What natural prenatal vitamins?

[loriedna]

I am generally opposed to vitamins but I guess I believe I need that folic acid supplement. With my first pregnancy I was kind of absent minded and not very concerned with the natural aspect so I took whatever the doctor recommended. I want to be more careful and in charge this time. I know I should have started with it even while TTC, but as I said, I am not a big believer in vitamins and supplements. Now I don't want to take a chance, though. What should I look into?

[boscopup]

My midwife recommends alfalfa instead of prenatal vitamins, so that's what I take. It's a nutritive herb that's full of vitamins and minerals. Very good for you.

It does NOT contain a lot of folic acid, but by time you know you're pregnant, it's probably too late to *start* supplementing with that anyway. You can easily just take a folic acid supplement by itself along with other things if you want. You may also already get plenty of folic acid in your diet anyway.

[loriedna]

I know my diet contains a good amount of folic acid already and I am pretty confident that I should not worry. Somehow, pregnancy raises the ultra-worrier and I start doubting everything I know. I am also planning on going to a doctor who I trust to get me to the end of my pregnancy nice and safe, but she is quite old-fashioned in the conventional way. So I mainly have to inform myself and take decisions by myself, without involving her in this process much. She is just very convenient, very close to home. And she delivered my first baby too. I am sure she'll prescribe some vitamins that I just won't take. Maybe I should rethink her. I wished I had a midwife I could trust completely with such decisions as the vitamins.

[boscopup]

I told my doctor I was taking alfalfa per my midwife's recommendation, and he just said "ok". He gave me a sample of prenatal vitamins and said if I wanted an rx, he'd give me one, but it wasn't a requirement or anything and he actually never even asked about them past the 6 week first appt last time.

[AllyRae]

I use the Whole Foods brand prenatals--they're food based, and I don't get sick taking them.

[motherbirth]

I'm taking the Rainbow brand ones that I got at the local health food store. The natural ones have less folic acid and I think iron than the prescription ones (if I recall correctly), but we usually eat a really balanced diet and I figure the vitamins make up for the bad days.

[janesmommy]

I take Rainbow Light Just Once. You only have to take one a day, they are vegetarian and food based and don't make me sick. I buy them at Whole Foods. I've actually been taking them as my regular vitamin for years, I really like them.

[ommom]

i eat half a whole foods "only one" prenatal vitamin once every 2 weeks or so when inspired.

but there's folic acid in
- nutritional yeast
- powerbars
- many many other natural foods

so mostly b/c i hate taking vitamins/pills, i haven't been worrying so much; just eating a variety of healthy things.

[loriedna]

I got the Prenatal One from Rainbow Light. Found them in CVS, after going to a Vitamin shop where I couldn't find anything natural. Whole Foods is far from us and we go there only once a month.

[mollee19]

I'm taking the New Chapter Organics. I was taking Rainbow Light but switched because New Chapter are "food grown" rather than just "food based" which is what Rainbow Light is. Rainbow Light are great but I just wanted to try something a little more easily absorbed. I am only taking 1/3 the recommended dose. I do think it is more important to eat a balanced diet but I feel like this is just a little extra boost. I'm also taking probiotics, drinking raw milk, and will probably start Floradix sooner than later for iron.

[Pariah]

I'm picking up the Rainbow Light prenatals today. I took them when I was pregnant with DS and liked them, and they're vegan-friendly.

[BathrobeGoddess]

Rainbow Light Just Once...hands down!

[mzfern]

This is my green drink *insurance*. The container says it's appropriate for pregnant and nursing women even though the description on the website says it's a detox product :