Prenatal Vitamins

[pageta]

My OB gave me prenatal vitamins to take even though officially we're still in the TTC category (may be moving in a few days). I think they're making me constipated. I didn't take vitamins with ds, and I was never constipated. I am drinking 50% more water than the daily "eight glasses" and that doesn't seem to help.

So what I'm wondering is...what herbal supplements might I take in place of the prenatal vitamins? I'm not really on the vitamin bandwagon anyway since I do eat a balanced, healthy diet including vegetables grown in my own garden. I have heard fish oil has the Omega-3 stuff one needs. How much should I take (if fish oil is, indeed, good). Folate is also important, according to what I've heard. The amount of orange juice I drink every morning supposedly contains 30% of the folate I need every day. Any other suggestions for what I should be taking? Or should I just forget about it and lie every time they ask me about it like I did last time.

Thanks!

[Outofmymindyo]

Dunno about the rest of the ladies here, but my MW basically told me with how people eat these days we're already getting enough of the vitamins we need and that since my prenatals were making me sick that I could go ahead and stop taking them without worrying about all the stuff.

If you want something a little more scientific, perhaps another mom will have some links or more info for you.

[mommytobe]

My prenatal vitamins made me deathly sick the first trimester so I stopped taking them and tried to get enough folic acid by eating the right foods. Currently I am in my forth month and am beginning to feel better so I began to take the vitamins but take them every other day (b/c of constipation). So far this has worked for me!

[loudmama]

I'm not taking prenatal vitamins this pregnancy. I can't handle the iron either. My Dr. said a mulitvitamin is fine if you want, just make sure it doesn't have more than the daily reccommend amount for Vit A, which is pretty bad for developing babies.

If you do at some point need more iron, there are liquid supplements that are more absorbable.

L

[Yulia_R]

Hi,
I have been taking “Pregnancy Plus” during my whole pregnancy and still taking at every day due to nursing. I’m very happy with them, as my hemoglobin that was on the low side pretty much all my life was nice throughout my pregnancy.

[KittyKat]

Most of the "vitamins" that are given out by OBs are junk in my experience. They are full of the "synthetic" forms of the vitamins, and don't have much benefit.

I prefer vitamins from the health food store. Usually they have more natural ingredients, and I have NEVER had any brand of "natural" multi make me puke like the "prescription" prenatals did.

I do not believe that with the way our soils are depleted and the way our meat and dairy are "factory farmed" with grain feeds instead of grass, cages instead of pasture, etc. that you can be sure of getting adequate amounts of nutrients from food alone. The higher levels of stress and toxins in our lives also make our need for nutrients higher.

I like Rainbow Light prenatals.

I am wondering what that midwife was smoking... if everyone is getting adequate levels from food where the HECK are all the birth defects and nutrition-related pregnancy complications COMING FROM??? Talk about out of touch with reality...

I actually don't take a "prenatal" vitamin, but a multi from my local health food store that contains decent amounts of what I need. I also take extra vitamin C and a fish oil supplement.

Kathryn

[nighten]

I switched to Natachew because the prenatals I took at first bothered my tum greatly. I love Natachew -- it's citrus flavored, chewable, and doesn't bother my tum a bit. :love The only thing is it doesn't have enough minerals so I take a calcium/mag/potassium/phos supplement at night (better to take minerals at night anyway, since they help you relax, whereas vitamins energize you). No biggie, I got the Country Life supplement from the health food store. It wasn't expensive if I recall.

Rainbow Light has some great vitamins, but is expensive in terms of dosage (from what I recall), and insurance pays for my Natachew. It's a good, reputable prenatal and my body tolerates it very well.

I was taking prenatals for nearly a year while TTC -- the March of Dimes says it's as important to take folic acid at least one month PRIOR to getting pregnant as it is during early pg, to prevent defects, so good for you for being responsible ahead of time. :)

And good luck! There are some great threads here with lots of tips on dealing with constipation during pg, so do a search to find them if you're still having problems after switching to a better prenatal.

