When Should You Start Taking Prenatal Vitamins
If youre planning on getting pregnant, King says you should start taking prenatal vitamins as soon as you begin trying. When an Ob/Gyn looks at dating a pregnancy, they typically start from the patients last menstrual period. That means when you find out youre pregnant, you could be four to six weeks along in your pregnancy already, she says.
Not all pregnancies are planned, of course, and King says that if youre not taking prenatal vitamins at the time you discover youre pregnant, you should start as soon as possible. Major development happens in the first trimester, those first 12 weeks, she says. The spinal cord and brain are developing so those vitamins help with that.
Additionally, mothers who are breastfeeding are encouraged to continue taking prenatal vitamins to keep providing those nutrients via breast milk.
Should All Pregnant Women Take Prenatal Vitamins
Proper nutrition is important for your babys health, and your baby depends on you for all of his or her nutritional needs, which includes important vitamins, supplements, and minerals that are necessary for embryonic and fetal development. Ideally, if you eat a healthy diet it should provide all of your growing babys nutritional needs however, doctors recommend taking prenatal vitamins if you are planning to conceive or are already pregnant, for your babys health.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends multivitamin supplements for pregnant women who do not consume an adequate diet. However, your doctor or midwife may still recommend taking them unless your doctor refers you to a nutritionist for a nutritional assessment.
New Chapters One Daily Prenatal Multivitamin
What I love about New Chapter One Daily Prenatal Multivitamin is its unique blend of organic whole food based nutrients and herbs that have been fermented for increased absorption and are designed specifically for the increased needs of pregnancy. You can also find New Chapters One Daily Prenatal Multivitamin at many health food stores and they are working on making it even more available in larger retailers like Target. New Chapters One Daily Prenatal Multivitamin also includes methylfolate to help you meet your increased folate needs, choline, and fermented iron which is non-constipating and much easier to digest.
If you are having an issue taking your prenatal vitamins due to nausea/hyperemesis, the added stomach soothing benefits of peppermint, lemon balm and clinically studied ginger in this prenatal vitamin could be more palatable than other prenatal vitamins, which may increase nausea symptoms in the first trimester.*
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How Do Prenatal Vitamins Differ From Regular Vitamins
Since prenatal vitamins contain such various vitamins and minerals, you may assume that they are no different from your average multivitamin, but this is not the case. Prenatal vitamins are made specifically for pregnant women and contain the specific, recommended levels of each vitamin to support you and your baby.
When it comes to vitamins and minerals, the needs of a pregnant woman differ from the needs of a non-pregnant woman, and choosing a prenatal vitamin as opposed to an average multivitamin ensures that you are getting the right amounts of the vitamins you need.
Similarly, postnatal vitamins should be taken instead of regular multivitamins after your baby is born. This is because postnatal vitamins are also made specifically for pregnant women and contain the recommended amounts of certain nutrients for this situation. Like the GoBiotix Postnatal Vitamin, some postnatal vitamins also work to promote lactation, which can be helpful if you plan to breastfeed your baby.
That said, when it comes to what time of day you should be taking your prenatal vitamins, you should start by reading the label on your vitamin to check if any information regarding this is offered. If there is a recommended time of day to take the vitamin, follow these guidelines.
All of this being said, it is best to start taking your prenatal vitamins when you are conceiving before you know if you are pregnant, but you can also start taking them immediately when you find out.
What Are The Benefits Of Taking Prenatal Vitamins Early
The benefit of starting vitamins early is that some very important nutrients, particularly folic acid, will be up to par during the first few weeks of your pregnancy. Even before you get the positive pregnancy test.
If you wait until you find out that youre pregnant, you may miss the window of time where the extra nutrients are the most beneficial!
Some people maintain a diet that contains all the vitamins and minerals they need, and more. However, most of us dont, and thus supplementing is necessary.
Prenatal vitamins by no means guarantee that you will have a healthy baby. But they certainly do help set you on the right track.
Lets break down the most important components in your prenatal vitamins and how they can help you and your developing baby.
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Tips For Taking Prenatals
You may wish to take a prenatal multivitamin with food to help keep the tummy settled. Look for products that can be taken on an empty stomach, such as fermented multivitamins.
It also helps to know your habits in order to set yourself up for success. If you always take your vitamins with breakfast once a day, a one-tablet-daily prenatal may be the best choice for you. However, if you like spacing out your vitamins, other prenatal vitamins are designed so that a daily dose is spread out between multiple tablets that can be taken throughout the day.
