Prenatals?

[lotusdebi]

Are you taking prenatal vitamins?
If so, what kind?

I've been taking the Rainbow Light Complete Prenatals for the last few months. That's SIX pills a day!!! I'm happy if I remember the first three. :lol

What about you?

[paisley]

I am on Maternal Symmetry by Vitanica. My ND prescribed it for me and had nothing but good things to say about their brand. It is still 6 pills/day like Rainbow Light but since I am still taking my Chinese herbs 3x/day I've been able to remember pretty well so far.

I took the RL 6/day with ds and one thing that helped me remember to take them all is that I got one of those vitamin organizers. I put 6 in for each day compartment and then it was a lot easier to keep track of how many I had taken that day just by looking at how many were left. :thumb

[raversangel]

i'm just taking the "spring valley" prenatals from walmart :D this reminded me to take it today! lol...i had been taking them of and on after my m/c, not religiously, but i have been taking them every day since i found out!!

[shalena]

I'm taking Trader Joe's version of rainbow lights one a day. They are food based and not to big. I have to take them with foor or else i'll start feeling quesy so I have them with dinner.
They're 8.00 a bottle and I really like them. I've been taking them for over two years now. :D

[an_aurora]

I'm taking the Rainbow light one a day ones.

[Yo Becca]

I took prescription prenatal plus vits with my first preg. b/c they were easily processed and my co-pay was cheaper than buying OTC. I bought the walmart ones when nursing and was disgusted with how hard they are to digest, so switched to reg. multivitamins. But I'm taking the cheap ones now b/c they are what's in the house. Need to switch!


I want to look into the high-B vitamins that reduce M/S

[raversangel]

those rainbow lite prenatals sound interesting...where do you get them? or are they perscription?

[Arwyn]

I take a half dose (three pills) of the Rainbow Light Prenatals in the morning, and a half dose (two pills) of New Chapter's Perfect Prenatals at night. I'm also taking 3 grams of fish oils, and cinnamon, twice a day and my thyroid. It's not as optimal as taking them more spaced out, but I figure it's better than not taking most of the pills.

I'm probably going to add cal/mag to the evening pills, because the NCs don't have much/any calcium or magnesium.

[Arwyn]

Rainbow Lights can be bought at most health food stores or online from places like papanature.com

[Llyra]

I don't take prenatals. I can't stomach them when I'm pregnant; I tried with DS and DD, and it was a disaster. I'm actually taking children's chewable gummy vitamins, and a folic acid supplement. The chewables spend less time in my stomach, I think, so they don't make me so sick.

[bluegrassbonnie]

"I take a half dose (three pills) of the Rainbow Light Prenatals in the morning, and a half dose (two pills) of New Chapter's Perfect Prenatals at night"

What a good idea. I have been taking the NCPP (usually only 2) because they are so expensive and 2 give 100% folic acid but maybe I can swing by Trader Joe's on my next trip to NYC and pick up a less expensive one to mix in ... My main concerns have been nausea and constipation so was trying for a more 'bioavailable' vitamin.

Any thoughts on fish oil vs. the other oils (flax seed, etc)?

[goodcents]

I always took the Solgar prenates. My sis is a nutritionist and she always recommends them.


p.s. Sorry for intruding in on your DDC - but a very special mama friend is here! :waves at Lotus!

[lunadoula]

I'm still taking a "regular" (albeit high potency) multi-vitamin. It has enough folic acid in it, and the midwife said to just stay on that until after any nausea subsides. :shrug Sounds good to me, because in the past too much iron has just made me :sick . Eventually I'm going on the metagenics prenatal from the chiro.

[Mizelenius]

I always wanted to try Rainbow LP, but I am paranoid-- doesn't it have red rasberry leaf extract in it??

[shalena]

Elena - whats wrong with RRL? I thought it was good for pregnancy?

(i'm sitting here drinking a cup of RRL tea!)

[Mizelenius]

Elena - whats wrong with RRL? I thought it was good for pregnancy?

(i'm sitting here drinking a cup of RRL tea!) Some people think it is (for toning). . .but some people think it causes uterine contractions that should be avoided. My sister drank a TON of RRL tea with her 2nd pregnancy and then had her one and only miscarriage (out of 5 total pregnancies).

Yes, purely anecdotal, but I am paranoid!

[cinnamonamon]

Some people think it is (for toning). . .but some people think it causes uterine contractions that should be avoided. My sister drank a TON of RRL tea with her 2nd pregnancy and then had her one and only miscarriage (out of 5 total pregnancies).

Yes, purely anecdotal, but I am paranoid!

I've heard both, but I think it's more that when you overdue it there can be problems. If it does in fact "tone" (i.e. exercise/strengthen) it would make sense that it would cause some small amount of contracting (the exercise).


Oh and back on topic, I'm taking the Rainbow light one a day's as well. I tried the 6/day's and couldn't choke them all down.

[lotusdebi]

p.s. Sorry for intruding in on your DDC - but a very special mama friend is here! :waves at Lotus!

:wave Hi, GC! :love:

[Mizelenius]

I've heard both, but I think it's more that when you overdue it there can be problems. If it does in fact "tone" (i.e. exercise/strengthen) it would make sense that it would cause some small amount of contracting (the exercise).


