flax seed oil and big babies

[crsta33]

When I was pg with ds, I remember someone telling me there was anecdotal evidence linking flax seed oil supplements with larger than average babies. I know there's not a study, but is there anything anywhere written on this?

My ds did weigh 10 lbs 7 oz. and now that I'm pg again, my midwife is concerned about GD and another large baby (although we had no real problems with ds's labor or birth). I'm pretty certain that his size had more to do with the flax seed oil I took to battle constipation than it did with my blood sugar...I declined the glucose screening last time.

This time she wants to do an early check and has asked me to eat a high protein, low sugar breakfast before our next visit so she can test blood glucose with a finger stick 2 hours after. I'm okay with that, but I don't really want further testing, and I know that if this check isn't within range (and I'm not even sure what that range is) she's going to want to do a GTT. I don't want to be a difficult client, but I hate to be stuck and the GD diagnosis seems so pointless.

Christa

[AbiSolsticebaby]

I have never heard of such a thing. The things that I have seen studies on are of fatty acids(flax seed oil and fish oil for example) helping with baby brain growth and lowering momma's risk of post-partum depression. I would think more empty calories would cause bigger babies such as highly processed foods and sweets. But if you ate really healthy with the first you might just make big babies. Anyhow good luck with this pregnancy and don't be afraid of good fats!

[Reha]

Originally Posted by crsta33

I don't want to be a difficult client, but I hate to be stuck and the GD diagnosis seems so pointless.

I agree. It is pointless, especially as the treatments (diet usually) has no effect on outcome. :

Anyways, I don't understand WHY your midwife is concerned about you growing another nice size baby? Personally, I love big babies!! I have heard some midwives worry about shoulder dystocia with big babies, but over 1/2 of all cases of shoulder dystocia are in babies weighing LESS than about 8 1/2 lbs. Perhaps addressing with her what her concerns are about having a big baby, and then addressing each of her fears with information and research????

I have never heard of a connection between flax seed oil and growing big babies....I know LOTS of women use flax oil in pregnancy, and they aren't all having big babies.

You just grow your babies big, and birth 'em just fine too.

[bryonyvaughn]

Originally Posted by crsta33

My ds did weigh 10 lbs 7 oz. and now that I'm pg again, my midwife is concerned about GD and another large baby (although we had no real problems with ds's labor or birth)...I declined the glucose screening last time.

Ooooooh, that's a peeve of mine. Lack of GTT in pregnancy with big baby does NOT justify retroactive diagnosis of GD. Between the birth of my now 10.5yo and my 1.5 yo, the definition of large baby has TWICE dropped by 500g. Barring something unusual, a mom with big babies in her family and a dad with big babies in his family will like have big babies together. End of rant.

Unless you had symptoms of GD in pregnancy, the placenta looked bad, the baby had fatty pads (maybe even depleted fatty pads), I would have no reason to believe you had GD. I had a very muscular 10lb baby that was 23.5" long with a 17" head. He had stubby legs and a long torso. He was NOT a GD baby.

This time she wants to do an early check and has asked me to eat a high protein, low sugar breakfast before our next visit so she can test blood glucose with a finger stick 2 hours after. I'm okay with that, but I don't really want further testing, and I know that if this check isn't within range (and I'm not even sure what that range is) she's going to want to do a GTT. I don't want to be a difficult client, but I hate to be stuck and the GD diagnosis seems so pointless.

The prick test seems reasonable enough.

At best I consider the GTT worthless. If a mom eats a healthy diet the test only proves what will happen if see eats crap. At worse the test is dangerous. They try to induce wildly swinging blood sugar levels. As a pre-diabetic teenager 2.5 hours into the test I'd stagger and slur my words like a drunk. FWIW in my early 20s I studied health & nutrition and haven't had any blood sugar issues since. (Back then I'd pass out every few months from low blood sugar.)

If I were in a similar circumstance, before I took the skin prick I'd negotiate what we'd do if I failed the screening test. My goal would be to get the MW to agree to my monitoring my own blood glucose levels several times a day for a few days while following and logging my regular diet and activity routine. The advantages I see are 1) it doesn't risk your health, 2) it gives the MW information far more relevant to your pregnancy health, 3) it shows you as an intelligent, informed, reasonable, and responsible health care consumer. IME good health care practitioners often drop pretenses and treat such folks respectfully.

Originally Posted by AbiSolsticebaby

...I would think more empty calories would cause bigger babies such as highly processed foods and sweets...

I'd think a nutritionally deficient diet would cause a smaller baby while the empty calories would cause a fat momma.

[nurnur]

just my 2cents thrown in, but I wonder if mama's who typically include flax oil into their diets are the same mamas eating well and making sure that they get enough calories and therefore and more likely to make the big healthy babes!

[crsta33]

Thanks everyone for the encouragement. I still wish I could find the couple of ppl who I talked to about the link with flax seed oil and babies...maybe they are still around somewhere and just haven't read this yet.

I don't have a "history" of big babies...my first weighed 8 lbs 3 oz. I was an 8 lber myself (my sister was a preemie under 5) and my dh was under 7 lbs, his brother around the same and his sister around 9 lbs.

Christa

[GinaRae]

My midwife told me the extra DHA in pregnancies may cause longer gestation.

That in itself would lead to bigger babies since a 40 weeker is smaller than a 43 weeker.

I wonder where she got her info...

[mwherbs]

very standard concept- big baby previously rule out diabetes-- now I have had very big babies and it is probably family trait-- 10 lb 5 oz, 10 lb 11 oz, 9 lbs and 12 lbs-- my 9 pounder I got more exercise and ate absolutely no refined sugars of any kind- I do think that it made a difference although studies have not shown diet control or added insulin to change the size of babies 1-3 oz difference is all that has been show as a maybe...
for chronic constipation- besides exercise , hydration I say add a magnesium supplement-- 500-1000 mg/day it is a smooth muscle relaxant and works by increasing fluid in the lower intestine-- someone I know who has chronic constipation - no bm sometimes as long as 2 weeks- stays daily regular taking magnesium-- when no other drug or thing worked--- any how don't take the calcium magnesium combo because the calcium will interfere counter the action of the magnesium if taken at the same time.

[Reha]

Originally Posted by GinaRae

My midwife told me the extra DHA in pregnancies may cause longer gestation.

That in itself would lead to bigger babies since a 40 weeker is smaller than a 43 weeker.

I wonder where she got her info...

But not THAT much bigger. Near term, babies only gain an average of 1/4 lb per week.