EmergenC during pregnancy?

[Juliwan]

Hi everyone:

Does anyone know if it's safe to take the EmergenC (Vitamin C) supplement during early pregnancy? I'm kind of doubting it, so I'm not using it, but when I do it gives me the energy I need to get through the day!

I'm not preggers yet (that I know of), but we're trying!

Thanks for any info!

[greencat]

I did, since my midwife recommended it. I took one during labor, too.

[CrazyRED]

Susan Weed in her "Herbal for the Childbearing Year" lists high doses of Vitamin C as an abortificant in early pregnancy.

[jessikate]

I drank Emergen-C all through my pregnancy, probably 2-3 packets per day. It was the only thing that helped me drink as much water as I needed. My midwife never said anything about it other than that she carried it in her birth kit.

After all that consumption, I had a healthy 9lb 2oz baby at home, 16 days after his due date. From what I've read, vitamin C strengthens the amniotic sac, so I wonder if that might be why he came so late. My water didn't break until right before he was born.

Excess vitamin C is excreted in your urine, so it does not build up in your body - it's a water-soluble vitamin. I personally wouldn't be concerned about it and if there's another pregnancy in my future, I will probably drink Emergen-C through that pregnancy, too.

[bobandjess99]

not sure if it is the "emergen-C" brand, or a similar product, but i read the pamphlet of one, and it was talking about the "C-babies" or something like that, saying that all these healthy, super-smart babies came from moms who took several packets a day of emergenC (or whatever C product)..so I would assume it is fine...at least up to a couple grams a day....maybe not inthe first tri, if you are worried??.....

[TurboClaudia]

I just looked at one of my packets, and if it is the vitamin b and vitamin c version, you could probably safely take a packet every few hours. vitamins b and c are all water soluble, which means your body will just excrete what it doesn't need and you will pee it out.

there is another emergen-c version that contains some vitamin a, d, e or k -- can't remember which -- and i'd limit taking that one to just one or possibly two times a day since vitamins a, d, e or k are all fat soluble and have maximum dosage limits because you could technically take too much. you'd have to check the label for amounts to know specifically how much was okay to take.

for what it's worth, i sometimes took 2-3 emergen-c packets per day towards the end of my pregnancy. and during the first trimester, i was downing lemonade and vitamin c-rich foods and beverages because that was what appealed to my jumbly stomach.

hope this helps...

~claudia

[heket]

Originally Posted by CrazyRED

Susan Weed in her "Herbal for the Childbearing Year" lists high doses of Vitamin C as an abortificant in early pregnancy.

I'm wondering if this is because many of the other herbals she recommends are already Vit. C potent, thus making a supplement too much for a pregnant mom?

[applejuice]

Emergen_c is excellent during pregnancy and during Labor...

[WuWei]

Originally Posted by CrazyRED

Susan Weed in her "Herbal for the Childbearing Year" lists high doses of Vitamin C as an abortificant in early pregnancy.

There are only 1000mg per packet.

Pat

[heatherh]

Originally Posted by CrazyRED

Susan Weed in her "Herbal for the Childbearing Year" lists high doses of Vitamin C as an abortificant in early pregnancy.

I don't think of 1000mg as a high dose. I'm comfortable taking it during pregnancy.

[heatherweh]

Just dredging up an old one here because I'm getting a cold....

When I had my miscarriage the midwife recommended taking high-doses of vitamin-c to help sped things along and I didn't have any bleeding or anything until after I had taken a few doses of emergen-c.

[Stephany Demarr]

i was curious as ive been sick for 2 weeks if i was allowed to take emergen-c so i called my dr and they all agree it is not safe to take while pregnant. 

[Ethelpea]

I take high doses (much much higher than an emergen-c packet which wouldn't even make it off the tip of my tongue as I have a very high need for C) during all my pregnancies and have only seen benefits. 

vitamincfoundation.org has a lot of good information on the topic.  Unfortunately, the site has been down for a few days due to a server move.