Sonja: Ice-Crunching in Pregnancy! ('s post)

[Guest guest]

Dear Sonja:

I know you're trying to conceive....and I also know you are a reformed

pagophagic,

(i.e., ice chewer)as well :-)........

Well, 's post about craving ice during all of her five pregnancies got

me thinking. I seem to also remember hearing this same complaint from some of

my (non-anemic)friends during their pregnancies.

The craving to ice-crunch IN PREGNANCY must have something to do with dental

problems (specifically gum inflamation) commonly appearing during pregnancy.

As with iron-deficiency anemia, the need to ice-crunch must be a need to soothe

tender, inflamed gum tissue.

According to the article below, the HORMONAL culprits during pregnancy

causing these GG " Gestational Gingival " =pregnancy gums) changes are. . . high

levels

of estrogen and progesterone during the second to the eighth month or so.

http://www.ivillage.co.uk/pregnancyandbaby/pregnancy/concernpreg/qas/0,,11_158

591,00.html

I know if YOU should re-encounter this problem when YOU become pregnant,

(which I hope is VERY SOON!!), you'll know WHY--and know HOW (and WHY) to avoid

giving in to the ice craving!!! :-)

I suppose the key to avoiding dental/gum problems in pregnancy is heightened

care of one's gums....and warm salt water rinses/gargles.

If all of those measures fail, Sonja, you may have to start a " Pregnant

Pagophagic " support group to keep you " ice-crunching abstinent " during those

nine

months!!!

Meantime, Sonja,... Wishing you.....

Favorable (and Fast!) Fruitful Fibroid-Free Fertility Forces for you... From

your Fibroid Forum Friend,

Roma

-----------------------------------------------------------

Oh, thank you Roma!

I hope your post reaches as many ice crunchers as possible. Those of us who

were there at one time or many times know how habitual ice crunching can

become. We don't even realize we're doing it until either a friend tells us

it bothers them or we find ourselves ordering a beverage with 10% liquid and

the rest filled with ice.

Some of us even went as far as specifying the type of ice that was the

crunchiest: " Do you have crushed ice instead of ice cubes? " Akkk!!! Anemia

can sneak up on you for sure! And it is so good to be able to put a name to

the ice crunching habit.

So to restate your insistence...

ANEMIC WOMEN OF THE LIST...TAKE YOUR IRON SUPPLEMENTS!!!

The addition of iron to your daily diet is very important when you have low

levels of hemoglobin caused from your fibroids bleeding abnormally heavily.

Ask your doctor what dosage is right for you. It's amazing how fast you'll

begin to feel better once you start taking it. That ice cube craving will

disappear and you'll find yourself pouring a beverage of 90% liquid, and it

will suddenly dawn on you... no more ice crunching! Whoohooo! I won't dread

going to the dentist the next time.

Thanks again Roma for your supportive words. You are such a wonderful

resource for all of us here.

My best,

:)Sonja