# excessive amniotic fluid -- natural remedies?



## starbarrett

My midwife is concerned that I have too much amniotic fluid. I had an ultrasound, and while it's not high enough to qualify as "high risk", it is still on the high end.

I happen to believe that *everything* having to do with the body can be remedied with nutrition or exercise. So this automatically leads me to ask if anyone knows if there is anything I can do to lower my amniotic fluid? Teas? Foods? Exercises?


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## pamamidwife

um, it could be just a variation that is NORMAL for this pregnancy and baby.









Also, the measurements are subjective - based on the tech, the position of baby, etc. If it's not something that is causing you to measure way ahead, I'd consider it normal.


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## starbarrett

It's causing me to measure somewhat ahead. At 34 wks and 5 days, I measured not quite 38cm. My midwife sent me to get an ultrasound, and according to it, ds is big 6lbs 6oz already (us measurements to be taken with a grain of salt as I understand it). Ds was breech at the mw apt, though he is usually head down and was head down for the us. MW is concerned that the excess fluid is preventing him from engaging and staying head down. WDYT pamamidwife? Not so normal? Normal enough?


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## nfpmom

What was your AFI? Its a number... "normal" is between 5-25 cm.
I was diagnosed with too much fluid this last pregnancy- I was measuring 40 cm at 33 weeks.
I went and got an ultrasound and all was well with the baby but the estimated fetal weight was 6 lb 15 oz at 34 weeks. Too much fluid can be due to a big baby... my AFI was usually in the 31 cm range (which is high)
Anyway, AFAIK there is nothing one can do to reduce it naturally.
It can also be a symptom of gestational diabetes. But most likely it is do to a "bigger' baby or due to nothing...

I went into labor at 39 weeks, it started with my water breaking. I leaked a lot of fluid, obviously, but other than that nothing else was wrong. I did end up with a RCS for a posterior 9 lb baby (failed VBAC) but that had nothing to do with the fluid







the only worry is that too much fluid can increase your risk of cord prolapse or placental abruption, but those are rare occurances and most likely all is well. If your AFI were some crazy number, like in the 40s or whatnot, that would be more of a concern.

take care


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## mom2threenurslings

I've had "excessive fluid" with all my pregnancies - never quite enough for a polyhydramnios diagnosis, but close. I've had three successful vaginal births (the first medicated because I knew nothing...the second two completely natural). My water broke 5 hours before my first was born, 2 hrs 46 minutes before my second was born, and as I was pushing my third out.

I haven't had an ultrasound this pregnancy, but have been measuring 3-5 weeks "ahead" for the past few months. Neither my midwives nor I are concerned. This just seems to be how I grow babies!

There can be some concern about baby being and remaining head down, but frankly I don't worry about that until I'm IN LABOR! That's when it's important.

My babies flip around all over the place until they're born - 4 days before my dd was born she was transverse. The biggest "problem" I've had with baby's position was when dd was born and she was head down, but was ROA while I was in labor and didn't quite turn all the way into the correct position. I had to change positions a few times while pushing to get her into a good position, but even so, I only pushed for about 18 minutes.


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## starbarrett

My AFI is 22.something. It's not enough to qualify for a polyhydromios diagnosis, but it's borderline.

I'm worried about it because my midwife is worried about it enough to perhaps risk me out of a homebirth. If baby is still bouncing around and not engaging by my due date, then she's going to suggest an induction at the hospital when baby is known to be head down. She's not willling to risk a breech homebirth. And I'm not into the idea of an induced labor, nor do I want to change midwives, so I'm seeing what I can do about this amniotic fluid.

From my research, it looks like women with gestational diabetes often have polydrominos. I don't have gd, but I do have a history of hypoglycemia and I have been eating more carbs and sugar than normal. I think I'll put myself on a gd friendly diet and see if that helps.

More exercise can't hurt. Nor can pregnancy tea.


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## pamamidwife

Not abnormal enough. I consider anything more than 5cm a reason to look more closely, but with too much fluid, you would feel it. It's hard to palpate baby, etc.

It sounds like you're a normal woman who is varying from the very linear ruler measurement of her fundus. Which is totally fine.

However, I worry that your midwife is concerned. Does she never have moms measure higher without any good reason (no unusually big babies, no twins, no polyhydramnios, no fibroids)???? I do - all the time~


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## nfpmom

I wasn't risked out of homebirth and my AFI was 31 cm. My MW too said that unless its really bad its not a concern, and that she wouldn't need an ultrasound to determine "really bad"- she would be able to tell by feeling (baby would be hard to palpate, ballotable, etc etc)
take care
elaine


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