Product Spotlight 12/20: Vitamins

blaf322

Each week we'll spotlight a new category of product. Feel free to comment on these threads throughout your time at the board, not just during its week in the spotlight, if you discover something new OR are new to the board. This week we're talking.... Vitamins!

FTMs are encouraged to ask questions & STM/+s encouraged to share their knowledge based on experience. You can use any or all the prompts relevant to you below to share info in an easy-to-read format. Pictures/screen grabs, if put in spoilers, are welcome!

For all...

What brand prenatal vitamins are you taking & why?
What other brands of prenatals, if any, did you take this pregnancy before these? Why the switch?
Any other vitamins you are taking & why?
Anything else related to vitamins to add?

For STMs/STM+s...

Are you taking the same vitamins you have w/ previous pregnancies?
Why/why not?

To  view the upcoming PSS schedule, based off of S19's, see here: July 2020 BMB Product Spotlight Series

bluguitarhannah

Costco Prenatals, Calcium generic from Kroeger's (grocery store), Folic acid (nature made).  If all the main stuff ingredients are in there for me it's just a price choice.

blaf322

I'm taking these gummy vitamins b/c I can chew them up vs taking a huge pill that makes me gag. https://www.amazon.com/Vitafusion-Prenatal-Gummy-Vitamins-Packaging/dp/B003IP8BC8/ref=sr_1_4?crid=777L2LKVN57V&keywords=vitafusion+prenatal+gummy+vitamins&qid=1576868316&sprefix=vitafusion+pre%2Caps%2C149&sr=8-4

When I was pg with DD I did all this research and ordered the vitamins that were supposed to be best for absorption and best for what's in each does and all this..... and then I got them. And they were giant horse pills that smelled and tasted HORRIBLY. I had to take them with my protein shake every morning b/c it's the only way I could make myself get them down. Once the nausea kicked in, it was impossible and I realized just taking something I know I can be consistent with was better than inconsistently taking something that was supposed to be super wonderful. So, there's my STM advice.... unless you have some deficiency that makes it so you have to take something special, just take whatever you know you can be consistent with. 

stlbuckeye132

First time around I was super extra and got "natural" and "organic" and whatever else because I wanted the best of the best. I did Garden of Life prenatals but also had to take a separate DHA supplement (also Garden of Life). I had to take those damn prenatals 3x/day plus the DHA supplement. I honestly don't know what I was thinking, but I had alarms set and I did it.

This time I went with the giant bottle of prenatals from Costco (NatureMade). One pill/day instead of four, and it averages $4.20/month as opposed to the $26/month I was spending before.

coffeeandcookies84

@stlbuckeye132 like you, I also took the Garden of Life prenatal for DS, but unlike you, I’m still taking them 🤦‍♀️ I feel bad since most days I’ll get 2/3, but I’ve been a bit better at getting all 3 down this week. I know they now offer a 1 a day garden of life pill, so I might try those after this bottle

in addition to my garden of life prenatal, I’m taking a separate DHA supplement (Nordic naturals I believe) and a vitamin D top up. I also try to take a probiotic when I remember

b_1029

I’ve been taking the Smarty Pants prenatal gummies for over a year now. I got them because they’re way more fun than pills and they have folate instead of folic acid (idk if I buy into that but my BFF took them and got KU immediately so in my mind they were the secret ingredient and I haven’t switched since). I also take fish oil and vitamin D. 

kristinl492

@stlbuckeye132 @coffeeandcookies84. I’m still taking the Garden of Life because I never stopped taking them. I continued with them since I’m still nursing my DS. TBH, taking 3 freaking sucks, but I take them all at the same time before bed. I swear I notice a huge difference in how I feel when I take them vs how I feel with other vitamins. Maybe it’s just in my head 😂

I am thinking about grabbing a gummy vitamin to help me through the next few weeks. The last couple nights I’ve either felt too crappy to attempt swallowing pills or they came right back up. I can handle gummies 

stlbuckeye132

@coffeeandcookies84 @kristinl492 lol I wasn't trying to knock the Garden of Life prenatals! I liked them just fine, but I don't trust myself to remember that many pills this time around. I cannot imagine taking all three at once though! Just the thought is making me gag.

coffeeandcookies84

@stlbuckeye132 Don’t worry, I didn’t get that impression at all! 😀

They were the prenatal I was on when I got KU with DS and thought I didn’t want to screw anything up lol. I still take them now, even though they’re expensive as hell. I sometimes switch to a bottle of the New Chapter ones if I’m in a pinch, since the garden of life ones aren’t as easily accessible here for some reason 🤷‍♀️

stlbuckeye132

@coffeeandcookies84 I ordered them on Amazon through a subscription every 2 months I think!

nursejenn5

I also take the nature made prenatals from Costco. 

rachelredhead

@b_1029 I’m on the Smarty Pants prenatal too, which I switched to after seeing it recommended on TTGP. I don’t remember the brand of what I tried first but they were monster pills and the Smarty Pants actually taste good and haven’t messed up my stomach at all. 

mischief-managed

I take Seeking Health Optimal Prenatal.  I have to take 8 of them a day and they are really expensive!  The only reason I’m taking them is that I started seeing a holistic fertility specialist and these were the ones she recommended (she doesn’t sell them or anything else she recommends).  I have the MTHFR mutation and my doctor prescribed folplex but she recommended these instead as the because of the natural folate and B vitamins.  I have no idea if they are actually any better but, now that I’m pregnant, I don’t want to switch anything so I’m just going to keep taking them.

kristinl492

@stlbuckeye132 didn’t get that impression at all! 

asf0613

FTM taking an rx prenatal. Vitafol Nano. It is the size of an Aleve and is great! Downside is $30/mo. I had started taking it based on a sample doc gave me. I now know an rx is definitely not necessary and she said I could switch to OTC if I want. But honestly they don’t make me sick and I have a hard time swallowing pills so I’m loving these small ones

zande2016

I settled on the rainbow light prentatal one halfway through my 2nd pregnancy. Continued them postpartum during breastfeeding so had some leftover and decided to stick with them. They are food based so they have folate instead of folic acid, which I prefer, but you only Have to take it once a day unlike some of the other food based ones...and I buy the duo pack that comes with a DHA as well. Also, PSA, you can use FSA money for them! I’m all out right now but once Jan 1st hits I will be swiping my FSA card for them. 

kc0711

I use the Honest brand whole food prenatal and DHA. Big thing is they are certified gluten free and I have Celiac. I have them in a subscription to ship with DD’s monthly diapers, so I get a discount. I wanted one that had folate not folic acid, it is assumed I have the MTHFR mutation so folate is recommended. I take all of it once a day even though it says take them throughout the day. They taste ehh, I have to take them with orange juice to mask the flavor. I stick with them because I haven’t found any others that have the same levels of stuff in them and I get a discount when I order. So not in love, but will just keep on rolling down the road with them because I can’t find another I like better.