Its best to listen to your body and notice if your prenatal is causing any queasiness, so then you can adjust from there. These days some prenatal multivitamins are even formulated with tummy-soothing ginger for morning sickness built right in, which can help if youre experiencing pregnancy-related nausea. Your healthcare professional may also have suggestions to help with any queasiness, such as spacing multi-dose vitamins throughout the day or taking with meals or water.
The key thing to remember is that adding a reliable prenatal multivitamin to your day can help maintain solid nutritional foundations. Whether youre planning to be pregnant or already expecting, these supplements offer highly tailored support for this important time in your life.
Prenatal Vitamins: When To Start Taking Them
The specific time when you should start taking prenatal vitamins depends on a couple of things. If you are actively trying to become pregnant, it is a good idea to start regularly taking a prenatal vitamin. If you are not actively trying to become pregnant, however, and you end up conceiving anyway, you should start taking prenatal vitamins as soon as you realize you are pregnant.
It is important to start taking prenatal vitamins quickly because your babys neural tube, which eventually becomes their brain and spinal cord, develops during the first couple of months of your pregnancy. This means it may begin to develop before you even know you are pregnant. Thus, taking prenatal vitamins when you are trying to conceive, even if you do not yet know whether you are pregnant, helps ensure that your baby and body are adequately supported.
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Can You Just Replace Your Daily Multivitamin With A Prenatal
In general, yes! A prenatal multivitamin can replace your everyday multivitamin, but not vice versa. While some prenatals include nutrients that are important whether or not you’re pregnant, generic multis don’t always include enough of the nutrients you’ll need in higher quantities for pregnancy .
Because of the formulation of the Modern Fertility Prenatal Multivitamin, it’s designed to support your body whether you’re pregnant or not and even if you’re still a few months or years out from trying to get pregnant.
If you want to get a leg up on nourishing your body for a future pregnancy, replacing your daily multi with a prenatal can help you fill up those nutritional reserves earlier. Taking a prenatal now, before youre trying to conceive, is a low-cost, low-risk way to get a headstart on a healthy pregnancy no matter when it happens.*
| *This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. |
What About Other Nutrients
There are other nutrients that may improve the health of your pregnancy. Your doctor can help you decide if you need to take supplements that include:Omega-3 fatty acids: These fats, which include DHA and EPA , come only from food sources such as fatty fish and nuts. Studies show omega-3s can lower your risk of preterm birth and of having a baby with low birth weight. If you donât eat much food thatâs rich in omega-3s, ask your health care provider if a supplement is right for you.
Choline: Although your body can make some choline on its own, you get most of it from food. Rich sources include beef, pork, chicken, fish, and eggs. Many pregnant women donât get enough choline, which the baby needs for healthy brain growth.
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When You Have Decided To Conceive
Once you decide to get pregnant, it is suggested to schedule a wellness visit with your gynecologist, quit smoking, and stop taking birth control pills. You should also start taking prenatal vitamins. It might take weeks or months to conceive, and sometimes, you may not know you are pregnant even after a few weeks of conception.
Reasons You Need A Prenatal Before Trying To Conceive
When is the best time to start taking a prenatal vitamin? Much earlier than you think! If you’re wondering when to start prenatal vitamins, you might be surprised. The ideal time to start a prenatal supplement is actually 3 months prior to conception. Heres why you should start taking prenatals before pregnancy:
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How Do Prenatal Vitamins Support Pregnancy
The requirements for micronutrients increase during pregnancy. While most nutrients can be obtained by eating a well-balanced, healthy diet, in the US many nutrients are under-consumed on a daily basis. Taking a prenatal vitamin every day helps to supplement where your diet could fall short.
Supplementation of these vitamins has been shown to decrease the risk of miscarriage and has reduced rates of low birth weight. It also helps with the development of some of the babys organ systems that begins early in pregnancy.
What’s The Difference Between A Prenatal Vitamin And A Normal Multivitamin
If you’re thinking about taking prenatal vitamins, you’re probably wondering if any old supplement will do. While something is better than nothing, there is a difference between a prenatal and a plain old over-the-counter multivitamin.
The main difference is prenatal vitamins are formulated specifically for supporting foetal development, meaning you know they’re full of folate, calcium, iron and all the other vitamins and minerals mum and bub need.
While a multivitamin might have a few of these things, it certainly won’t have all of them in one specific form.
So it is far more straightforward to stick to a prenatal when you can.
