Family Birth

While attending a birth this weekend, I witnessed an amazing woman birth with such grace it brought us all in attendance to tears. Her most used phrase was- “I am so excited! I am going to be holding my baby soon!” When those last contractions just before pushing became so almost unbearably strong, she would say-“I love these powerful contractions cuz I know he’s almost here”. The blessing of experience and perspective. Interpreting her body’s sensations in such a positive way made her journey a joy. Such a great reminder for life. I’m always learning from my Mommas.

Received this email today This is a great resource>

October 2, 2020

MotherToBaby Utah

As we come into the cold and flu season, many moms are looking for ways to ‘boost’ their immunity to prevent colds and flu. Toward that end, many turn to extra vitamins or other dietary supplements and herbs.

It is important to understand the drawbacks of these products. Since 1994, these products have been regulated as if they are foods. They have to prove they do not contain bacteria, such as salmonella, e coli, etc. They do not have to prove safety beyond that. They are supposed to list all ingredients, active or otherwise. They do not, however, have to disclose the dose, part of the plant or any other specifics about the ingredients. For more on this go to: https://mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets/herbal-products-pregnancy/

Because of this loose regulation, the labels of dietary supplements, herbs, etc., are often inaccurate. The last time the Poison Centers across the country tested them, the lowest rate at which the labeling was wrong was 60% of the time. And individual brands and individual products within those brands could be as high as 98% inaccurate.

This is the main reason these products can’t be studied for safety in pregnancy or breastfeeding. No one actually knows what’s in them. From one bottle to the next, they can contain different ingredients. In the same bottle, each pill or capsule can contain different ingredients.

At MotherToBaby Utah, we explain this issue to our clients when they ask about any of these products. We get questions about dietary supplements or herbs at least once a day; usually more than once.

For more specific and detailed information on individual meds, contact MotherToBaby Utah’s Pregnancy Risk Line at:

Phone: 800-822-2229 or 801-328-2229 (You can refer your patients to us also, if you wish)

Text: 855-999-3525

Chat: www.mothertobaby.utah.gov

Email: [email protected]