What's your Favorite Prescription Prenatal?

[CatskillMtnMama]

Hi All-

I'm going in for my first checkup, and need to ask for a new prenatal vitamin. It's cheaper (because of insurance) for me to get it through a prescription.

What do you all like in* prescription* prenatals?? I've been using (and am using now) Prenate GT. It's got extra Iron ( I tend towards anemia) and is not too big to swallow :thumb .

Has any one tried the new one with Omegas or other special things? Any point??

Thanks lots :D

Liz

[mamatoady]

I get my prenatals from my chiropractor,they're from metagenics. they are REALLY gentle on your system,but i don't think you can get them through a typical pharmacy. i was taking my 0-3's separately, but they just combined them...i still have mine, so haven't bought those...hopefully no fishy after-taste.

It is really important that you get 0-3's so if you aren't a regular flax/walnut/fish oil eater, then definitely find yourself a supplement.

congratulations!
sarah

[trebleme]

I really like the ones I take - Vitafol-OB. I've never had a problem with them. They don't make me nauseous or constipated. They're a normal caplet size, and you only need one a day. I do take a separate Omega-3 (from Nordic Naturals) and I watch my calcium intake because these prenates aren't very high in calcium, but I wouldn't trade them for anything!

Sharon

[bleurae]

:lurk:

[nighten]

I love mine -- they're called Natachew and much easier on my tum than the pink and blue capsules or the big fat yellow horse pills.

They're chewable and sort of a citrus-sweettart flavor (only not so fakey tasting if you know what I mean).

The Vit A they contain is beta-carotene (not Vit A technically), that your body turns into Vit A so that's safer.

The only downside is they lack enough minerals (calcium/magnesium/potassium/phosphorus) so I got a multi-min from the health food store that I take at night (since it's better to take vitamins during the day as they energize you and minerals at night as they help you sleep).

The mineral supplement I got is from Country Life and it's good. I take 1-2 per night depending upon how much calcium I've had in my diet that day. The body can only absorb so much calcium at a time so it's wasteful to take more than I need anyway.

I really like the Natachew -- I had massive tummy issues when I first got pg and that helped. A lot. Plus for me they're cheaper than OTC prenatals, which helps a lot too. :)

Good luck!

ETA: During first trimester I took a Vit B supplement with ginger root for m/s, now I take a fish oil (mercury-free) and flax seed daily as well for baby's brain development. :) Red raspberry leaf is also highly recommended during pg for toning your uterus if you can tolerate it.

[ds2003]

I use to take Prenate Elite. Now i just take Target over the counter prenatals. They are extremely cheap. I think I paid $7 for 200 pills and my OB is fine with them.

I also take fish oil caplets. They are more than the vitamins but still inexpensive.

[celestialdreamer]

If you are wanting prescription prenatals so you're insurance will cover it, you might want to check to see if they cover anything but just the generic. I have a pretty good PPO plan and they only cover generic prenatals (with a stupid $15 copay) so I chose to buy Rainbow Light prenatals, calcium/magnesium supplements (I eat dairy plus I have an irritable uterus) and a seperate fish oil supplement. Maybe you could just get the generic prenatals if they are way cheaper and then add a fish oil supplement? My midwife had originally given me samples of a really good Rx prenatal that has omega 3's in it, and the pharmacy said I'd have to pay out of pocket for it. Congrats on your pregnancy!

[aisraeltax]

Rainbow Light prenatals the ones you take 6x a day). i found them online at the same price as the co-pay for my prenatals.
rach

[celestialdreamer]

Rainbow Light prenatals the ones you take 6x a day). i found them online at the same price as the co-pay for my prenatals.
rach

Yikes! 6 times a day!?! Mine are the once a day type, I don't think I could handle anymore pills than I already take a day (1 prenatal, 6 cal/mag and 3 fish oil)

[lilmissimpatient@c]

I take vitafol-OB. I like it, it's not real big, it doesn't get tacky and stick to your tongue if you don't swallow it right the first time, and it doesn't stink like vitamins! lol...and it's a lovely shade of blue :lol

[CatskillMtnMama]

Thanks all for your responses so far!! :p

It sounds like I should get some omega 3's. Question: is the fish oil you all are taking == does that give you omega 3's? And how do you know that you are getting true mercury free? What is a really reliable brand? How much omega 3 do we need a day?

