Whether it is baby number 1 or 4 our pregnancies can be so different bub to bub. Pregnancy comes with big changes to our body. Ensuring we keep up with the demands of growing our little human is so important. If we are trying to fall pregnant there is always a lot of talk about folate, but we don’t hear much about anything else. The increased requirement for other micronutrients to support falling pregnant, and then carrying our growing bub, is significant. Magnesium is one of these micronutrients that is important during pregnancy.

Studies suggest links to magnesium deficiency with gestational diabetes, preterm labour and preeclampsia. There is around a 20% loss of Magnesium excreted through the kidneys during pregnancy. Therefore ensuring the pregnant woman is focusing on a high magnesium diet and a high quality supplement is essential. Some big indicators you may be lacking in this magic mineral may be – Morning Sickness, Leg Cramps, muscle spasms and difficulty sleeping.

Morning Sickness (or All Day Sickness)

The cause of morning sickness is not yet completely understood. What we do know is as progesterone increases our magnesium levels decrease. Increased levels of progesterone and estrogen can contribute to the feeling of nausea and vomiting. According to Dr Carolyn Dean, Author of The Magnesium Miracle, fluctuating hormones affect our magnesium levels. Many women find that by restoring their magnesium levels through diet and supplementation, morning sickness symptoms can reduce.

Our blood sugar levels can dip during pregnancy and with this dip can come the feeling of morning sickness. Magnesium is known to balance cortisol levels which is the primary hormone that influences our blood sugar levels. Therefore, enough magnesium is going to balance our cortisol and in turn stabilise our blood sugar levels. And this can then minimise our dear friend morning sickness.  On top of balancing our blood sugar, supplementing with magnesium will ensure we are topping up our stores as our progesterone levels increase.

Making sure we get some ZZZ’s (while we can they say)

This isn’t just an issue which effects pregnant women, however as the little bump grows sleep can become very disrupted (sometimes non existent). Topical magnesium for pregnant woman is a safe way to aide in quieting the mind. It can ease those aches and pains (helloooo stretching belly and ligament pain) and increase sleep efficiency. Salt Lab magnesium Oil has been dubbed a pregnant woman’s BFF for a reason 😉

Magnesium and Leg Cramps

One of Magnesium’s biggest accolades is it helps relax those muscles. You will often hear of people using a magnesium supplement post workout to reduce DOMS. There was never a truer word spoken. One of magnesium’s top 5 general functions is to relax muscles. So when those mid night calf cramps hit, make sure your bottle of Magnesium Oil is close by.  And as mentioned earlier, leg cramping during pregnancy can be an indicator you are deficient in magnesium (and potentially some other key minerals that work hand in hand with Magnesium, such as, Potassium, Calcium, Sodium).

Topical magnesium application has been proven to significantly reduce these painful cramps. You can massage Magnesium Oil directly onto the cramping muscles when they hit for fast relief, We also recommend applying directly onto your belly and night before bed to help prevent the visit of the dreaded cramp all together.

 ~Clementine Boshevski, Salt Lab Founder and MD