Whether you’re trying to conceive, already pregnant, or thinking about getting pregnant, you might wonder how to choose a prenatal vitamin.
Nowadays there are a million and one prenatals out there, how do you decide which one is right for you? In today’s post we will discuss what essentials to look for in a prenatal, what negatives to look out for, and I will also give a few great options.
Why do I need to take a prenatal?
While it is possible to get all the nutrients you need for you and your baby through your diet, it is highly unlikely that that is happening. Even people who eat a strict, healthy diet need to take supplements to fill in the gaps. Since your body is creating another life, there is an even greater need for extra nutrients that you need to replenish your body.
Your little baby is going to take what it needs from you to grow, so making sure your body is well equipped to nourish that growth is important.
These first few weeks are the building blocks that your baby will be made out of. We want those blocks to be strong!
What do I need to AVOID in a prenatal?
When you’re ready to choose a prenatal vitamin, always try and find some thing without sugar, sugar free alternatives (ie. sucralose, sugar alcohols, etc.), food dyes, fillers, vegetable oils, and preservatives. We want WHOLE vitamins, not something made with synthetic ingredients.
Synthetic vitamins can be very hard to digest. They can cause nausea, constipation, cramping, and even heartburn. Non-food based vitamins are highly processed and don’t contain the natural vitamins that your body needs. Additionally, synthetic vitamins are hard to absorb as your body isn’t designed to accept fake sources of nutrition.
Folate: Make sure your prenatal contains folate and not folic acid. Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate that needs to be converted internally. If you have MTHFR, your body cannot convert folic acid into folate. This can create issues for both you and your baby. Folate is important during pregnancy as it supports development, may prevent neural tube defects, and supports the placenta. Folate is incredibly important in the first few weeks of pregnancy, so make sure you’re taking it if you’re trying to conceive! If you don’t know you’re pregnant and you’re low in folate, you could experience issues such as miscarriage and birth defects.
What do I need to look FOR in a prenatal vitamin?
A few great things to look out for are:
- Choline
- Iron
- B-12/B-6 vitamins
- Vitamins A, C, D-3, E, and K-2
- Calcium
- Thiamin
- Folate
- Magnesium
- Potassium
- Zinc
- Omega-3
In my opinion, this is a “bare minimum” list. There are many more supplements that you and your baby would benefit from. Such as:
- Biotin
- Riboflavin
- Niacin
- Copper
- Pantothenic acid
- Iodine
- Selenium
- Chromium
- Manganese
- Inositol
It’s not always possible to find a prenatal with all of this listed. You can always supplement things on this list either through other vitamin supplements or through your diet.
(I will list what each of these things can do for you at the bottom of this blog post)
Which prenatal should I choose?
Looking for a prenatal that will work for you and your body can be an overwhelming task. You never know what vitamin will be hard to swallow or which will make you feel nauseous. Instead of wondering how to choose a prenatal vitamin, try writing to companies and asking for a sample! It’s as easy as sending an email or chatting with someone. The worst they can say is “No”. If it works out, you can try the vitamins before buying a whole bottle!
Here are 3 clean prenatal options.
These are by no means the only options out there, they’re just a few of my favorites!
First we have Ritual. Ritual is a vitamin subscription service that offers an excellent prenatal! It contains vitamins D, E, K-12, B-12, folate, biotin, choline, iron, iodine, magnesium, boron, and DHA.
It is a little low in magnesium and choline, so those vitamins and minerals would need to be supplemented elsewhere.
The pill design allows for easy swallowing and keeps you from burping the “fishy taste” of the omega 3s and DHA.
They also offer a pregnancy protein shake that would be an excellent option for the first trimester when you don’t feel like eating very much.
(The reason I listed this suggestion first is, I use this personally and love it!)
Here is a link to get you $15 off your first order.
Next is FullWell. This prenatal multivitamin is a wealth of nutrients! Containing thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate, biotin, pantothenic acid, choline, calcium, iodine, magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, chromium, molybdenum, potassium, inositol, betaine HCL, and vitamins A, B-6, B-12, C, D-3, E, and K-12.
