My husband and I are planning on trying soon to have our first baby and my doctor told me that once I stop taking my birth control to take a prenatal vitamin. Anyone have any brands that they liked best? I have been reading a lot of articles that certain ones make you sicker than others, gel filled vitamins don't make you sick and even that the chewable ones are better. Thanks for your help!
Jerilyn
Re: Prenatal Vitamins
You do not need to wait until you start trying to conceive to start your prenatal vitamins. Whether it's strictly necessary to start beforehand is up for debate (some doctors say a month before, mine said six months before ttc), but it certainly will not hurt to begin them now. Many women taken them when they're not ever ttc or breastfeeding.
Most women do not feel sick from prenatal vitamins. If the vitimins contribute to your morning sickness once you are pregnant, you can take two Flintstone's chewables with iron instead.
My doc's guidance was to start taking prenatal vitamin or a multivitamin as soon as we thought about getting pregnant and continue doing so until finished breastfeeding. Prior to getting pregnant and when I am breastfeed I take whatever prenatal vitamin is on sale at the store (I never had any problems with the generic that Osco/Albertson's sells) and while pregnant take the prescription variety. I always took them at night as I read that some can make you sick to your stomach and never had any problems.
Best of luck!
I take New Chapter Perfect Prenatal. They are food-based vitamins, and the dose is smaller per pill (not a huge horse-pill), you take 3 pills a day and it's easier on the stomach and also better for nutrient absorption.
I also take Nordic Natural's Prenatal DHA.
A prenatal is just a daily multivitamin with the amounts of certain nutrients tweaked; the same prinicipal as "woman's", "men's", "over 50", etc. multivitamins. It's not like it's "difficult" to take. I think life would be easier with 1 supplement (prenatal) rather than 2 (regular multi + folic acid).
This! I think they are only like $4-5 for a pretty nice size bottle. I asked my ob when I was pregnant if their was really a difference b/t all the different pre-natal vitamins and he said no. Any kind was just fine. So don't fall for the gimics of buying a bottle of $20 vitamins. They never made me sick either. Chances are the women that say that they were sick it was probably from the pregnanct itself, not the pill.
Mom to Carter (6), and Calianne (1).
Proud VBAC, natural birth, breastfeeding, cloth diapering momma!