If I were seriously overdue, that's probably when I WOULD take it-- to start the contractions.

[lunadoula]

I hear you on being paranoid, but all sorts of stuff makes your uterus contract, including orgasms! :lol My midwife told me orgasms are good and give a good "rush of blood" to the baby, and also that RRL tea is fine. Totally respect that we all have to do what we are comfortable with too though! :thumb

[ASusan]

Here's a list of what I take. I take most of them after my breakfast. I can't take them on an empty stomach, and, unlike others, they make me sick if I take them before bed.

Prenatal: New Chapter (I take 2 pills, which is 1/2 a dose)
Plaquenil: This is the drug I take for my lupus. It's a little risky during pregnancy, but I'm down to 1/4 of a "regular" dose, and my symptoms are well controlled.
B6: I take this for my short luteal phase. I'm going to keep it up, because it's supposed to keep ms at bay.
B-complex: This complements the B6. It also brings my folic acid up to recommended levels.
Bone Density Factor: I take this "calcium+other stuff" because I broke my foot on May 1.
Calcium + magnesium: I take this instead of Bone Density Factor on days when I'm constipated.
B12: I throw one of these in the mix about every 4 days.
Cod Liver Oil: I take these not only for the Omega-3, but also to complement the calcium supplements with Vit. D.

About half of these supplements are Windmill brand (or related), because DH's cousin works for them. Sometimes when we visit, he gives us bottles of vitamins. For some reason, he gave us lots of B12 after I broke my foot (along with calcium). Not sure why, but that's basically why I'm taking it. (OK, just typing that in makes my reasoning look really dumb, but at least I'm honest.) It can't hurt, right? (B-vits are water-soluble)


One thing I've noticed since BFP, is that my post-vitamin urine isn't as yellow. I think this means that I'm absorbing more of the vitamins.

[Arwyn]

I take so much fish oil because I'm bipolar, and use it as a mood stabilizer (works great! better than Depakote, actually, with much better side effects). The trials that have been done on their use for mood all support EPA or DHA, the omega 3s in fish oil (plant sources have ALA, which our body converts to EPA or DHA, but it doesn't seem to work as well as taking in the straight stuff). DHA is particularly important for baby brain developement, and while ALA works well enough, DHA seems to work better, so I definitely recommend fish oils as a supplement over flax or other plant oils if there's not a moral/physical objection. (I know several vegetarians who take flax instead of fish, and my mom has a severe sea food/iodine allergy, so she obviously can't take it.)

I use cod liver oil sometimes, in addition to the high EPA fish oil I usually take, especially in the winter, for the vitamin D. I may add some back in now that I'm pregnant, although I also worry about the high A in CLO.

I was going to have started B6 along with vitex for a short LP "next" cycle, but, well, looks like I don't need it now. :) I did pick some up along with some ginger capsules because I'm flying today, and the darn nausea couldn't hold off one more darn day. Let's see if it actually helps...

[ASusan]

I am all for the Omega-3 supplements, whatever way you can get them. It just seems like every study that come out says something good about Omega-3s - or eating fish (save for the problems with mercury). Everything from prenatal brain development to memory performance in the elderly.

Arwyn - I'm glad that you get relief for your mood disorder. I have a student with bipolar and I wish I could get her to take Omega-3s, (and eat better, in general). She has SUCH problems getting her meds balanced correctly.

[coffeetastesgood]

I take the Rainbow Light one a day prenatals.

[lotusdebi]

Arwyn,
I'm bipolar as well. Rapid-cycling, though I've gotten a break from it for the last few years (since DS was born). Pregnancy is a really bad time for me, though, mood-wise. I tried fish oil, but it's so... fishy! Do you know of any that aren't so fishy tasting?
Thanks!

[Arwyn]

I've been diagnosed with Bipolar II, rapid cycling, with mixed states - the category with the highest risk of suicide. Fun!

I use Country Life's Omega 3 Mood, and I've found that if I keep the capsules in the refrigerator at all times, right up until I take them, and take them with food, and use milk or juice rather than water to swallow them, neither the immediate taste nor the after effects are too bad. I think the most important things are buying high quality and keeping them cold so they don't go rancid (and because they're more aromatic when warm).

[shalena]

I take B6 and Fish Oil too. B6 for my short Luteal phase (i was between 8 and 9 days for the last 4 cycles) and fish oil because I heard it can keep PPD at bay.
I didn't have a drop of depression after my first birth, so it may work, and it may not. :shy

[paisley]

For fish oil I'm taking ProDHA by Nordic Naturals. It comes in strawberry flavored gelcaps and I have never had a fishy burp from taking them. :) They are also heavy metal and PCB free which is always a good thing. I've heard the ProDHA is being replaced by their regular DHA formula but I'm still able to find the Pro version on a few websites. HTH.