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Do Prenatal Vitamins Help With Conception
The idea that prenatals boost your fertility is a myth. These nutrients do not increase your chances of conceiving. With that said, they significantly increase your chances of a healthy pregnancy. They help to reduce the chances of birth defects and miscarriages, and they also help to prevent pregnancy complications such as premature birth or low birth weight.
How Long Should You Take A Prenatal Vitamin After Giving Birth
You should continue taking your daily prenatal vitamin throughout your pregnancy and postpartum period, especially if you are breastfeeding. The postpartum period begins at childbirth and continues for a few months as your body returns to its pre-pregnancy state.
While you are breastfeeding, your milk might be the only source of your babys nutrition, so supplementing with prenatal vitamins as long as you are breastfeeding can ensure the baby gets the nutrients they need as they continue to develop.
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What Should Your Diet Include
If you are going with the diet option, stick to whole foods with healthy fats, such as salmon, almond butter, olive oil, and avocado. You should also eat foods rich in iron, such as beef, spinach, eggs, and chicken. Folates are also essential, and you can find them in peanuts, broccoli, sunflower seeds, breakfast cereals, and dark leafy greens.
Vitamins and fiber are also good for you. Make sure to include plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables like mangoes, carrots and apples. Roughages like cabbage and dairy products like yogurt also help with bowel issues.
A healthy diet also does with plenty of water and healthy fluids. Reduce your intake of carbonated, caffeinated and sugary drinks. If you are of childbearing age and would like to have a child, you can start paying attention to your diet early on.
When To Start Taking Prenatal Multivitamins
Pregnancy can be hard to predict. Its impossible to know whether it will take a month or a year to get pregnantand, oftentimes, someone may not know they’re actually pregnant until a few weeks later.
Because so much of a babys development happens during the early weeks of pregnancy, its important to start taking prenatal multivitamins before trying to get pregnantthree months is a good rule of thumb.
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What Are The Most Important Nutrients In A Prenatal Vitamin
You always want to eat a well-balanced diet. During pregnancy, some vitamins and minerals stand out. They play a vital role in your babys development.
According to the AmericanCollege of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, these are some of the most important:
Folic Acid. Recommended daily amount : 600 micrograms.
Folic acid, a form of folate, is essential to spine and brain growth and the prevention of neural tube defects. The neural tube becomes your babys spine and brain. Without enough folic acid, the neural tube does not develop correctly. Neural tube defects can cause spina bifida or anencephaly .
You also need folic acid to support the growth of the placenta.
Iron. RDA: 27 milligrams.
You need plenty of iron when pregnant. It supports red blood cells, which you need to deliver oxygen to your baby. Your doctor will likely test your iron levels. If you show signs of low iron , you may need to take an additional iron supplement with your prenatal vitamins.
Iodine. RDA: 220 micrograms.
Your baby needs iodine for healthy brain development. The best food sources are seafood, although those can pose a challenge as many contain dangerous heavy metals. Eggs and iodized sea salt may provide some, but your prenatal vitamin helps you get everything you need.
Choline. RDA: 250 milligrams.
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What Specific Vitamins And Minerals Should I Focus On And Why
When you are pregnant, it is important to pay careful attention to your intake of folic acid, iron, calcium, vitamin D, choline, omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, and vitamin C.
Each of these vitamins is important for you and your baby in their ways:
- Calcium helps you and your baby build and maintain strong bones and teeth
- Iron helps your red blood cells carry and deliver oxygen to your growing baby
- Choline works to help develop your babys brain and spinal cord
- Vitamin C works to promote healthy gums, teeth, and bones for your baby while also supporting your immune system
- Vitamin D helps build your babys bones and teeth and keeps yours healthy
- Vitamin B6 helps form red blood cells and helps your body use protein, fat, and carbohydrates
- Vitamin B12 helps promote and maintain a healthy nervous system while also helping to form red blood cells
- Folic acid can help prevent birth defects of the brain and spine, and it also works to support the overall growth and development of your baby and the placenta
Thus, when you are trying to select a specific prenatal vitamin, you should read the nutritional label to ensure that these important vitamins and minerals are included. The GoBiotix Vegan Prenatal Vitamins contain the nutrients mentioned above and more to ensure that you and your baby have a safe and healthy pregnancy. This product contains 22 essential vitamins and 700 mcg of folic acid, so your needs, and your babys needs, are covered.
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The Best Prenatal Vitamins Include:
