Prenatal Vitamins After Pregnancy
You can continue to take prenatal vitamins after your pregnancy. After giving birth, your body needs help restoring tissues and cells, and prenatal vitamins help with just that. They also support your weakened immune system, help with the massive blood loss, and help with breastfeeding by providing enough calcium and iron.
Your doctor may recommend a separate iron supplement to boost your levels of iron. If that is the case, you will also want to increase your fiber intake or take a stool softener as iron can cause constipation.
When To Take Prenatal Vitamins
Its best to take the prenatal at the same time every day so you dont forget about it. You can adjust the timing when to take prenatal vitamins to address some of their side effects. For instance, if you have nausea, you can take the vitamin with food.
You can also take them before lunch A prenate pill that consists of iron, calcium, and folic acid is absorbed better if you take it on an empty stomach, as iron cant properly absorb if you have just eaten dairy food.
How To Choose The Best Multivitamin For You
To find the least expensive multivitamin supplement that still provides all the vitamins and minerals you need, keep these tips in mind: Avoid supplements that provide more than 100% of the DV for any vitamin or mineral. Choose a supplement with no more than 3,000-3,500 International Units of retinol or vitamin A.
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Why Trust Verywell Family
As a Registered Dietitian, Sydney Greene takes supplement recommendations seriously. Every product has been researched and vetted by her against clinical research, product reviews, and third-party testing websites. These are products she would not only feel comfortable recommending to her clients but she would take them herself if needed.
Why Do I Need Folic Acid In Pregnancy
Folic acid , plus vitamin B12, is needed to form red blood cells .
“Folic acid is important for pregnancy because it can help to prevent neural tube defects, including spina bifida .”
The neural tube is a structure in the embryo that later develops into the babys brain and spinal cord. Taking folic acid before you conceive and while you’re pregnant might prevent up to seven out of 10 cases of neural tube defects .
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Additional Prenatal + Postnatal Nutrition Needs
As weve gathered so far, a womans nutrition needs increase during pregnancybut in terms of diet, its not as much as you might think.
On average, most pregnant women will need to consume an extra 340 extra calories per day.
Additionally, the CDC recommends that breastfeeding mothers consume an additional 450 to 500 calories daily. However, this number can vary depending on your:
- body mass
- activity level
- breastfeeding frequency
During pregnancy, theres also an uptick in certain macronutrient needs. Macronutrients are large food nutrients such as protein, carbs, and fats.
The American Pregnancy Association recommends increasing protein intake to 75 to 100 grams per day while pregnant. In addition, they should strive to consume complex carbohydrates and unsaturated fats whenever possible.
Supplements To Take During Pregnancy
In addition to the vitamins and nutrients discussed above, here are two of the best supplements to take while pregnant.
OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS
Doctors will often encourage their pregnant patients to take a fish oil supplement. Heres why.
Why theyre important: Omega-3 fatty acid stores tend to deplete quickly throughout pregnancy. Fortunately, omega-3 fatty acids provide DHA, one of its most biologically active acids.
DHA can help ease the risk for an early preterm birth . Additionally, low DHA levels can influence changes in brain function. Consequently, this can lead to genetic variations, decreased learning abilities, and impaired vision.
The benefits of taking omega-3 fatty acid extend to postnatal nutrition, too. Researchers suggest that rapid depletion of fatty acids during pregnancy and breastfeeding can contribute to the baby blues. In turn, taking this healthy omega can have a positive influence on maternal well-being.
Food sources of omega-3 fatty acids include:
- cold-water fish
- seeds
- plant oils
The ACOG recommends that pregnant and breastfeeding women eat at least two servings of fish or shellfish per week. However, pay special attention to avoid raw or undercooked fish. Additionally, you should also avoid fish with high mercury levels while pregnant.
That said, talk to your doctor about incorporating a high-quality fish oil supplement into your prenatal plan if you suspect youre getting enough DHA.
PROBIOTICS
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Herbal Supplements Can Help With Ailments With Caution
In addition to micronutrients, herbal supplements are popular.
One 2019 study found that 15.4 percent of pregnant women in the United States use herbal supplements. However not all disclose to their physicians theyre taking them.
While some herbal supplements may be safe to take during pregnancy, there are far more that might not be.
Although some herbs can help with common pregnancy ailments like nausea and upset stomach, some may be harmful to both you and baby.
Unfortunately, there isnt much research regarding the use of herbal supplements by pregnant people, and much is unknown about how the supplements can affect you.
The safest bet? Keep your doctor in the know about any and all changes to your eating plan and supplements.
