Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Thanksgiving ended on a sour note for me!

Hi StephS -

There is something you can do about the spotting. There are several possible causes of spotting during pregnancy - one is very easy to solve. I read your post and I felt compelled to tell you about this! Not many people let alone medical professionals know about this solution. (I am a RN.)

Women's fertility, ability to maintain a pregnancy and menstrual cycles can all be affected by light pollution at night. Many women who have had irregular cycles, several miscarriages or difficulty conceiving find success after adequately darkening their sleeping area. If you intervene quickly and maintain the darkness throughout the pregnancy, you should be able to carry the baby to term (if this is the cause of your spotting).

Here's how:

Your bedroom is dark enough if 15 minutes (gives your eyes time to adjust) after you turn off the lights your room is completely dark. You should NOT be able to make out objects in the room (furniture, fabric patterns, etc.) You should only be able to navigate your room only by feeling your way very slowly.

Possible sources of light pollution are drapes or blinds that do not adequately cover your windows, skylights, alarm clock liquid crystal displays, hall lights, nightlights, etc. Just simply cover them up, tape over them or put a towel under your door.

Fabric stores sell blackout fabric that you could tack up over your windows at night. Make sure that the edges don't allow light to leak in. I have found that thick black polar fleece works well too. I keep my alarm clock on the floor just under my bed so the light does not reach my eyes. Since my room is so dark, I keep a small flashlight on my nighstand in case I have to get up to go to the bathroom.

You should not see light in your room until about 7 am. It should not be a bright beam of light, but more of a diffuse soft glow.

After implementing these changes most couples find that they sleep better as well as the above mentioned health benefits. After darkening their children's sleeping areas many children sleep better too!

I know that this sounds a bit crazy to some, but it really is true. I have literature on this topic and it has scientific backing. Light pollution at night does affect hormonal balance in women and therefore effects fertility, ability to maintain a pregnancy and menstrual cycles.

StephS - I am praying for you and your baby. I too have lost a baby to miscarriage and it is very difficult. I hope that you have found this helpful. You have nothing to lose by trying (except the cost of the fabric and the time it takes to move or cover light producing items in your room). It is a minor inconvenience at first, but you will get used to it.

Anybody who reads this please feel free to contact me if you have further questions.

Sincerely,

LittleLamb

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