Conference moira::parenting_v3

    Anne, 
    
    I am so glad you entered this note. I'm pregnant with my second and my
    doctor here (England) didn't seem to have an opinion (or knowledge)
    either way. My ob/gyn at home basically said they "don't know" the
    effects so limit it. Limit for a 10 can a day addict may mean only 5 a
    day!! I did stay away from it with my first, although I wasn't a
    perfect angel (maybe one diet soda a day when I got sick of flavored
    waters). I plan on talking to the nurse practitioner or mid-wife about
    it.
    
    I'd love to hear any current information/research about Nutra Sweet and
    any other recent food "inventions" we may be eating.
    
    Thanks in advance,
    Andrea

    Hi,
    
    I was told by my Dr. not to have any nutrasweet at all during
    pregnancy.  She said that it is still being researched so they
    aren't sure how (if) it affects the fetus.  I figure it's not
    such an awful thing to live without for 9 months so why take
    the chance?  I enjoy water with lemon so much now that I think
    I'll continue with it instead of diet soda after I deliver also.
    
    Megan
     

I read (in the insert that comes with Monistat cream) that eating sugar and
artificial sweeteners can help to cause yeast infections -- not the
kind of thing you want to be encouraging while your pregnant especially
since you are more prone to them at that time anyway.

-Amy

    When I was pregnant last year, my OB told me to stay away from
    Nutrasweet.  This wasn't a problem for me since I avoid artificial
    sweeteners as much as possible anyway. 
    
    He said that they're working on a detailed study that should give
    some more definitive answers soon, but meanwhile it was safer to
    avoid it.  Apparently the effects they've found are much stronger
    in children than in adults, which implies that fetuses might be
    even more subject to the effects.  
    
    There's also some kind of congenital enzyme digestion problem
    (PKE????) that causes some people to be unable to digest
    Nutrasweet and related chemicals; nobody knows whether unborn
    babies are subject to this problem, and there's no way to tell
    which babies will be born with it.  So even though if it's all
    right for 99% of babies, there might be some who are harmed by it.  
    
    --bonnie

    re. -.1
    The disorder you were talking about, Bonnie, is called PKU, which is
    short for Phenylketonuria. It is the inability to digest the protein
    Phenyalanine, which is the primary ingredient in Nutrasweet. It is
    something which is routinely checked for right after birth, because,
    undetected can lead to severe mental retardation. Most women would
    never know it is checked for..its done with a minute heel prick blood
    sample, and you wouldn't be told if it was negative, only positive,
    unless (hopefully) if you asked. it is fairly rare (no stats on
    it...sorry). But my wife (the source for above info) also had heard
    they were studying what effects it may have on babies born with PKU
    who were exposed to Nutrasweet in the pre-born stage. She was advised
    to avoid it anyway, with all 3 kids.
    
    --dave--

    A relative, who is an epileptic, was advised against consuming
    Aspartame (Nutrasweet) because it may increase the incidence of
    seizures.  This may be the reason Drs. suggest staying away from it,
    since it may cause seizures in the developing fetus???
    My Dr. said if I could live without it, do so.Sa
    Sarah
    
    

    re: .5
    
    Yes, that's what I was trying to remember.  Thanks for filling it
    in for me.  I knew they tested for it and it was rare, but I just
    couldn't remember the details. 
    
    re: .6
    
    Since pregnant women are at an increased risk for having seizures
    themselves, it might be for the mother as well as the fetus.
    
    --bonnie

	Minor nit.  The PKU test is not a minute pinprick.  The have to make a 
small incision in the heel or a toe and squeeze out enough blood to saturate 4 
nickel-sized circles on a piece of paper.  I had the "joy" of witnessing this 
test the *second* time it was given to Katie.  (The hospital nursery did not 
get enough blood to get conclusive results, so we had to have the Pediatrician 
repeat the test. :-( )

	My OB did not tell me to not use it.  (And I did ask.)  But I restricted 
it to about 1 can a day of soda.  

Tracey 

    I should think that the more you can restrict refined sugar, etc.,
    during the pregnancy, the better off you and baby will be.  I
    personally do not care for diet soda.  Never have and never will.
    I mean, I _tried_ to like Tab (precursor of Diet Coke) and couldn't.
    So the opinion from this corner is, restrict it to the best of your
    ability.
    
    Kate

    
    If you really need a sweetener, stick with sugar. We know what it
    is, and where it comes from. Artifical sweetener does people no
    good, saves a few calories, maybe. But big deal, a teaspoon of sugar
    has only 16 calories, we can work it off by taking a couple flights
    of stairs. 
    
    Soda is really not recommended during pregnancy since it helps
    to retain water. I know it is easy for me to say because I don't
    like soda, mainly because I never had it at home when I was little
    and I never got used to the bubbles in it and the corrosion on 
    my teeth! My kid gets to drink soda maybe 4 times a year and she can't
    stand the bubbles either!
    
    Eva. 
    
     

    
    This is an old note...has anyone heard any more on this?
    
    I'm 5 weeks along, and tried to find something in my books 
    regarding this, but they did not list aspartame nor
    nutrasweet as cautions...
    
    I LOVE diet sodas but HATE regular sodas...
    
    thanks for any update, Kristen

    
    re. 11
    
    Maybe it's time to give up soda altogther....;-)
    
    I think soda is the ultimate junk drink...in the same class
    as Tang and Kool-Aid.
    
    
    
    Eva

    You're right this is old!  and for that reason I can't remember if I
    said this already.  During both my pregnancies I did cold cereal and
    coffee for breakfast.  Two packets in the cereal, one in the coffe,
    plus one packet for whatever number of coffee or tea I had during the
    day.  No real problems I ever noticed, except that nutrisweet sends AJ
    flying, so we'd rather use real sugar for him now, for the few times he
    gets added sugar!!
    