Why Take Prenatal Vitamins Before You Are Pregnant
What is the main reason to start taking prenatal vitamins before getting pregnant? Its for the folate. Folate supports early neural tube development from the time of conception and in the first 3-4 weeks after conception. This important time is when babys brain and spine start to form. Since folate takes some time to build up in the body and since most women dont know theyre pregnant until around 2 weeks after conception , taking folate regularly before pregnancy can help avoid a gap. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control recommends that women who could get pregnant should be taking the equivalent of 400 mcg of folate daily.
Another reason to take prenatal vitamins before pregnancy is to start building the habit! Add prenatals into your regimen today, and when youre pregnant it will already be a solid part of your self-care.
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What Vitamins And Supplements Should I Avoid During Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a time to focus on your health and pay attention to what your body needs. You may wonder what vitamins and supplements are healthy during your pregnancy and what to avoid.
This article points out some supplements and vitamins that are better avoided during pregnancy.
Folic Acid Before And During Pregnancy
Its important to take a 400 micrograms folic acid tablet every day before you’re pregnant and until you’re 12 weeks pregnant.
Folic acid can help prevent birth defects known as neural tube defects, including spina bifida.
If you did not take folic acid before you conceived, you should start as soon as you find out you’re pregnant.
Try to eat green leafy vegetables which contain folate and breakfast cereals and fat spreads with folic acid added to them.
It’s difficult to get the amount of folate recommended for a healthy pregnancy from food alone, which is why it’s important to take a folic acid supplement.
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How Long Should Women Take Prenatal Vitamins
Whenever you become pregnant, youre actually eating for two. Because of this, the nutritional requirement that you get from food alone might not be enough to service both you and your baby. To make sure that both of you get the right amount of nutrition and vitamins, you must take prenatal vitamins.
Recommendation on Prenatal Vitamins
Some women enjoy the best prenatal vitamins with dha, while some of them actually lament the fish-flavored aftertaste from these DHA vitamins, queasiness when they take it, and constipation from the iron in the vitamins. Understandably, mothers stop taking these vitamins after giving birth. However, most doctors still recommend taking prenatal vitamins after childbirth. The question is, how long should women take it?
Actually, there is still no universally-accepted recommendation on the duration of taking prenatal vitamins after childbirth. Neither the World Health Organization or the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology have a strict timeline as to when you should stop taking them. Here is a compilation of recommendations of separate organizations:
For women who are actively trying to conceive, its important that they already take prenatal vitamins to anticipate the needs of the baby. These vitamins will help in starting the pregnancy in a very healthy way. Youll need to stick up on these minerals and vitamins to ensure the safety of your future baby.
Vitamins That Help You Get Pregnant Faster
Can the taking of any type of vitamin or supplement actually help you conceive a child faster than those who dont take vitamins? Can vitamins actually increase your fertility? The answer is yes if you ask experts at the Texas Fertility Center. According to fertility specialists, you need a good nutritional status in order to help your body conceive a child. This seems to hold true of both men and women.
For women, it may mean just taking a good prenatal vitamin. Research has indicated that taking a prenatal vitamin can not only decrease your chances of having a preterm birth and decrease your chances of pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting, but it can maximize your fertility.
In one recent study, women who were trying to get pregnant through fertility treatments got pregnant faster than women who didnt take prenatal vitamins. In fact, the participants who took prenatal vitamins had a doubling of their chances of becoming pregnant when compared to participants who just took folic acid prior to conceiving.
What this means is that it is possible to get pregnant faster if you take a prenatal vitamin, although research hasnt been done on women who arent undergoing fertility treatments and who take a prenatal vitamin. Prenatal vitamins can be purchased over the counter and cant hurt you, even if you take them while not pregnant.
These particular vitamins have the ability to enhance your fertility. You can take them alone or as a part of the total prenatal pill package:
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Monday 14 August 2017
Once you get pregnant, youre likely to be bombarded with advice from everyone you know . From what you should eat and drink, to what to expect from pregnancy and birth, or what products to buy and what to run from chances are there is a lot of well-meaning but overwhelming advice coming your way.
One thing that expecting mothers might hear about is supplements. Below, weve listed the supplements pregnant women should be taking during pregnancy and why.
Can You Take Prenatal Vitamins If Youre Not Pregnant
One of the top questions on a patients mind is: Can you take prenatal vitamins if youre not pregnant?
If youre planning to get pregnant you can start taking folic acid supplements. Half of the United States pregnancies are unplanned, so prenatals can protect your pregnancy from complications, as some defects can appear in the early stages of the pregnancy.
However, if you dont want to get pregnant, its best to follow a healthy diet and get the nutrients you need from food. Prenatals can cause adverse effects if you take more than you need to.
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Vitamin Supplementation For All Women Who Could Become Pregnant
Considering that the level of intake of folic acid from fortified foods is estimated to be no more than 100 to 200 mcg per dayFootnote 9, and recognizing that many pregnancies are unplanned, all women who could become pregnant should take a multivitamin containing 400 mcg of folic acid daily. This is in addition to the dietary folate provided by a varied diet. Having women supplement their diets with folic acid between pregnancies can help reduce the risk of NTDs in subsequent births.
