I'm getting a pink mouthpiece for labor!

mopsie · December 2009

So for the past 18 months, I've been working with a company that makes performance-enhancing mouthpieces for athletes. The mouthpiece lowers your body's production of stress hormones by preventing your jaw from clenching all the way down, and up til now it's been mostly used by athletes to increase their endurance and strength during games... but recently they've discovered that lowering your body's stress hormones also helps with labor - it speeds up labor, increases uterine contractions, decreases pain, and apparently leads to calmer babies. So typically the mouthpieces are yellow, but I asked the CEO if I could get a pink one if I wear it during childbirth and he said yes! (The CEO's wife wore one for her last pregnancy and he's so happy to hear I'm gonna wear one, too) I'm so psyched! I've fit a couple pregnant women and they've all said their labors were fast and (relatively) painless, so I think it's worth a shot! I've been wearing it throughout my pregnancy so far and any time I felt queasy I'd pop it in and I'd feel better almost immediately. Not sure what the scientific reason for that is (if any), but hey - if it works, it works!!!

If anyone else wants to try one out, let me know and I'll see if we can get you one too!

Oh, and as crazy as this sounds, DH and I were both wearing ours when we conceived LO... studies have shown that high levels of stress hormones are linked to infertility, so we figured it was worth a shot (as unsexy as it sounds), and we got pregnant right away! (Note: this is not a bulky mouthguard, but a thin plastic retainer with little plastic wedges in the back)

minaa7 · December 2009

Oh my gosh this sounds awesome!! I am really interested! Let me know if I should send a PM or what - I want to know more!!!

mopsie · December 2009

minaa7:
Oh my gosh this sounds awesome!! I am really interested! Let me know if I should send a PM or what - I want to know more!!!

PM me! Nice to see the Boston girls know a good thing when they see one Smile

RunningMamaH · December 2009

It is so funny that you posted this. Yesterday I was talking to my dentist (after breaking my 3rd tooth so far this pregnancy) and he said I carry so much stress in my jaw that for labor I might want to wear a sports mouthgaurd so as not to break any more teeth

?I thought it sounded like a good idea. I will send you a PM about it.

smorzandoj · December 2009

I want one. Do you have to be fitted or does any mouthpiece work the same??

mopsie · December 2009

smorzandoj:
I want one. Do you have to be fitted or does any mouthpiece work the same??

You have to be fit by a dentist, then the lab makes it. They typically cost $500 each, but I'm trying to convince the CEO that I want to do a "study" to see how it helps women during labor so they can delve into the birthing market in addition to sports... so if that's the case, they may let me get a group of women to get free ones. I'm gonna call him early next week to push my idea based on how many women on here are interested, but if we get the go-ahead, you'd just have to find a dentist who can take a set of impressions for you, and I'll take care of the rest. This is the same company that makes the Under Armour performance mouthpieces, so there are dentists all around the country who are signed up to be able to make them. PM me if you're interested!

mopsie · December 2009

For those of you who are PMming me, the Bump won't let me send messages back... if you can PM me your email address, I can send you an e-mail with more info. Thanks!

ReeCPC · December 2009

I am intrested! But I don't know how to send you a PM Surprise

urbanwifey · December 2009

I have my invisalign retainer (which covers the entire row of teeth on top and bottom. I'm planning to bring it because I did a lot of painful clenching last time!

I am LOLing sex with a mouth guard it. He he!

Pytko7 · December 2009

this sound very intersting. You will have to let us know what comes of conviceing them for you to do a study for them. I used to clench my teeth alot and used to wear a night gaurd

mopsie · December 2009

This is what it looks like (for those of you who are interested):

CrysBo79 · December 2009

Hmmm...I have a mouth guard to wear at night because I clench my jaw, do you think it'd work the same? Thanks for sharing!

sweetestlove · December 2009

mopsie:
For those of you who are PMming me, the Bump won't let me send messages back... if you can PM me your email address, I can send you an e-mail with more info. Thanks!

It won't let me send a private message??

allyandpat2010 · December 2009

At first reading this I honestly thought omg.. How dorky.. Lol don't hold it against me... I am thinking the mouthguards I see like ufc fighters wear and I was thinking sexy time with one of those in. My dentist and DH say I grit my teeth at nite- maybe something like this would help?

mopsie · December 2009

Yeah... definitely wouldn't have done the football player's mouthguard in the bedroom, but this one is really thin and you barely notice it. In terms of clenching/grinding at night, these aren't really meant for that, though I sometimes swap it out for my normal hard nightguard when I need a good night's sleep (for some reason I sleep like a baby when I wear it). If you have a regular nightguard that's comfortable, that should help with labor, if you're willing to wear it! It does basically the same thing (i.e. stretching the jaw muscles and prevents you from clenching).