[L'lee]

I like the Rainbow Light Just Once prenatals. I agree with the pp that our soil is depleted and we can't get the same vitamins from it we once could.

It is tough to get enough folic acid from foods, so I would recommend taking a supplement for that if you decide to stop taking prenatals.

I have found that a double shot of espresso (I add a little milk) helps to "clear me out" when I'm feeling constipated. I wouldn't do it more than once or twice a week, though.

Also, maybe you need to get more fiber.

[BethSLP]

I take Rainbow Light Prenatals and LOVE THEM.

They actually help you from NOT getting constipated because they have herbs to combat that.

They also have ginger in them, and I honestly believe they cut down on the nausea A LOT. I took 6 a day, and when I got queasy, if I took my afternoon dose, it went away.

I personally believe that prenatals are important. Esp. if you do not eat a perfect diet all the time, which can sometimes be hard to do if you have queasiness.
XOXO
B

[BethSLP]

BTW, Rainbow Light (and any other vitamin out there) are WAY cheaper online.

Try a website like Vitacost.com and you'll save a boatload over going to Whole Foods.

XOXO
B

[katt]

I'm not PG, but plan on TTC in the next few months. The midwives I spoke with also told me to take a pre-natal for the folic acid prior to getting pg.

So, instead of a pre-natal, I've been taking a few vitamins: Fish Oil capsule (for Omega-3), Vit. C, Zinc, Folic Acid, Calcium.

The Fish Oil capsule is HUGE, my DH bites down on his and pops it open in his mouth, he says it tastes nasty but is absorbed faster that way. I just swallow everything.

Maybe you can just pick and choose what you need to take based on your diet. If you are getting plenty of good things to eat, then I'm sure you don't need to take Vits. that are redundant. Too much of a good thing isn't a good thing.

[jenny-g]

My OB gave me prenatal vitamins to take even though officially we're still in the TTC category (may be moving in a few days). I think they're making me constipated. I didn't take vitamins with ds, and I was never constipated. I am drinking 50% more water than the daily "eight glasses" and that doesn't seem to help.

So what I'm wondering is...what herbal supplements might I take in place of the prenatal vitamins? I'm not really on the vitamin bandwagon anyway since I do eat a balanced, healthy diet including vegetables grown in my own garden. I have heard fish oil has the Omega-3 stuff one needs. How much should I take (if fish oil is, indeed, good). Folate is also important, according to what I've heard. The amount of orange juice I drink every morning supposedly contains 30% of the folate I need every day. Any other suggestions for what I should be taking? Or should I just forget about it and lie every time they ask me about it like I did last time.

Thanks!


I take one fish oil pill a day- can't tolerate too much more than that. For vitamins I take *chewable flinstones children's "complete with iron"* - they must be that exact brand to have both the iron and minerals you need. I take two, but taking one is an option too. I have never once had a problem.

If you have problems tolerating the fish oil, get an enteric coated brand. I should have done that but now I have a giant bottle of the plain kind to get down first!

I actually would not take the rainbow prenatals because they have herbs in them that I don't think have been studied during pregancy enough, and I don't really trust herb sources in pills. If I want raspberry leaf tea, I"ll make some. Of course, I"m not happy with the artifical colors and flavors in the flinstones either, but i haven't been able to find any natural kid's vitamins with the same profile as the flinstones where I live.

It IS important to take a prenatal- especially for the folate and iron!!- and any midwife who says differently gets put on my Suspect Bad Midwife Radar. Even when we eat healthily, theoretically, especially in early pg, it's hard to eat enough (especially iron), and we all know now that folate is pretty crucial. -j

[BethSLP]

I actually would not take the rainbow prenatals because they have herbs in them that I don't think have been studied during pregancy enough, and I don't really trust herb sources in pills.

I have heard this argument before and I really don't understand it. All the herbs in RLs are safe for pregnancy. There's nothing weird in there.

red raspberry, ginger, etc. also, superfoods such as spirulina and barley grass. digestive enzymes. this is just good nutrition, its not like there's gingseng or a stimulant in there. what's to fear?