Plus, cal / mag -- how much should I be taking? I think I might benefit from that. I had preterm contrax (in the cervix-- starting around the 20th week) and I wonder if it would be more stable with some good cal / mag. Can I get any brand??

you guys are the best, I can always get so much help here

:D

Liz

[Brinda]

I like mine too, I take PrimaCare One, it also has Omega-3's in it.

[trebleme]

It sounds like I should get some omega 3's. Question: is the fish oil you all are taking == does that give you omega 3's? And how do you know that you are getting true mercury free? What is a really reliable brand? How much omega 3 do we need a day?


The ones I take, DHA from Nordic Naturals, were suggested to me by a homeopathic pediatrician who works with children with autism. (My mom used to work in his office.) They're the same ones he gave his wife when she was pregnant with their son. You can buy them in most stores with a good vitamin department, like Whole Foods, or I'm fairly certain you can buy them online somewhere. I imagine, given the current thinking regarding mercury and autism, that this practice would have chosen a brand that they trust implicitly to be mercury free.

The company's website is nordicnaturals.com.

Best to you in your search!

Sharon

[nighten]

Pharmax is also a good company for fish oils. But I'd recommend simply reading the labels on the bottles at the health food store (the fish oil should be kept in a refrigerated section, usually near the acidophilus). The labels should tell you if the oil has been purified to ensure no metals/mercury are included. If it doesn't say, I'd assume it hasn't been.

HTH!

[busybusymomma]

Just a note, I take the Rainbow Light Complete Prenatals too- but they also have a Rainbow Light Just Once Prenatal too. :thumb I like that they're Food Based and you can often get them in coops or vitacost.com had a decent price on them IIRC. I take extra Calcium/Magnesium too, also Rainbow Light brand.

The 6 a day are nice for when your tummy is sensitive during m/s- a smaller flood of vitamins/minerals hitting your stomach at once. :)

eta: I used the Prenate my first pg and didn't realize my nightly sleep issues were because of the vitamin. You weren't supposed to take them within 2 hours of a meal and I ate all day so I took them before bed. :duh I just do better on the food based vitamins.

[celestialdreamer]

Thanks all for your responses so far!! :p

It sounds like I should get some omega 3's. Question: is the fish oil you all are taking == does that give you omega 3's? And how do you know that you are getting true mercury free? What is a really reliable brand? How much omega 3 do we need a day?

Plus, cal / mag -- how much should I be taking? I think I might benefit from that. I had preterm contrax (in the cervix-- starting around the 20th week) and I wonder if it would be more stable with some good cal / mag. Can I get any brand??

you guys are the best, I can always get so much help here

:D

Liz

Yep, I get my omega 3s from the fish oil. I take the capsules because I couldn't stand the liquid. I use Spectrum brand with is third party certified to be mercury, lead and PCB free. I keep mine in the freezer and take them before bed to keep from burping up a fishy taste (very EWW).

My midwife recommended a 2:1 ratio of calcium to magnesium. I just take what the bottle says and I don't remember how many mg of each it is. Its not much more than the RDA, and it has helped me tremendously. I used to have horrible cramping and its completely gone now after taking it on a daily basis.

[nubianamy]

Another Rainbow Light 6-a-day-er here! I take Whole Foods fish oil on top of that (as long as it says Molecularly Distilled, it won't have mercury in it) -- it's cheaper than the Nordic Naturals and I've never had fishy burps. I have been taking one-a-day prenatals for a few years and the six-a-day prenatals & fish oil since several months before my pregnancy, and I have excellent iron levels, and NO morning sickness or other "symptoms" of pregnancy.