hormones, cortisol, etc.).

[Pookietooth]

Thanks!

[JennyK8]

Hi! I'm wondering if you decided to stick with 5-HTP or if you found something else that worked? I'm in a similar situation. TTC baby #2, really struggle with anxiety, primarily (had panic attacks while prego before) and love my supplements. I've also had terrible experiences with SSRIs and don't want to simply give up taking supplements that work just because so little is known.... but I will, of course, if I need to. I'd rather have an alternative! 

Did you find a supplement plan that worked for pregnancy? What did evening primrose oil help with? How much taurine did you take (and that's safe during pregnancy?)? 

Thanks!

Jen