Prenatal vitamins

[Marilyn82]

I was just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on prenatal vitamins? I've personally never been much of a vitamin junkie and when I was pregnant with my son, I probably took my prenatal vitamins maybe a couple times a week : and thats after I found a kind that was vegetarian and didn't make me sick

Now that I am TTC again, I decided to go pick up some prenatal vitamins at the health food store. As I was walking out, it occurred to me that what I had just done was something I did because it's what 'everyone' does....mostly I avoid doing the things that 'everyone' does and I thought to myself that I should have spent that $20 on fresh produce and whole grains to nourish myself with (I bought those things too lol) instead of some vitamin that we are convinced to take because 'THEY' don't think women are intelligent and proactive enough to eat healthfully. That being said, I always notice a difference in my hair and skin when I am taking them. Every time I open my kitchen cabinet the little bottle stares down at me and we have a small showdown before I pop open the cap and dutifully (yet begrudgingly) swallow 3 of the disgusting things

So, midwives, doulas, CBEs, mamas....I'd like to know where you stand on the issue of prenatal vitamins. Are they really all that beneficial for a woman who watches her nutrition?

[Marilyn82]

Ah c'mon, this is MDC, I know someone has an opinon on this

[DoomaYula]

I take them because I know I don't eat as well as I *should.* That's not a societal judgment, it's just how I personally feel. Now, whether or not they actually do anything, I don't know. But I take medicine at night and I just pop a prenatal with it.

[Kleine Hexe]

I think that if a woman eats correctly then vitamin pills are not necessary. I guess they can be a sort of insurance if you will...for the days you don't eat so well. Of course the vitamin has to be made from food sources and be bioavailable.

I'm actually looking for a good prenatal. I've heard that rainbow light is a good one but I can't swallow the darn things. They are so big. I'm not even pg and they make me gag. So suggestions are welcome.

[Peppamint]

Rainbow Light Complete Prenatal was the only one I tried last pg that I could keep down. The others I vomited back up. : I didn't need any more incentive to vomit, ya know? I personally took them because I felt I needed the boost, and the RL vites have some good nourishing herbs as well.

Originally Posted by Kleine Hexe

I've heard that rainbow light is a good one but I can't swallow the darn things. They are so big. I'm not even pg and they make me gag. So suggestions are welcome.

Have you tried a liquid vitamin? I will have to dig around, I did have a midwife's recommendation for a good liquid prenatal vitamin but I'll have to find it again.

Drinking a pregnancy herbal tea is helpful, full of vitamins and minerals. RRL, nettles, dandelion, alfalfa are good herbs to include and lemon verbena, spearmint, etc can be added to improve the flavor. Also you can get packaged teabags- Traditional Medicinals Pg Tea or Yogi Mother-to-Be tea.

[lachingona1]

I only took my horse pills, I mean prenatal vitamins, when I didn't eat as healthy as I should have that day. The brand of mine are Super Nutrition. It is an organic green food vegetarian food based vitamin. It has trace minerals, herbs and even red rasberry leaf. I threw them up in the beginning but later on in my pregnancy I could take all 6 just fine. Wild Oats has them.

[mama2annabelle]

I am one who would rather nutrition be obtained through food sources. If someone is not willing or able to eat well, Juice Plus is a great addition because it is a supplement completely from whole food. One of the MW's I worked for was a huge JP fan and got me hooked. It has a lot of research to back it...even some specific to pregnancy.

[SublimeBirthGirl]

I took Rainbow Light sporadically with my 2nd. I took some generic one with my 1st. I noticed that during parts of my pregnancy, I felt much better when I was taking them, and during other parts I didn't notice any difference. During those times I'd go quite awhile without taking any. I'm just really not sure I buy into the whole vitamin thing in general, but I think whole food vitamins are more likely to make a difference than synthetics.

[sevenkids]

I'd much rather see a pregnant woman eating a whole food diet, but it's not always possible and for some ladies, completely out of reach. I'd prefer she get all her nutrition from food sources, but Rainbow Light seems to be the one that most people can take without feeling sick and pukey.

[mama to 2 girls]

I took a prescription prenatel from my OB with dd1, but I wasn't the smartest person back then. I was also working full time and didn't have time to eat well, so I am glad I at least took something.

With dd2 I took(well, I still do since I am still nursing and now having 2 active ones, I am lucky if I get to eat well at ALL) New Chapter Organics perfect prenatel it is a whole food vitamin with some good herbs. Again with having a VERY active little one I didn't have time to eat good....I ate good maybe 2-4 days out of the week....I feel that they are a good idea, I don't think they can hurt any and I would rather have the extra assurance that I am getting EVERYTHING that I need. For me it would be IMPOSSIBLE to eat something from EVERY food group everyday to make sure I get all the nessecary nutrients.


ETA: I just wanted to say that while I didn't eat HORRIBLY, I just couldn't seem to find a way to eat my veggies and fruits EVERYDAY.

[Kleine Hexe]

Originally Posted by busybusymomma

Have you tried a liquid vitamin? I will have to dig around, I did have a midwife's recommendation for a good liquid prenatal vitamin but I'll have to find it again.

Drinking a pregnancy herbal tea is helpful, full of vitamins and minerals. RRL, nettles, dandelion, alfalfa are good herbs to include and lemon verbena, spearmint, etc can be added to improve the flavor. Also you can get packaged teabags- Traditional Medicinals Pg Tea or Yogi Mother-to-Be tea.

I wonder if rainbow light makes a liquid. I haven't seen it if they do.