Also, it is food based, which means its MUCH better utilized and absorbed by your body. I'm surprised you feel more comfortable with a vitamin like Flintstones (which like you said has artificial stuff in it) and is not food based, therefore much of it is peed out, rather than absorbed.

To each her own I guess! ;) I'm just a die hard believer in quality vitamins and Rainbow Light makes one of the best. I believe with vitamins, you absolutely "get what you pay for."

XOXO
Beth

[myhoneyswife]

I've heard that you can get what you need for pregnancy from Nettles tea.

Personally, I took prenatals every other or every 3 days (I do get SOME vitamins from my food, whether I get all I need is what was in question) when I was TTC because every day made me constipated. Now that I'm pregnant, I can take them every day without a problem, so I assume I'm actually using the iron now. I don't take them every day, because I don't think they're necessary, but take them maybe 5 X a week. I didn't research any natural brand vits, and we're on a pretty strict budget, so I take the prenatals from walmart, and fish oil from costco.

Cara

[blissful_maia]

For fish oil, I wanted to recommend the o3mega+ joy brand. They're made by the same people who make greens+ and they are wonderful because they are made from fish who that have no heavy metals or PCBs etc. in them. They're also enteric-coated, so they shouldn't cause problems with your tummy.

As for prenatals, I take the Quest Prenatal vitamins. I really trust Quest vitamins, I know the owners of the company and they're good quality. They also have 1mg of folic acid daily in them and you take three vitamins at different times of the day which I find helps me with digestion, constipation etc. You're also supposed to eat them with food which reminds me to have a balanced meal/snack three times a day.

And the fortified OJ has 30% of the folate needed for a non-pregnant person. The folic acid needs of a pregnant person or someone trying to conceive are much higher.

Hope that helps! :love

[Azreial]

I got blocked up very easily my last pg from the prenatals. I switched to a low iron forumla and that helped but then I got aenimic :o . This tiem I've been takeing the whole food brand and I havn'et had any problems with blockage of nausea

[Chicky2]

I am taking New Chapter's Perfect Prenatal. 100% organic food ingredients. Herbs for pregancy have been 'studied' for 1000s of years. No way will they make you constipated. Iron deficiency anemia will make you constipated, so you should def. have your iron checked. A nice tonic of yellow dock, dandelion root, and blackstrap molasses will take care of it, in combination w/great diet, lots of water, and a really good, easily absorbed prenatal vitamin. What i like so much about the Perfect Prenatal is that they are made like yogurt and kefir, so they contain probiotics and are very, very gentle and easily digested and very easily absorbed. :wink

best sources of folic acid: watercress(also tons of zinc), parsley, chicory, dandelion, amaranth, and lamb's quarter greens, whole grains, liver, and leafy greens.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

You can always take a childrens chewable vitamin to if your others make u sick. The most important thing for me was the folic acid and if u want u can buy that seperatly it is extremly important in the ttc stage and the first trimester.

[soccermominsd]

I am taking New Chapter's Perfect Prenatal. 100% organic food ingredients.
What i like so much about the Perfect Prenatal is that they are made like yogurt and kefir, so they contain probiotics and are very, very gentle and easily digested and very easily absorbed. :wink

I'm with you on that one Chicky2, I love the New Chapter Prenatals!!!

[jenny-g]

I have heard this argument before and I really don't understand it. All the herbs in RLs are safe for pregnancy. There's nothing weird in there.

red raspberry, ginger, etc. also, superfoods such as spirulina and barley grass. digestive enzymes. this is just good nutrition, its not like there's gingseng or a stimulant in there. what's to fear?

Also, it is food based, which means its MUCH better utilized and absorbed by your body. I'm surprised you feel more comfortable with a vitamin like Flintstones (which like you said has artificial stuff in it) and is not food based, therefore much of it is peed out, rather than absorbed.

