>OK, anyone have an explanation for this one???  As my childbirth class
>teacher said, "Tums are okay to take during pregnancy, but not while
>you're breastfeeding".  I haven't heard that one before!


What does she mean by "Tums are okay"?  Does she mean safe?  They are
certainly safe with breastfeeding.  Or does she mean they are okay for a
calcium supplement?  My recommendation is that they aren't okay for a ca.
supplement at any time.  They are an antacid and calcium needs an acidic
environment for assimilation.  And we always need a ratio of 2/1
calcium/magnesium for optimal utilization.

In light of this I would not recommend them during pregnancy either, as we
need optimal ca/mag utilization in pregnancy,as well as during
breastfeeding. And routine neutralizing of stomach acids interferes with
optimal nutrition.

Some women are advised by their docs to take Tums for added calcium to
prevent osteoporosis.  This is a result of a most effective ad campaign by
the manufacturer when osteoporosis became the health concern of the year.
Most physicians weren't eager to recommend a nutritional supplement (too
fringy) so the Tums manufacturer moved in to fill the void.  Medical
education by advertisement again.

These women are actually delivering less calcium to their bones than if they
did nothing.

If the concern in pregnancy is indigestion, I'm sure there are remedies that
don't interfere with proper digestion, which is dependent upon the natural
acidity of the stomach.

Patricia Gima,IBCLC
Milwaukee

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