[LavenderMae]

Sorry to crash your due date club but


CONGRATULATIONS on your pregnancy LotusDebi!! Many many many sticky vibes to you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[lotusdebi]

:lol Thanks, Sheacoby! Hope your pregnancy is going well! :love




Thank you all for your fish oil recommendations! I'll have to go shopping soon! :D

[curlylocks2006]

I just started taking "preg-natal vitamins" with omega and DHA fatty acids. Unfort it's 6 pills and one oil caplet a day. Has anyone else tried this one? I got it from whole foods.

[pianojazzgirl]

I've been taking prenatals since my last pg (which ended in a mc). They're the generic drugstore brand.

[Arwyn]

Paisley - I've heard of the ProDHA, and I've recommended it to pregnant women I knew. Hope you can keep finding it, or that you find you like the other stuff! (What's the difference?)

Curlylocks - I haven't heard of that specific brand, but it sounds decent, if you can get all the pills down. (Because of first the Depakote and then the prenatals and fish oils, I've been taking several pills twice a day for years, so I'm used to it. :shrug)

[Mizelenius]

I hear you on being paranoid, but all sorts of stuff makes your uterus contract, including orgasms! :lol My midwife told me orgasms are good and give a good "rush of blood" to the baby, and also that RRL tea is fine. Totally respect that we all have to do what we are comfortable with too though! :thumb Yup-- I'm sure it is good since it's in one of the most popular brands of prenatals! But, my rational side has no say in this matter 'cause of what happened to my sister . . .if anything bad happened while I took them, I could never forgive myself!

[hapahaolegirl]

I'm taking Maxi Pre-Natal by Country Life every other day. It's 6 pills a day! I'm also finishing off my multi-vitamin on the other days along with a calcium pill and folic acid.

[Elizabethmidwife]

I'm having trouble finding a omega-3 supplement that seems like the right one--there were 5 shelves full of fish oil and omega-3's at Whole Foods today. Arghh. I searched for info on the "right" amount for preg. That seems up in the air. Can anyone share the amounts in their supplement that they like?

Don't know why this is such a big deal to me, but I feel hyper-vigilant about what I am eating now. Sort-of a protective mama-bear instinct.
-Elizabeth

[paisley]

Elizabeth - The Nordic Naturals site (http://nordicnaturals.com/direct/faqs.asp) recommends 300–600 mg of DHA daily while pregnant and breastfeeding. HTH. :)

[Arwyn]

I don't think there's any really good evidence regarding the amount of omega3s or DHA specifically to use in pregnancy. EPA and DHA are really good for so many things, though, that just taking a couple grams of a high quality, concentrated (DHA-heavy for pregnancy, perhaps) fish oil, yielding about 50% omega 3s (that is, one gram has about 500mg of DHA/EPA) is probably a good way to go. That's my thinking, anyway.

[raversangel]

anyone take a cranberry supliment? i had a horrid bladder infection when i miscarried and the antibiotics didn't work, but the cranberry supliment did, in a day...i can't seem to find any info on it and if there are any dangers to pregnant women who take it so i'll throw it out there and see if anyone knows about it :D

i'd like to take one a day , or every other day to prevent it from comming back, but i wanna make sure its kosher, and of course my ob knows nothing about it :rolleyes

[Arwyn]

I Googled cranberry and pregnancy, and one site said it was not recommended in amounts above food levels because there wasn't enough proof it's safe during pregnancy, but all the other sites said it was fine, because there's no proof or suggestion of harmful effects.

I'd go for it.

[curlylocks2006]

Preg-natal that I am taking contains 250mg DHA. It also has 4mg of B6 and 50mg ginger - these were things I was going to buy separately but now am not since I don't want to over-do it! I am hoping maybe it can keep the MS away a bit longer.
I ususally treat any UTI I get with cranberry juice instead of antibiotics. I'll drink a whole large container of it over a two day period. Usually clears it right up! Try the juice straight for a day or two and see if that helps.

jo

[cinnamonamon]

I take the cranberry extract pills for UTIs as well. I don't remember if your siggie said if you had any kidlets or not, but I've found that when I'm preggo & not menstruating I don't get UTIs. Other than one that seems to show up the same time I find out I'm pg. Finally I stopped using my keeper, and I quit tampons a long time ago -- no more UTIs! I think my body is just has a crazy low tolerance to bacteria and everytime I put something foreign in there... Never had a big problem w/ sex, though...perhaps bacteria is "washed away" with the *ahem* left behind fluid? :lol :blush TMI, I know...but I wanted to explain my sit. -- you may find that you don't need the maintenance cranberry pills after you've kicked any infection you have currently. And I'm sure you've heard all the stay away from too many carbs (white breads, pastas, starchy potatoes, etc.), sugars, sodas, nitrate-laden lunch meats...

Hope that helps...and doesn't gross anyone out! ;)

[chemE_momE]

Arwyn,
I'm bipolar as well. Rapid-cycling, though I've gotten a break from it for the last few years (since DS was born). Pregnancy is a really bad time for me, though, mood-wise. I tried fish oil, but it's so... fishy! Do you know of any that aren't so fishy tasting?
Thanks!

I use flax seed oil which is less fishy, but very oily. I can't taste it in my smoothies though. :)

[chemE_momE]

I forgot to mention that for prenatals I take NataChew. They taste sort of good actually. :thumb