To each her own I guess! ;) I'm just a die hard believer in quality vitamins and Rainbow Light makes one of the best. I believe with vitamins, you absolutely "get what you pay for."



Show me the research! It hasn't been done. Ginger, for example, while touted as the perfect stomach remedy, actually does have compounds in it which are midly toxic. Are those compounds concentrated in these vitamins? There are a number of types of alge that are also actually *very* toxic- who's to say spirulina doesn't incorporate them? I know some people like to use RRL to "tone" the uterus, but exactly what compounds in that tea do that? What is the concentration of those active compounds in those vitamins? Herbal supplements aren't controlled, and I'm not going to take something where I don't have the full information of what is in it. *Just because something is natural, does not mean that it is safe.* I'm all for researching natural remedies and finding out what in them is beneficial- something that doesn't really happen due to how our health system is set up, which is a damn shame- but that's our current situation.

Vitamins are chemicals. It doesn't matter where they come from- the are absorbed the same. *They are the same exact thing!!* Interestingly, it's the exact same thing with "natural" vs. "artifical" flavors- you are left with the same EXACT chemicals, but the starting materials are what differ. Some natural flavorings (for almond, for example) actually have more dangerous impurities in them than the artifical flavorings. For real. It's crazy, and they are all made in the same plants in NJ with the same processes. If people knew the truth about natural flavorings, they'd be shocked.

It's important to look at this quantitatively and not just put blind trust in something because it's natural. Honestly, I find a chewable was right for me since I never had any stomach trouble with it, and truthfully - it is tasty and therefore I *remember to take it every day*. I don't think I'd be as responsible with a big horse pill. Hopefully whenever it's time to give my kid a vitamin supplement if they ever need it, I"ll live in a community that has actual Decent Stores where I can get them a vitamin without any unneeded additives (i.e. color or sweetner).

Anyway, that's just my two cents. I"ll add another cent- someone suggested a few posts above to get a certain type of fish oil because it's mercury, etc. free. THEY ALL ARE. Consumer reports tested a ton of brands, and due to the type of small, deepwater fish used for fish oil, not a single brand had any type of contaminant, heavy metal, etc. in them. They suggest shopping by price alone. I think it's worth mentioning that, since if a specific "natural" brand costs five times what costco has, it's a crock when you're getting exactly the same thing. Best to spend that money on organic milk, for those of you lucky enough to get it (I can't :( ) -j

[pageta]

See, that's the thing. Some people think vitamins are the gospel, others think they're a bunch of hogwash. I didn't take any vitamins when I was pg with ds, and I didn't have anenmia and I wasn't constipated nor did I get hemorrhoids (like my doula said EVERYBODY got). We're four days after the last vitamins I took. I even drank coffee yesterday which always gives me diarhea since I don't drink it very often, and I am still constipated! I feel like someone stuff a rock up my butt.

I just have a very difficult time believing that something that has this kind of an effect on me is actually good for me...especially when I'm eating a high-fiber diet and drinking 64+ oz. of water a day (in addition to foods like soup and not counting the chai tea I have in the morning).

The reason why they put so much extra stuff (like 100% or more of certain vitamins) in the tablets is because your body doesn't absorb them the same way it absorbs the vitamins found in real food. Just because the specific chemical compound is there doesn't mean your body is able to use it. Yes, I take them with my meals in order to increase the chance of my body being able to use them. But I just have a very difficult time believing that the human body is not able to find what it needs from a well balanced diet. I mean, how on earth did the human race survive before there were vitamins if they're so damn important?

Sorry if I'm getting carried away here going off on how stupid the whole idea of vitamins is, but I am so tired of having a stupid rock up my butt.

[Janelovesmax]

Hello,

I took New Chapter's Perfect Prenatal throughout my whole pregnancy. After some research, I found them to be the best on the market. They never made me sick, though they are quite pricey.

Also, I can't stress enough how important COD LIVER OIL during the pregnancy AND lactation. I used Nordics Naturals Cod Liver Oil flavored with peach every day.

best of luck