    Lyn

    My ob's advise was the same as most other things when you're pregnant.
    	
    If you have a glass (or can) of diet soda once a day during your 
    pregnancy - no harm done.  If you drink a six pack of diet soda daily for
    the duration of your pregnancy you MAY be at risk for ___________.
    If other words - "We don't know that much about it....., moderation 
    is the key".  
    
    I've also heard of OB's who pretty much forbid the use of diet soda
    (nutrasweet) and others who give no limitations whatsoever.  Check with
    your doctor or call - most have nurses who are available to answer any
    question you may have.
                                                                          

    One of the reasons for caution relative to nutrasweet is that it
    can be harmful to people with certain physical conditions, and
    there's no way to tell ahead of time if your baby is going to be
    one of those people.  I gather that nutrasweet doesn't cross the
    placenta all that readily, but since I was avoiding such long-used
    "natural" chemicals as caffeine and alcohol, I couldn't see any
    good reason to ingest something that had only been around for a
    few years. 
    
    I drank a lot of plain water.  Also carbonated spring water mixed
    with fruit juice.  
    
    --bonnie

    	I was told to completely avoid any Nutrasweet. I know that I,
    personally, have reactions to the chemical (I break out in
    canker-sores) and so I know that it is strong and alters my body
    chemistry somehow.

    	There are various reports out there (some still going on) that are
    essentially inconclusive. Much of the reason that no concrete results
    are found is that the sugar industry is trying to find it harmful while
    the Nutrasweet industry is trying to prove that it is harmless. Both
    industries stand to either win or lose a lot financially and
    politically, hence the debate.

    	There appears to be circumstantial evidence that *excessive*
    Nutrasweet *may* harm fetal and early childhood brain development. I
    heard a story on the radio once, where a woman determined not to expose
    her child to high concentrations of sugar weaned the child onto
    Nutrasweet sweetened Kool-Aid. By age two the once healthy child was
    suffering from permanent brain seizures and the Doctor being
    interviewed seemed pretty sure that there was a direct correlation
    between the Nutrasweet and the brain damage.

    	As with all things, moderation is the key but avoidance (it's only
    for a little while) is probably better (said she who broke down a few
    times and had a *real* cup of coffee even though she swore she was not
    going to have caffeine)

    			Wendy

    re: .16  
    
    I suppose if you have a definite reaction, the chances of your
    child inheriting that reaction would be pretty high. 
    
    Strictly tongue in cheek . . .
    
    When I was pregnant with Kat 18 years ago, nobody ever suggested
    you shouldn't drink coffee.  I avoided it for a while to see if it
    was aggravating my nausea (it wasn't) and then went back to
    drinking my usual 6-7 cups a day.  
    
    But for both Steven and David I cut out caffeine almost entirely,
    not just coffee but chocolate and colas too.
    
    Oddly, Kat is the quiet organized one.  David and Steven regularly
    bounce off the walls.  And I sometimes wonder, if I had drunk more
    coffee while I was pregnant, would they be calmer now???? :) :) :)
    
    --bonnie

    Along the same lines as a few other notes - I heard
    through my childbirth instructor that the evidence is
    not concrete yet but the is a **chance** that it could
    harm brain development - especially the "curiosity" 
    portion of the brain.
    
    Since there wasn't clear proof, still a lot of questions, 
    etc.  I chose to avoid using it - 9 months isn't that long
    and I felt better safe then sorry.
    
    Kara
    

    I will agree with a previous noter who suggested alternatives.
    For the most part I drank club soda, and would have a regular cola
    only when trying to run away from a migraine (caffiene + sugar +
    carbonation seemed to do the trick). I tried to avoid nutrasweet for
    the most part (knowing when I had a sweet thing that I'd pay the
    dieter's price afterwards -- and I am...)
    
    I can well sympathize with pregnant sweet-tooths....
    
    Monica
    
    

    I'm diabetic and had no choice about it ..... used nutrasweet
    throughout my pregnancy, and didn't notice any problems with it or in
    Jason.  I was careful to be sure that I didn't use a LOT (more than 3-4
    sodas-worth/day), but other than that didn't pay a lot of attention.
    
    

re .20:

>    I'm diabetic and had no choice about it 

I'm not trying to sound self-righteous, but...

you don't *have* to drink soda.  If you really can't live without the stuff,
you can always drink flavored seltzer, which has no sweeteners at all.

    
    Well you see, I think that that's one of the problems. The issue with
    Nutrasweet seems to be circumstantial at best, there will always be
    people who have taken Nutrasweet during their pregnancy with no ill
    effect, just as there will always be people who can take aspirin with
    no ill effect.
    
    	Then there are the others who get stomach ulcers from taking
    aspirin.
    
    	Just as there are others who claim ill effects from Nutrasweet
    during and after pregnancy.
    
    	Obviously, if you can't avoid an artifically sweetner then you must
    make due. If you can avoid any kind of "artificial anything" during
    pregnancy, prudence dictates that it would be a wise move.
    
    			Wendy

    You might find it helpful to get some guidelines on amounts to drink
    daily. In Massachusetts there's a Pregnancy Environmental Hotline you
    can call, where they'll answer your questions both verbally and in
    writing (follow-up is about 3-4 weeks later). They might tell you the
    "recommended" limit of nutrasweet and/or soda per day.  I was surprised
    when they told me that the recommendation for caffeine is 2 cups or
    less per day - I thought it was to be avoided altogether. My dr.
    confirmed what they said, so I felt less guilty about having a coke
    once in a while!  But they can tell you what studies have been done
    about various things, or what's being researched.