Product Spotlight: Vitamins

mvt2003

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?

mvt2003

Just going to kick this off! 

I've essentially been taking prenatals since 2017 #thanksinfertility I started with gummies, but moved over to GNC Prenatal with Iron, and I'm pretty happy with it and haven't had any issues. 

I also take 200 mg of Vitamin D per day since my preconception blood work with my RE confirmed I'm deficient. I was actually already supplementing with 100 mg per day and they increased me to 200! 

I used to take fish oil, but I don't anymore since I was told to discontinue it before my egg retrieval because it's a blood thinner. I have been drinking a kale smoothie every morning with 2 tbsp of chia seeds blended in since those have omega 3s in them and a good amount of fiber! 

juliebeannn

I've been taking Nature Made Prenatals since November. I take them after dinner and I haven't had any issues with them. 

I also take Vitamin D, fish oil, biotin, elderberry and a probiotic.

threatlevelmidnight

I take Mama’s Select prenatal vitamins. I get them from amazon. They’re already methylated just in case of MTHFR gene and also I have a history of babies with severe tongue and lip ties, so my midwife recommended taking folate instead of folic acid. They’ve been really easy on my stomach. 

treebagel

I like the target brand prenatal vitamin! It has more folic acid than other brands. I also take fish oil, vitamin D, and coq10.

manillabar

I used naturemade prenatals +dha for my last pregnancy. for this one, the RE prescribed some vitamins that I took, but now that they ran out, I'm going back to my nature made. I never had any issues with them. I didn't use gummies because those tend not to have iron and I usually run a little iron deficient.

princessjenney

I use Now brand prenatals. I have been taking vit D and C also, and at my recent appt my Dr said I can go ahead and keep taking those. I like the Now brand because they don't taste like anything (no aftertaste burps) BUT they are big and the serving size is 3 of them a day.

jenotontx

I take Natures Made with DHA. These were highly recommended on my previous BMB by a lot of women and my OB confirmed that they were a good option. I have never had an issues with them, so they are the only PNV I have ever taken. I do typically take vitamin D in the winter months because I always get deficient but I'm not taking that right now. Also, just FYI you can get the Natures Made in really big bottles at Costco!     

becca07024411

I take New Charpet Perfect Prenatals. I started them in 2016 when we started TTC and then just continued to take them after my son was born in 2019 instead of switching to a different type of vitamin.

nolemama24

Oh man!! I look like a little old lady with my supplements, I have a pill case and everything. After getting diagnosed with hashimoto's after giving birth in 2017, I sought out a doctor that practiced functional medicine and started to take loads of supplements. I never stopped taking a prenatal, which was the "Rainbow Light" Prenatal One. I am still taking that every day in addition to "Designs for Health" omegavail which is basically a super concentrated fish oil with EPA/DHA. I take both the prenatal and the omegavail at night before bed because I have been so nauseous. I would not be able to manage the pills during the day. I also took Rainbow Light Prenatal when pregnant with my DD, except I bought the kit that had the prenatal one plus a separate DHA pill of the same brand. When I feel better I will be adding some other supplements like vit D, selenium, calcium, a probiotic, and calcium--just the thought of eating right now repulses me and I am on the struggle bus right now ha! 

finnflan

This may be personal to me, but pregnant or not, I can’t handle prenatals on an empty stomach, even if I eat like 10 mins later. I have to take them immediately after eating a full meal. 

annanbby

I’m taking Olly prenatals, and I really like them. I think I took Nature Made last time and didn’t love them.
Also taking iron supplements since my prenatals are gummies so there’s no iron in them.
I’m trying to get enough calcium from my food/milk products, but if I can’t be more consistent with it I may start taking a supplement for that as well (recommendation from my doctor’s office).

firsttimemamabear9

I take the Equate brand of prenatal vitamins from Walmart. This is the second pregnancy I've used them. It involves taking 2 pills - a multivitamin and a DHA/EPA supplement capsule. They fit perfectly in my budget and contain the recommended amount of folate and DHA so I feel like I'm doing what I can to help my little bean grow.

kloe818

@finnflan Same... I am trying to remember to take them with my dinner so that I don't get so nauseous at night. 

finnflan

@kloe818 I’ve made it part of my morning routine, I take it immediately after I eat breakfast (I tend to eat a decent sized breakfast). I was terrible at remembering to take them when I first started, so aiming for the morning gave me the buffer of being able to do it after dinner when I inevitably forgot a a few days a week 🤣