Pineapple juice...

[buddabun]

Ok I was googling grapefruit juice to see what the magic ingredient was and got onto pineapple juice.

Now I go through about 750mls a day. I drink it like water as I find water too dull if I'm really dehydrated. I live in a hot country so am trying like mad not to dehydrate. I have read on a couple of other forums (bear in mind this is all third-hand info though) and have come up with the following:

she said she'd read somewhere that pineapples can bring on the start of labour and for three days before going into labour she ate fresh pineapple all the time and drank the juice.

I am not sure of this but it in South Asian countries they do not recommend pineapple juice, pappaya and sesame seeds, They could bring the periods quickly.

Having researched on the net & in many books, the "jury" is undecided on whether pineapple can help aid implantation...personally I believe it is the fresh pineapple that should be avoided - not canned or juice.

Fresh pineapple contains the enzyme bromelain (only small amount) which is believed to induce labour, although there is no scientific proof of this (you'd have to eat alot of fresh pineapples for this to happen I think !!!)
However, during the process of juicing/canning etc the enzyme is destroyed so "processed" pineapple should be fine (although everything in moderation !)
Pineapple also contains selenium which is one of the things that helps build up a healthy endometrium - which is what you want for implantation & to sustain a pregnancy. I've not stopped drinking pineapple juice!

Now there is a lot of conflicting info there but as I drink so much maybe it had something to do with my two m/cs?

Has anyone heard anything about pineapple juice? Have I been inadvertantly helping these babies leave?
Thanks

 

[HannahD]

I read that if you're pregnant and in the last stages and wanting to speed up the delivery time that eating fresh pineapple is advised ~ something about the chemical in it that gets things going (that's also found in sperm apparently!). But i've never read anything about contraindications in drinking the juice. I suppose it hasn't been studied medically so there's no scientific evidence of it.

As to whether it's been a contributing factor to your 2 m/c's I have no idea ~ have you asked your midwife about this?

Very interesting though. Are you going to stop drinking it?

 

[buddabun]

Thanks for replying Hannah

Firstly, I have no midwife. I am stuck in the arse end of nowhere when it comes to medical care (the routine stuff they can do fine and broken arms and the like are everyday but when it comes to someone answering your questions and explaining things to you, all I have is google). So there's no chance of asking anyone except the good old people I can find on t'internet

It's probably a long shot that it contributed to my m/cs and I know that in the early stages it is really likely to be a genetic abnormality etc etc but I think I will stop drinking it all the same. I like it, but not enough to potentially risk another miscarriage.

The juice I drink is 'not from concentrate' but is still not stored in the fridge section of the supermarket so I guess it's not fresh... it's the nicest stuff I could find anyway and still has pulp etc in it (a bit like your Tropicana when it comes to oj.. Which I am very particular about. I don't know. Mr B thinks I'm getting a little obsessed (he had 'that look' in his eye when I told him. Same as when I contemplated buying a BBT thermometer ) but I figure, it can't hurt to cut it out and even if it makes no difference it will give me peace of mind knowing I'm doing everything I can. I may even go looking for grapefruit juice ( ).

I know that a lot of this stuff is old wive's tales but there's often a basis of truth in them so with something as silly as not drinking my favourite juice I figure, what harm can it do? If my next pg does stick I won't be putting it down to the lack of juice but still, it may well have helped!

 

[HannahD]

That's completely understandable...when I got pregnant I stopped eating tuna, eggs, pate, etc just because even though the risk is so minimal I don't want anything to potentially harm my child.

Where do you live? will you have a midwife at all?

Blood orange juice is supposed to help your ewcm and tastes much nicer than pink grapefruit! I'll be trying that one.

Here's to our new year bfp's!!

 

[*elle*]

It's very popular to drink Pineapple Juice on IVF forums when you are in the 'stimulation' phase of the treatment. I drank the fresh stuff (unconcentrated) everyday as do a lot of women who are going through IVF. The reason is the small amount of Selenium in it, although it is questionable as to whether there is any point. I also ate Brazil nuts for the higher concentration of Selenium (or you could take a supplement).

So the stimulation phase is where you are building the lining of the womb to it's maximum thickness to encourage implantation. It is then generally accepted that once you have reached your test date to discontinue the Pineapple Juice, because of the possibility that it can causes Uterine contractions. From what I remember, the contraction in the 2ww also aid implantation - but I am not sure about this.

But like it said in the quote you found, you'd have to drink a lot of Pineapple to have any negative effects, and I was always told it was the core of the fruit, which contains the most Bromelain.

All I can say is I followed a lot of IVF tips from successful women on forums (like drinking the Pineapple, eating the Brazils, drinking a pint of full fat milk a day, protein shakes, evening primrose oil/Co Enzyme Q10/Vit E supplements etc) and I was successful first time IVF with twins! My clinic told me none of that stuff - it was all recommended by pregnant women.

Good luck

 

[buddabun]

Thanks guys (love the pic elle ).

To be honest I'm going to stop drinking the stuff as it can't do any harm. I'd rather not take the risk if you know what I mean. I stopped eating pate, shellfish, sushi, rare steaks (that one sucked) when I got pregnant both times - like you say the risk may well be minimal but it's hardly a big sacrifice on my part so why not take it?

I'm off to see what Selenium does now (apart from helping dandruff!)

Hannah I live in Brunei (S E Asia) for the next couple of years with Mr B's work. There are midwives but they literally only deal with the birth. I am lucky as a couple of the wives here (British) are midwives back in the UK and there are plenty of people with kids so I have a lot of knowledge I can tap. Obviously until I'm pregnant I don't want to be talking with them about it as this place is a hive for gossip and I don't really want my personal business passed around the coffee mornings if you will.

I know I might be clutching at straws here but I just want to do everything possible to prevent this happening again!