Did anyone go wheat/sugar free in the run up to the birth?

[Aubergenie]

I've just rediscovered my copy of Gentle Birth Method, which I haven't really followed during my pregnancy. Looking at what I should be doing from now on though, it suggests avoiding wheat and sugar. I don't eat a whole lot of either so it shouldn't be too hard and it's not too long to go now either (I'm 32 weeks), but I just wondered whether anyone had tried it and whether they feel it helped them to have an easier labour.

I'm trying that too (33 weeks with first). i had cut right down and cut both out around 3 weeks ago. its no real hardship so i thought i was worth a try!

What is the rationale behind it?

wheat and sugar make your tissues around the birth canal swell and get congested I recall - making birth harder.

i'm sorry but [hmmm] and double

I read the gentle birth method...then I laughed and tossed it in the charity bag.

No, but seriously, I actually do think a lot of that stuff is valid...it was just a bit much, and not really realistic for real people.

I think you should do it if it makes you feel better and more in control to do anything you think will help. That was a very garbled sentence, but I can't do any better.

But all her celebrity mums gain no more than 10 lbs in pregnancy and she has a much lower c/s rate, 10%, dontcha know...
I am equally sceptical. I got the book free and liked the idea but the rice milk and ayurvedic tinctures were too much for me (also had v quick labour and birth here).

sorry, 20lbs. Not 10. slip of the keyboard.

I got it free too! I wouldn't actually pay money for it!

But why do they make your fanjo tissues swell and not other tissues? I eat shedloads of both and have never noticed any swelling except in the backside

Of course if there is any proof this works I will definitely lay off the Mars Bars for a couple of weeks beforehand.

Errm no wheat here because DS aged 3 is coeliac. Don't know about 'tissue swelling' certainly had less ankle swelling than 1st pregnancy but also had a 9 pounder and although the birth was relatively natural (pethidine and gas and air) there was nothing gentle about it-still bloody painful

also would suggest that eating wheat + sugar makes sex more enjoyable as fanjo would be narrower.

i think the theory behind it is that the wheat causes water retention -have to say i haven't had any ankle swelling and i normally do in the heat of summer without being pregnant(i live in spain, its stinking hot) and sugar, i think was to avoid excessive weight gain. a lot of the other stuff was pretty hardcore but some parts seemed to make some sense and be adaptable to my lifestyle...