Some women, such as those who have had a previous NTD affected pregnancy and those with a near relative who has a NTD, are at higher risk of having a NTD-affected pregnancy. They may need more than 400 mcg of folic acid daily . These women should be assessed early and advised on the steps to take to prepare for a healthy pregnancy.
Not Getting Enough Folate
Because the body has a high demand for folate, women may not get enough of this nutrient during their childbearing years . Women who are at higher risk include those who:
- are not taking the recommended folic acid supplement,
- are on restricted diets ,
- have a lower socio-economic status, and
- are experiencing food insecurityFootnote 5.
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Other Supplements In Pregnancy
Other than folic acid, iodine and any supplement prescribed for you by your doctor, there is limited evidence to support the use of supplements during pregnancy.
Emerging research has shown that omega-3 supplements during pregnancy might help reduce the risk of premature birth, and that probiotics might help control blood glucose levels in pregnancy. But it’s not clear whether the benefits of taking these supplements outweigh any possible harms. Until there is better evidence available, it’s best to avoid them â particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy.
Because nutritional supplements are classed as ‘complementary medicines’, they are not scrutinised or regulated as much as other medicines.
What Are The Rules For Taking Vitamins And Minerals
Good rules to follow include: Dont go over your recommended Daily Value for vitamins and minerals unless your doctor says its OK. Multivitamins dont have 100% of your DV for calcium or magnesium. You may need a separate supplement. Buy brands with USP, NSF, or another third-party seal of approval.
The simple way to know what vitamins and supplements to take Know the vitamins and minerals your body needs. At the most basic level, vitamins are essential organic substances your Carefully assess your diet based on widely-accepted nutritional guidance. The US Food and Drug Administration sets
To find the least expensive multivitamin supplement that still provides all the vitamins and minerals you need, keep these tips in mind: Avoid supplements that provide more than 100% of the DV for any vitamin or mineral. Choose a supplement with no more than 3,000-3,500 International Units of retinol or vitamin A.
Good rules to follow include: Dont go over your recommended Daily Value for vitamins and minerals unless your doctor says its OK. Multivitamins dont have 100% of your DV for calcium or magnesium. You may need a separate supplement. Buy brands with USP, NSF, or another third-party seal of approval.
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What If I Follow A Special Diet
If you are a vegan, a vegetarian, or follow any other kind of special diet due to food intolerances or religious reasons you may not be getting enough of certain nutrients from diet alone. For example, you may find it difficult to get enough iron or vitamin B12 through food alone. Let your doctor know about your dietary habits and she will be able to check what additional supplements you may need to take.
What Happens If You Dont Take Prenatal Vitamins
Taking prenatal vitamins before pregnancy can help prevent miscarriages, defects, and preterm labor. If youre not taking prenatal vitamins, neural tube defects can appear:
- Anencephaly: This occurs when the babys skull and brain doesnt form correctly. Babies that are born with anencephaly dont survive.
- Spina bifida: This occurs when the spine does not form correctly and the baby may have physical disabilities.
Now that we have addressed one of the most asked questions, What happens if you dont take prenatal vitamins?, we can move on to the next section: When to take prenatal vitamins.
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Why And When Should You Start Taking Prenatal Vitamins
If youre pregnant or are planning to get pregnant, your doctor may recommend taking prenatal vitamins, as it can be hard getting the nutrients and vitamins you need during your pregnancy. Prenate pillscan provide support for your body and babys development.
What do prenatal vitamins do? Can you take prenatal vitamins if youre not pregnant? What happens if yourenot taking prenatal vitaminsduring your pregnancy? What happens if you dont take prenatal vitamins? Do prenatal vitamins help you get pregnant?
Learning more about prenatal vitamins side effects, the benefits that these pills offer, and whether they can increase fertility can help ensure that youre getting the right nutrients before, during, and after your pregnancy.
Why Take Pregnancy Supplements
Although it is always important to get all of the vitamins and minerals your body needs, its vital during pregnancy. You need to consume enough nutrients for yourself and your baby in order to have a healthy pregnancy.
Pregnancy increases the need for these vitamins and minerals and there are several reasons why you may not get everything you need from diet alone.
- Carrying more than one baby
- Having to follow a specific diet, for example vegetarians or people on a restricted diet for health
- Poor diet, this may be due to small appetite or food preferences
The best thing you can do to support the health of you and your baby is to take prenatal vitamins but there are other supplements that you may wish to consider.
Here are 7 of the best supplements for pregnancy. Just remember to consult your healthcare provider before taking anything.
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