Every expecting mother wants to do all the right things for their growing little one. Prenatal vitamins are one of the most important things you can do to give your baby a strong start in life.
Here is some vital information about prenatal vitamins, why you should take them, and the risks of forgoing them in your pregnancy.
Misconceptions about Prenatal Vitamins
Prenatal vitamins make good eating habits unnecessary
While prenatal vitamins give your body a supplement and a boost in pregnancy, they are not a replacement for good eating habits.
You should always do everything possible to eat healthy foods that provide the needed nutrients to your growing child.
If you didn’t start taking prenatal vitamins before conception, don’t bother.
While it would have been ideal to start your prenatal vitamins when trying to conceive, it’s never too late to start. Even if for some reason you are already halfway through your pregnancy and haven’t started your daily vitamin, this shouldn’t stop you from picking up the habit.
They are very important and in this case the saying, “better late than never,” has never been more accurate.
Choosing a Prenatal Vitamin
When choosing a prenatal vitamin, you should make sure that it has the following vitamins included in its formula.
Folic Acid
Folic acid is especially important in the first month of your pregnancy. It greatly helps to reduce the risk of birth defects. It’s suggested that folic acid be taken even before trying to conceive.
Iron
Iron is critical in creating your baby’s red blood cells and avoiding anemia. Your body must have enough iron all throughout your pregnancy.
Calcium
You should always make sure you are receiving a healthy amount of calcium to help with bone development. It’s suggested that all women consistently receive calcium. You might even want to take an extra calcium supplement besides your prenatal vitamin to get enough. Calcium can reduce the chances of early delivery too.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D will help your body absorb all that calcium. It also improves your nervous system, muscles, bones, and makes your immune system stronger. You can also get vitamin D from sun exposure. Five to 10 minutes of sun on your arms, legs, hands, and face 2-3 times per week can help you absorb vitamin D. Deficiency in vitamin D can also be related to preeclampsia.
Omega-3 fish oil (DHA)
Omega-3 fats are called essential fats because they must be obtained through supplementation or diet. They are not synthesized by the body by other means. This should be taken into consideration because it is important for immune and nervous system development, brain, eye, and heart development. It can also improve behavior and attention when learning for children later. You can get this vitamin through other sources, but it’s important to have it included in your prenatal vitamin supplement.
Iodine
This ingredient is very important for a woman’s thyroid, nervous system, and hormonal regulation.
Mama Nurture Premium Prenatal Vitamins
These soft gel prenatal vitamins are the first Kosher Prenatal with DHA in the world. They are a balanced formula that gives a unique combination of vitamins and nutrients for your baby. These vitamins have the ideal rates of absorption, safety, and metabolism.
They are as natural as possible and are created to give expectant mothers the best prenatal vitamin formula possible.
According to NBC, one of the three biggest news broadcasting networks in the United States, experts suggest the following amounts be the minimum of these ingredients in your daily intake of prenatal supplements.
- 400 mcg of methylated folate
- 27 mg of Iron Bisglycinate
- 1000-2000 IU of Cholecalciferol (D3) Vitamin D
- 11 mg of Zinc
- At least 200 mg of DHA
Mama Nurture vitamins are one of the only prenatal supplements on the market to have all of these and other important ingredients in the right amounts.
Many other vitamins will be lacking in one area or another, leaving you to choose which vitamins are most important to you.
The quantities in the Mama Nurture vitamins are calculated to be exactly what both you and your growing baby need.
You should start taking prenatal vitamins as soon as possible. You can find some simple over the counter prenatal vitamins at a local pharmacy or from your health care provider, no matter what stage of pregnancy you are in.
Prenatal vitamins paired with a healthy lifestyle and diet will give you an extra boost and keep you strong as you progress through your pregnancy. They will help to give your new baby the best start possible as he or she joins your family.
Sources:
www.verywellfamily.com
www.health.com
www.babydoppler.com
www.americanpregnancy.org
