Need recommendation/Prenatal vitamins

[kldliam]

Help! This feels so overwhelming. How do I select a good Pre-natal vitamin? How did you make your decision?

Thanks.

[Heathermhill]

Have you been to see your caregiver yet? They can suggest some for you. Until I saw someone for my pregnancy, I took an OTC one with extra folic acid. I see an OB, and they gave me tons of samples. With my first I was really sick and couldn't bear to swallow a big pill so I got chewables, they weren't bad at all. With my current pregnancy, I look out of a small one that was easy to swallow. I am currently using one called Prenate 19
Good Luck and CONGRATS!!

[phillychiquita]

I am using a one a day from a brand called Rainbow Light -- I get it at my local Whole Foods.
For me, the big factor was only having to take one pill a day -- many of them advise more than one pill per day and I knew I would forget. Another factor was easily digestible.

After I chose it, my midwife said this is one of the best on the market (in her opinion) and best of all, no prescription needed.

[Chanley]

i LOVE my rainbow lite Just Once prenatals. so much that my last child just weaned and I am still taking the darn things. I have been taking them for almost 7 years now.

You can get them online cheaper than at WF.

[jenniet]

I am also a fan of Rainbow Light. I take the one a day prenatals and my only complaint is they are very big and I sometimes choke when I attempt to swallow them. In early pregnancy this would cause me to vomit. I almost switched at one point but after searching around I found that Rainbow Light seems to be the best natural vitamin on the market.

[Tendaironi]

I bought my prenatal vitamin from herbalhealer.com it is called the Ultimate Prenatal. It has 1000 mg of calcium and after looking at other prenatals, they do not contain as much. There is also minerals as well as digestive enzymes which has helped me not have too much morning sickness or heartburn. Instead of Vitamin A there is beta carotene and all of the vitamins are fron a whole food source and not syntheticly created. The only downside is that you have to take 5 a day, but other than that I am very happy with it. It is kind of expensive at $19.95 for a month's supply, but I have spent more than that on fertility drugs to even get pregnant! This helps my baby get all the nutrients he or she needs.

[lexbeach]

With this pregnancy I have been taking Juice Plus (www.juiceplus.com) per recommendation of my midwives, and I am LOVING it! I take 4 fruit capsules in the morning (they're in gelcaps, so they're very easy to swallow), and 4 vegetable capsules in the evening. I am also taking floradix (iron) because my iron levels were on the low end of normal when I got pregnant, and I want to do everything I can to get them as high as possible.

I took Rainbow Light once a day prenatals through my last pregnancy/nursing, and while I was ttc for this pregnancy. I really didn't absorb from it very well. I got anemic while taking it (to the extent of needing blood transfusions while I was pregnant last time), and I always noticed that my pee smelled very vitaminish after I'd take it (this is the smell of a lot of the stuff in the vitamin coming right on out of you unabsorbed).

The juice plus doesn't change the smell/color of my pee, so I know I'm absorbing it all. My midwives said that the mamas who they've seen take Juice plus through pregnancy have had the *most* beautiful placentas ever, and very little pp bleeding. I definitely noticed a difference in the way I was feeling within days of starting to take it. I also got the kids' version for my 3-year-olds, and they love it too.

I would definitely steer clear of any of the traditionally OB-prescribed prenatals. The ingredients do not come from whole foods, and are even harder for your body to absorb. The truth is that you really shouldn't need to take any extra vitamins while you're pregnant, but it can be nice for peace of mind, especially if you're like me and have trouble eating while you're pregnant, or are prone to anemia.

HTH!

Lex

[kldliam]

Thanks for feedback moms. i have decided to pick out a 'whole-foods' vitamin as opposed to the traditional synthetic. I was happy to read that some of you endorsed this route too. i selected a pretty expensive one called Perfect Prenatal, by New Chapter Organics.

Thanks again for the feedback!

[babygrace]

lexbeach, the juice plus sounds great. Is it available in stores? I visited the website, i don't see where it is manufactured. But it seems to be good, especially when you don't feel like eating much.

[jo15]

I'm taking Rainbow Light too. Now that I'm in my 15th week, I'm doing ok with it, but for the last two months, it's been torture because I have to take 6 a day, and they smell super vitaminy, and they start to disintegrate right away. With the morning sickness, it was almost a surefire vomit inducer. I stopped for about a week because it was pointless-- it all came back up along with everything else, and they're expensive! My mother in law kept telling me to grind it up and put it in applesauce, but the thought of releasing that horrible smell alone made me want to puke. Anyway, if I get pregnant again sometime in the future, I'm going to look for something easier to take for the first while.

But yes, it's food based, and I hear it's a good pre-natal vitamin.

[babygrace]

jo15, have you considered taking Rainbow light's pre-natal one? i think this doesn't contain the same levels as the one you are taking neither does it have the superfood blend.

[risen_joy]

I'm taking Prenatal Multi Plus DHA by Ribbon Nutrition...it's four a day, but the pills are NOT large and don't make me sick...a combo that makes for a happier me!!! :D

[Arts Therapist]

Ditto. Rainbow Light Just Once. and I am 38 weeks now and never had nausea from them.

[gwynthfair]

I started out with the Rainbow ones, but they made me very sick. Then my mom gave me some that were recommended by her ND by Metagenics, called pregnancy essentials. ND recommened this brand in particular because he says they're the only company that tests the efficacy of their supplements. However, they contain a packets of 8! pills per day, and having very bad nausea throughout my pregnancy(35 weeks and still sick!), these have not been the easiest to take, and they don't taste very good coming back up. :P Additionally, they're about $50/mo. But I have continued with them because I have a deep resepect for the recommendations of this ND (he's also a biochemist) and am confident that they're very good vits.