Chewable Prenatal?? « Back to Group Discussions

[sere234]

Okay, so I've been chewing my kiddo's vitamins for about a week now. Can't swallow mine even when I'm not nauseous... Can anyone recommend a good prenatal chewable? I was taking Rainbow Light and hopefully will again in a few weeks. Until then I figure I should take something other than a toddler vitamin!

[Dealea86]

I have a hard time swallowing pills even when I'm not pregnant, so if I don't have a chewable prenatal, I will not get my vitamins down. When I was pregnant with Pearl, I asked my midwife about this and she said I should take two Flinstones chewables (or equivalent). This time around, there are more options available, and I'm taking a gummy prenatal. VitaFusion has a gummy prenatal, and so does my local grocery store. It doesn't have many minerals (iron, calcium, etc), but that's OK by me. I take an extra calcium chew and I eat foods high in iron. If the lack of minerals bothers you, go the Flinstones route and supplement with a gummy omega-3. HTH 

[finnegansmom]

Are any of the chewables/gummy ones vegan?

Also my mouth started watering in that gaggy way just reading through this thread...LOL...I suffer each night gagging my prenatal down.

[Dealea86]

Not the ones I have, no. They have fish oil in them. Also, lots of them are made with gelatin or bees wax, and I don't think either of those are vegan, right?

You might see if either of these brands carries a prenatal?

[CindyCindy]

Are the flinestones food based or biovailable?  http://www.nutritional-supplement-truths.com/bioavailability-of-nutritional-supplements.html

[Dealea86]

Oh, I seriously doubt Flinstone vitamins are bioavailable. I should have specified that my midwife was suggesting I take a children's chewable vitamin like  Flinstone's. That's the brand she mentioned, but that was probably because they're the stereotypical children's vitamin. I believe what I actually took was a children's chewable I got at the health food store.

[finnegansmom]

Dealea, thanks for the link.  I'll check those out.  I think I have another week or two left in my rainbow lights and I'll need some new ones....I suffer taking these, so looking forward to making a switch.  thanks again!

[CindyCindy]

Originally Posted by Dealea86 

Oh, I seriously doubt Flinstone vitamins are bioavailable. I should have specified that my midwife was suggesting I take a children's chewable vitamin like  Flinstone's. That's the brand she mentioned, but that was probably because they're the stereotypical children's vitamin. I believe what I actually took was a children's chewable I got at the health food store.

Thanks for clarifying!!  I know that you really want to get a good vitamin, or else it's really pointless to take.  Luckily I have no issues swallowing or keeping down the horse pills.
 

[JudiAU]

For what it is worth, I checked our the gummies our kids take (Whole Foods private label) and they would not meet the folic acid requirement even if you double the dose. If I recall correctly they are actual vegan but I didn't double check this a.m. You'd need to triple the dose.

My midwife did confirm that is was fine to take the children's version but cautioned to double check folic acid.

[Dealea86]

Yes, that's a good point. This was all so long ago... I've forgetten so much, but I remember my midwife stressing to me to double check the folic acid, and if it wasn't enough to supplement with a folic acid pill. Compared to the size of a regular prenatal, a folic acid pill is nothing. I could swallow those no problem. But I think the chewable I took back then had enough, because I don't remember taking extra. And any gummy or chewable prenatal vitamin (not children's vitamin) should have enough folic acid already.
 

Originally Posted by JudiAU 

For what it is worth, I checked our the gummies our kids take (Whole Foods private label) and they would not meet the folic acid requirement even if you double the dose. If I recall correctly they are actual vegan but I didn't double check this a.m. You'd need to triple the dose.

My midwife did confirm that is was fine to take the children's version but cautioned to double check folic acid.

[CindyCindy]

I'm gonna risk being a total pain and say, make sure the folic acid is a form of B9 folate.  ;)  There is a huge difference between folic acid and folate!  :D  http://www.naturalnews.com/033273_folate_folic_acid.html and http://chriskresser.com/folate-vs-folic-acid

I realize many of you might already know this, but I wanted to point it out for those who don't.

[sere234]

Originally Posted by CindyCindy 

I'm gonna risk being a total pain and say, make sure the folic acid is a form of B9 folate.  ;)  There is a huge difference between folic acid and folate!  :D  http://www.naturalnews.com/033273_folate_folic_acid.html and http://chriskresser.com/folate-vs-folic-acid

I realize many of you might already know this, but I wanted to point it out for those who don't.

Ugh. I really hate that 1st trimester is the time when the baby needs nutrients the most but my stomach won't let me eat my normal healthy diet!

[CindyCindy]

Originally Posted by sere234 

Ugh. I really hate that 1st trimester is the time when the baby needs nutrients the most but my stomach won't let me eat my normal healthy diet!

  It really sucks.  I am not throwing up, but I don't want to eat anything.  So I feel like I have to take a vitamin to keep some nutrients in me.