It was designed by a dietitian and fertility expert, and is considered one of the highest quality prenatals on the market.
While each serving covers over half of your recommended choline needs (unlike most prenatals) and provides 4,000 IU of vitamin D per dose, it doesn’t include iron or DHA. Those vitamins would need to be supplemented separately.
Use my code BETTERBIRTH10 through this link to get 10% off your first order.
Lastly, we have Garden of Life.
This plant based prenatal contains vitamins A, C, D, E, K-12, K-2, B-6, B-12, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate, biotin, pantothenic acid, iron, iodine, zinc, selenium, manganese, chromium, and molybdenum. It is certified organic, vegan, and non-GMO. It contains 100% of the recommended amounts of iron and iodine as well as over half the daily recommendation of manganese. Which is hard to find in a prenatal vitamin. However, like the Ritual, it doesn’t contain the choline or magnesium that you would need daily. Those would need to be supplemented separately.
You would also need to take into consideration the nuts and seeds included in this plant based multivitamin. While nutrient dense, it may be best to keep any allergies in mind.
When you choose a prenatal vitamin (whether you use the options listed above or settle on something else) make sure it’s as nutrient dense as possible. This will allow your body and your baby to get the most out of your vitamins!
I know supplements like prenatals can be pricey, but look at it this way: You are building another human being. You want your body to be filled with quality nutritional building blocks to nurture that growth. Purchasing pure prenatals can make a huge difference to you and your baby. Pregnancy can be hard on your body, it’s such a privilege to carry another life! Let’s make sure you have what you need to keep your body in great shape!
A prenatal is meant to replenish your body of the nutrients that your baby is taking from you. It is by no means the only nutrients that you need. Eating well throughout your pregnancy is as essential to your baby as taking your vitamins. Make sure you’re getting proper nutrients through your diet as well as through your prenatal supplements.
A quick overview of the essential nutrients listed above
- Iron: blood builder
- Vitamin B-12: Brain and spinal cord development
- Vitamin B-6: Brain and nervous system development
- Vitamins A: protects your eyes/fetal eye health and infant immune system
- Vitamin C: mother’s tissue repair and wound healing/fetal bone and teeth development
- Vitamin D-3: supports your immune system, bones, muscles, and teeth/fetal bone development and may help prevent preterm birth
- Vitamin E: Red blood cell creation, maternal eye and skin health, and maternal immune system
- Vitamin K-2: maternal bone and heart health
- Calcium: maternal and fetal bone and teeth health/fetal heart health, nerve health, and muscle growth
- Thiamin: maternal energy/fetal brain development
- Folate: Fetal brain, neural tube, and spine development/placental health
- Magnesium: Overall maternal/fetal health
- Potassium: maternal blood pressure regulation
- Zinc: maternal immune system/May help reduce preterm birth
- Omega-3: maternal blood pressure regulation/fetal eye and brain development/fetal immune system builder
- Biotin: maternal skin, hair, ice, liver, and nervous system health/fetal growth
- Riboflavin: maternal energy/fetal growth, eye growth, bone, muscle, and nerve development
- Niacin: has the potential to prevent some miscarriages and birth defects
- Copper: maternal blood builder/fetal heart, blood vessel, skeletal, and nervous system development
- Pantothenic acid: maternal by builder, sex and stress hormone regulator
- Iodine: maternal thyroid health/fetal thyroid health and brain development
- Selenium: Maternal and fetal thyroid health
- Chromium: Maternal insulin regulation
- Manganese: can protect baby’s blood pressure
- Inositol: maternal reduction of glucose metabolism issues
This is not a complete list, just a few of the many benefits each of these supplements offer. Be sure to do your own research/talk with your doctor about which of these would benefit you and your baby the most!
I hope this small list helps you as you choose a prenatal vitamin!
You’ve got this Mama!
You’re doing so great!
I believe in you!
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