Pre-natals

[mommamin]

What is everyone taking?

I was taking a food based multi-vitamin, with herb and minerals and then I went to WF this past weekend and picked up some. The only thing is you have to take three in the morning after breakfast and three in the evening after dinner!:

[Shell_Ell]

I'm taking generic prenatals from Target. I've been taking them for a lonnnng time. LOL

[Jilian]

I'm taking prenatals put out by the march of dimes. I got them at my dr's office about 6 mos ago and have been taking them ever since. They're almost gone and I'm considering switching brands because I'm not sure if this one has enough folic acid. I'm gonna ask my midwife what brand she suggests at my appointment next week.

[sally Z]

I am taking a genral preggy vit and then extra folic acid, i was going to ask if anyone knew the ammount of FA one should be taking i hear the genral 400 is not enough.
Oh and flax seed oil

[irises]

I am taking the Whole Foods brand Prenatal Multi. It's only one pill a day, but I checked the contents against several pregnancy nutrition books, and it seems to have good amounts of everything and no dyes, addititives, etc. It only lacks sufficient calcium/magnesium, so I am going to start adding that. I also want to take some fish oil but can't stand the fishy aftertaste. Blech.

I believe 800 mcg folic acid is what's generally recommended.

[Cersha]

I'm pretty sure in pregnancy you are supposed to take 800 mg of Folic Acid. 400 is the amount all women of childbearing age are supposed to take. I'm fairly certain it doubles in pregnancy.

I'm taking Nature's Plus Prenatal- (I got it at my health food store-it's vegan), and I take Deva Vegan Omega -3 DHA pill. (This pill SMELLS TERRIBLE!!)

[mommamin]

I just looked at the bottle, since I just took them. It is Super Nutrution Pre-Natal Blend. It has 1200 mg of calicum, and 1000 mg of FA, along with all the other good stuff. The downside is taking 6 friggin pills a day!

[wombatclay]

I take the Target Brand Generic pre-natals and have taken one of those pink pills every day for the last 3.5 years! Good thing they're cheap and readily available. I've also used the generic pre-natals from our local Wegman's store, but those are a touch pricier and really, there's not a lot of difference between brands.

I also take an extra calcium/magnesium/zinc supplement (2 pills) and a DHA/Omega 3 supplement (2 pills) so I hear the pain of the multipill mamas!

[Jilian]

Originally Posted by irises

I am taking the Whole Foods brand Prenatal Multi. It's only one pill a day, but I checked the contents against several pregnancy nutrition books, and it seems to have good amounts of everything and no dyes, addititives, etc. It only lacks sufficient calcium/magnesium, so I am going to start adding that.
I believe 800 mcg folic acid is what's generally recommended.

I think my prenatals only have 400 mg of folic acid. I might switch to the Whole Foods brand. I need something without a lot of calcium because I eat a lot of calcium. Last pregnancy I ended up with kidney stones at 8 mos preg and 6 weeks postpartum and I'm convinced it was because of all the calcium I was taking.

[kdtmom2be]

Hey there, just visiting from may... I got some vitamins at Vitamin World (Vitamin World brand white bottle) that are fairly decent. They are short on the fatty acids, but other than that they have everything (but not excessive amounts of calcium). They are fairly cheap too and you only take them once a day. So, if you are taking a fish oil or flax seed plus this that shouldnt be too bad. I was taking a different one that was 4x a day and that got old really fast!

[MammaV]

I do Nature's Sunshine multivitamin, a probiotic food supplement for iron, extra minerals, extra Bs, and a bunch of herbs to help stave off the m/s. I like red clover, milk thistle, dandelion root, stinging nettle and peppermint or ginger tea. I also do vit E w/ selenium, calcuim w/ mag and phosphorus and vit A. I swear that I take enough supplements to skip meals. So far they're staying down too!

[mommamin]

Clo

Is any one taking CLO? I give this to my DD and I thinking that I should be taking it as well for the Omega's.

[Jilian]

Originally Posted by Jilian

I think my prenatals only have 400 mg of folic acid.

Wow, I feel like and idiot. I checked my "prenatal vitamins" last night and it turns out they aren't even prenatals. That would explain why they only have 400 mg of folic acid They were a prescription and my doctor said they were prenatals. I've been taking them forever now (about 6+ months). I can't believe I didn't read the front of the container all this time. It does say "March of Dimes" and multivitamin, but nothing about prenatals. I just hope I've been getting enough folic acid through my diet to make up the extra 400 mg I'm lacking. I guess I'm gonna have to go pick up some real prenatal vitamins tonight.

[Cersha]

No fishies for me. I heard that CLO offers Vit A, and anything that isn't beta carotene source of vit a (overdose-fat soluble vitamin) can lead to birth defects. I take algae oil (where the fish get DHA from) instead.

[Cersha]

Folic acid- I would just pick up a folic acid pill, since at 12 weeks you don't need the extra folic acid anyway. Don't change your whole prenatal. I mean, unless it is lacking in other areas as well. Does the pill have Vit A from beta caratone, or something else? If it is something animal derived/synthenic, I would change the whole prenatal. Just my .02

[Cersha]

Food sources of folic acid (many breakfast cereals have alot of it)

1/2 cup cooked lentils: 179 mcg

• 1 cup boiled collard greens: 177 mcg

• 1/2 cup canned chickpeas: 141 mcg

• 1 medium papaya: 115 mcg

• 1 cup cooked frozen peas: 94 mcg

• 4 spears steamed or boiled asparagus: 88 mcg

• 1/2 cup steamed broccoli: 52 mcg

• 1 cup strawberries: 40 mcg

• 1 medium orange: 39 mcg

[mommamin]

Originally Posted by Cersha

No fishies for me. I heard that CLO offers Vit A, and anything that isn't beta carotene source of vit a (overdose-fat soluble vitamin) can lead to birth defects. I take algae oil (where the fish get DHA from) instead.

That is why I asked because my pre-natal has beta carotene and I thought too much vitamin A is bad. Thanks

[wombatclay]

I take flax oil to get the extra Omegas (I'm very allergic to fish/shellfish and CLO would be baaaaaad).

[mommamin]

Originally Posted by wombatclay

I take flax oil to get the extra Omegas (I'm very allergic to fish/shellfish and CLO would be baaaaaad).

Forgot about flax oil!

[willoLevin]

I haven't started taking a pre-natal yet, though I've been taking 800 mcg Folic Acid, Calcium and Magnesium since a few months before we started TTC.

I am a carrier for a genetic trait (beta Thalassemia) that makes my red blood cells about 60% of normal size. If I take iron, it just taxes my liver as there is nowhere for it to go (tiny red blood cells already full.) When I'm at my maximum level of iron, I am borderline anemic compared to a normal woman.

During pg, I was advised to take iron, however, because I need to keep my iron as high as possible, plus the fetus might not carry the trait and s/he could possibly use more than I could. So now that I've had a BFP, I will start taking prenatals again soon. I got mine (a kosher brand) from my doctor last time.

I'm eating a serving of hemp seeds every day for the Omegas. I guess hemp seed/oil is the most perfect balance in nature of Omega-3 to Omega-6 for human needs. I feel better eating a food than taking a capsule, too, I guess.

I know I read something somewhere that was against flax seed oil in pregnancy, but that may have been one study, and I know I've heard people contest it elsewhere. Personally, I strongly prefer flax seed oil to fish oil, but I'm generally grossed out by fish.

--willo