Couple of questions

[sea_joy]

First off, I've got a cold sore and I'm wondering if I can take l-lysine supplments, and the other question I have is about the babies position. I'm 32weeks in and my midwife is kind of pressuring me to have the baby be head down. The last time she checked the babies head was a little above my right hip, and t this point I really have no idea where she is, I THINK she's head down but what I want to know is- if I do tilt positions to try to make sure the baby is head down, if she already is, will it make her turn breech?
This is my first baby and I'm planning a homebirth, if the babies breech I don't think I can. I'm trying not to stress out too much, but I am worried.
Thank You,
Crystal

[EmmetnLindley]

I don't think that I am much help as a first-timer myself. I haven't heard of that supplement but I had the same issue with breech... once it was confirmed that my baby turned (via ultrasound), I stopped doing any of the turning exercises because I was also fearful that it would turn him back the wrong way. I think you should speak with your midwife to get clarification.

Try not to stress or worry... hard, I know! You still have a few weeks to get that baby to turn. I was really worried about my news when I was 35 weeks and he turned! I am planning a home birth and I was terrified that I would end up with a c-section if he didn't turn.

Good luck! :)

[prettypixels]

Babies still move around a lot at 32 weeks... mine was still flipping upside down over and over.

Now I'm 34 weeks and she has settled head down, but is flipping circular... ie: one minute her back will be towards my belly, next minute it's towards my back. I don't think I can MAKE her be anywhere yet.

I still do stuff on the birth ball, I do cat stretches, I've heard recommendations to just be on hands and knees, also squatting is good! Those things encourage the right position, but the thing is, at 32 weeks she might get into the right position... then FLIP while you are asleep or whatever. So do those things but don't stress TOO much, yet. That's a bummer that your MW is pressuring you so much!

also... http://www.spinningbabies.com

[Jenelle]

As far as I know, lysine supplements are safe during pregnancy. As to how much is safe, I would do a google search and research it.

Food sources of lysine include cheese, eggs, fish, lima beans, milk, potatoes, red meat, soy products, and yeast.

[torio]

Here's the most specific information I've found about lysine during pregnancy. Good luck.

MDC:
Ensuring a good intake of vitamin C (supplement up to 200 mg four times daily when an outbreak occurs) and zinc (in meat, fish, seafood, and eggs ) will support the immune system. Higher doses are sometimes recommended, along with supplements of L-lysine, but only for the duration of an outbreak. Aloe vera can be used topically – ideally use the inside of a fresh leaf

midwiferytoday (I think)
Herpes outbreaks occur, as I understand it, when there is a deficiency of lysine. To treat outbreaks, a woman may take L-Lysine 1000 mg three times a day for 5 days. It is more effective if taken at the first sign of outbreak (tingling or pain). She may then follow with L-Lysine 500 mg four times a day for the rest of the pregnancy for suppression therapy. In our practice, we encourage pregnant women to take lysine as described above for the entire pregnancy. It seems to be very effective and is an inexpensive supplement. Women should also emphasize foods which are high in lysine in their diets.
-Liza McKinney, CNM

A: I have been a midwife for 23 years. Prevention magazine printed an article close to 20 years ago about herpes. The advice it gave has been invaluable over my years of practice. This is what it said: During an outbreak of herpes take 1,000 mg lysine three times a day along with vitamin C (I have moms take 1,000 mg 3 times a day). For a maintenance dose it advised taking 500 mg lysine daily as a preventive. I never have had an outbreak during birth.
-Carol Severson, CPM, LDM

And you might be interested in this from:
http://www.mothering.com/sections/experts/odent-archive.html#pain
• ask the experts
Michel Odent, MD
Labor and Birth, Waterbirth

I have genital herpes and am pregnant. I want a natural childbirth, but have been told that a c-section may be necessary. I thought that I would pass antibodies onto my baby? If I have a lesion at the time of birth can I still deliver vaginally? What are my options?

I understand that you have a recurrent herpes and that the first invasion preceded the current pregnancy. In this case you have probably developed low-weight antibodies (IgG) that cross the placenta, so that your baby is immunized: it is not unwise to give birth by the vaginal route. It would be different if the first invasion had occurred recently, while you are pregnant. In this case you would have developed only high-weight antibodies (IgM) that do not cross the placenta and that do not protect the baby in the womb.


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[sea_joy]

I'm not worrying about the babies position so much now, I've just decided to let her do whatever it is she is doing until she feels like moving. There's not too much I can do besides what I already am. And thanks for the lysine info too. My body tells me exactly when I'm stressing out by putting a cold sore on my face as if to say "hey! You're stressed out!"

I feel much better now,
Crystal

[SusannahM]

I took Lysine throughout much of my last pregnancy and throughout all of my current pregnancy (I'm due Feb 8). When I researched it, there really is nothing indicating it can't be used during pregnancy, it's really much more like a food than anything else, since it's an amino acid. I took 2 grams per day, since I had a mononucleosis recurrency during my first pregnancy (NOT fun, and it's a herpes virus, so L-Lysine works for it, too, as well as shingles, I might add). I took it this pregnancy to keep that from happening.

I also think the vitamin C + L-Lysine combo prevent stretchmarks because it helps your body to build collagen VERY easily, so you can accommodate all the stretching. I think that's why I didn't get any stretchmarks the last pregnancy, and why there's none so far this pregnancy, either.