[name_m]Hi[/name_m], ladies! I recently read that you can start taking prenatal vitamins about 3 months before you start TTC, as that’s how long it takes for an egg to mature, so I was wondering if some of you would be willing to share:
What brand/kind of prenatal vitamins are you taking? Are they pill form, chewable, liquid?
[name_f]Do[/name_f] they make you feel nauseous (or experience any other negative side effects)?
Are you taking any other supplements in addition, like calcium, omega-3s, etc.?
I also take the vitafusion gummi prenatal vitamins and vitafusion gummi calcium along with prescription iron supplement. I recently moved but I was living in the north usa and took vitamin d. Now its very sunny where I live and I don’t take the vitamin d. I don’t have any side effects but if you take iron it can back you up so drink lots of water to stay regular. Vitamins can make you queasy so you can try splitting them and taking half a dose in the morning and half at night or taking them with a small meal. I don’t think you should take iron if you aren’t anemic so I would ask your dr first.
I took the generic Target pre-natal for well over a year before we conceived this time around. They make your hair and nails fantastic! Always take with a meal and I’ve had zero side effects or issues from them.
Once i got my positive pregnancy test, I switched to one with DHA so now I take the NatureMade (also available at Target and WalMart) w/DHA. It’s pretty large and I think it gave me a little tummy upset when I first switched to it but no problems now. [name_m]Just[/name_m] always, always take them with as much food as you can.
Oh, just saw your question about other supplements. I also take a B12, a D3, and a separate folic acid (as instructed by my perinatal specialist). Always worth asking your OB for his/her thoughts on what you should take!
Thanks everyone! I have a hard time taking pills that are too big, so I was considering trying a liquid prenatal (most gummies have more sugar than I’d like). Has anyone heard about any good liquid ones? The one I found that I liked the sounds of the most is called Liquid Health Liquid Prenatal Multi.
I followed my doctor’s advice and took prenatals for over a year while we were trying to conceive. [name_m]Just[/name_m] the generic kind. When I found out I was expecting twins, the first question I asked was weather or not I needed to change the brand/type/amount of pills. All the OBs have said that the ones I have right now are fine. And since this bottle is huge, I’m not going to have to buy any more for a few months.
I took Target brand prenatals from the time I stopped taking the pill until just a couple months ago when I started weaning my daughter from breastfeeding. I tried pills and gummies, but I think the gummy ones were better because they have DHA in them. The sugary stuff on the outside of them grossed me out in the beginning when I had morning sickness, so I switched to pills them. Target sold a 2-pack of prenatals with a bottle of multi-vitamins and a bottle of DHA supplements and that’s what I used. I didn’t take anything else, but ask your OB-GYN what you need. My sister was anemic while pregnant and needed an extra iron supplement.
[name_m]New[/name_m] Chapter Perfect Prenatal vitamins are awesome. They were the only thing that worked for me nausea-wise and I was able to take them on an empty stomach. I didn’t do one at each meal post pregnancy, I just started taking all three in the morning. The 3 a day thing is their only flaw imo, it is easy to forget one! I love that they have food ingredients like [name_m]Kale[/name_m], and I love that they’re organic and don’t have binders & additives like most stuff on the market. I had a very queasy pregnancy and these really worked for me and I’ve continued taking them.
@taz: That brand was actually another one that I was looking at. I liked them for all of the reasons that you said! I don’t think the 3 a day thing would bother me too much, but I do have trouble swallowing pills that are too big. Are the [name_m]New[/name_m] Chapter prenatals pretty big, or are they small?
I took Pregnacare [name_u]Max[/name_u] during all my pregnancy and with this one. This same brand has vitamins for TTC as well which I took before my first and second pregnancies and I also took the breastfeeding one. I really like this brand as it has worked for me. The website is also really helpful! Essential Vitamins for Conception, Prenatal & Postnatal – Pregnacare” from Vitabiotics.com
I didn’t take prenatals before the pregnancy, because we weren’t actively trying. I was, however, taking [name_u]Omega[/name_u] 3 and a multivitamin, and have been since my early 20s.
I just switched to the Prenatal formula of my regular multivitamin, which is Super Nutrition Simply One Prenatal Triple Power.
The women’s multi was recommended by my gynecologist, and my OB’s face lit up when I showed her the bottle of what I’d been taking, so it’s well thought-of in the women’s health community.
No identifiable side effects. I only had 4-5 days of nausea scattered between weeks 6-10, and it was always quite mild (I liken it to subtle car sickness), but my mom had the same in her pregnancies so my good luck can’t be attributed to the vitamin.
I am taking 1000mg Calcium every day, and 2000mg [name_u]Omega[/name_u] 3. Make sure you get a bottle that says “purified to eliminate mercury.” Mine are Vitamin World brand. [name_u]Omega[/name_u] 3 is vital during first tri for brain development, so they believe. [name_m]Fish[/name_m] would be a better source, but because of mercury contamination it’s just not possible to get enough fish in one’s diet to have adequate [name_u]Omega[/name_u] 3 intake without exceeding the recommended limit of mercury intake.
Here is a mercury calculator: Mercury Guide
I doubt I will be of much help in this area since the brand I use is Australian (most likely unavailable in the US), but the one I’m taking is basically a prenatal multivitamin with 9 vitamins, 9 minerals, and omega-3. I chose a once-per-day tablet over the twice-per-day ones since I am forgetful! I haven’t had any unpleasant side effects to date. Also I’m a huge wimp about swallowing pills, so I just take mine in a mouthful of food and haven’t had any issues with how huge they are.
[name_m]Just[/name_m] a note with regard to liquid vitamins… make sure you check what preservatives they contain!! My mom was using liquid multivitamins recently as she had heard they were easier for the body to absorb, but then she actually read the ingredients and they had some pretty toxic preservatives in there! Sort of defeats the whole purpose of multivitamins. :\
On another note, my husband is also taking a men’s “preconception” multivitamin. It’s basically just a multivitamin with added zinc for sperm health.
I take NatureMade and haven’t had any issues. They are pills, I’ve taken the same brand with my other two pregnancies as well. Because I am pregnant with twins, I take extra folic acid and may start taking more iron depending on my next round of blood tests.
ETA: I was never able to take the prenatals for long (maybe a month or so) before getting pregnant, because it has always happened quickly.
@omviam: Thanks for the heads up! I think that the liquid kind I was looking at was okay, but I’ll definitely make sure I re-check it! My husband takes a men’s multivitamin and sometimes cod liver oil, but I didn’t know that extra zinc was good for the little guys. I’ll have to look into that
Also I’m a huge wimp about swallowing pills, so I just take mine in a mouthful of food and haven’t had any issues with how huge they are.