Prenatal Vitamins: 5 Worthwhile Products To Consider Taking For Your Unborn Baby’s Needs
It’s imperative that you take good care of yourself when you’re pregnant. You need to be more cautious about the food you consume, as it’s not just about you anymore. You also have to be mindful of what could help or harm your growing baby. Besides consuming healthy fruits, vegetables, and other foods, you must begin a prenatal vitamin regime to get the nutrients your diet is liable to be lacking in.
Your unborn baby needs all kinds of nutrients in order to develop properly. By taking prenatal vitamins, you decrease the chance of congenital disabilities.
What Should You Look For in A Prenatal Vitamin
You can either get your prenatal vitamins from a doctor (in prescription form) or purchase them over the counter. Each manufacturer has their own formula, which makes it a good idea to talk with your OB-GYN or another healthcare provider on what they may recommend.
Prenatal vitamins need to have certain vitamins and minerals including:
• B6 – 2mg
• Calcium – 250mg
• Folic acid – 400 to 600mg
• Iodine – 150mg
• Iron – 30mg
• Omega-3 fatty acids
Your body also needs various other nutrients including but not limited to: vitamins A, B12, C, D and E, phosphorus, selenium, biotin, zinc, riboflavin, and DHA. However, it’s folic acid is considered an extremely important nutrient pregnant women need to have. Why?
Folic acid helps to decrease the chances of health complications in babies. When you’re looking at the various prenatal vitamins on the market, choose one that has at least 400mg per serving.
It’s important you read labels, not just for how much of each vitamin you’ll get, but how to take those vitamins correctly. If you have difficulty swallowing large pills, you may need to find a liquid or chewable option or consider cutting the pill in half.
Many prenatal vitamins suggest taking them right before you eat or go to sleep. This will stop the nauseated feeling pregnant women often get. If you do this, and you’re still getting sick, it may be the brand of prenatal vitamins that’s the problem. You may need to switch to another brand.
It’s imperative to talk to your doctor to decide what your nutritional gaps are or if you have any at all. You want to be sure that you get the right brand of prenatal vitamins that will give you all the nutrients you need.
Are you looking at over-the-counter prenatal vitamin products? With so many choices out there, how do you know which one is right for you? Here’s a breakdown of some popular prenatal vitamin choices.
A Look At 5 Best Over The Counter Prenatal Vitamins in 2018
1. Vitafusion Prenatal Gummy Vitamins
Anybody who says gummy vitamins are for children is wrong because anybody who loves gummies can take them. One such company that makes great gummy vitamins is Vitafusion, which is considered the number one gummy brand.
The great thing about Vitafusion is its motto: We Make Nutrition Taste Good.” The reality is that they do make tasty gummy vitamins that pregnant women love to take. What are some of the features to consider when looking at Vitafusion?
• The formula is a great source of various vitamins such as A, C, D, and E.
• The vitamin C amount equates to around 10 tangerines (242mg)
• There is 50mg of DHA in each pill, making it a wonderful option to get your omega3-DHA.
• The folic acid amount equates to about three cups of cooked spinach.
• It contains only high-quality, purified fish oil (no mercury or polychlorinated biphenyls.
• It can support your immune system.
• It has no gluten in it, which makes it ideal for women who have a gluten intolerance.
Advantages of Vitafusion
• Vitafusion uses various flavors like raspberry lemonade and natural lemon to make the gummies taste good.
• They won’t cause the upset stomach issues and even helps to decrease the chance of nausea and morning sickness.
• There’s no bitter aftertaste, and it tastes like a child’s fruit gummy snack.
• It doesn’t harden, even if you put it in the fridge.
• It provides pregnant women with all the important nutrients they need.
Drawbacks of Vitafusion
• There is no calcium or iron in the gummy, which makes you need to purchase these supplements.
• Some people claim the coating has an excessive amount of sugar on it.
If you have problems swallowing tablets or pills, these gummy vitamins from Vitafusion may be your answer. It’s easy to take and can be considered a dessert after you eat. Each bottle contains 90 gummies, which tends to last about 45 days. It’s important to take two gummies a day to get the recommended intake of vitamins.
Vitafusion is a well-renowned brand, but many doctors and pregnant women like it because it has all the important nutrients a pregnant woman and her growing baby needs.
2. Rainbow Light Prenatal One Multivitamin
When it comes to prenatal vitamins, you want one that gives you the nutrition you need along with extra energy. You also want a vitamin that support’s your unborn baby’s development and health.
With a single tablet, Rainbow Light Prenatal One Multivitamin claims to do just that. Using superfood extracts for the foundation, it offers you and your developing fetus the important minerals and vitamins needed. What are some of the features in this vitamin product?
• When it comes to folic acid, there are 800 micrograms in this vitamin.
• It has 30mg of iron, which is necessary for red blood cell products and a healthy metabolism.
• It has 400IU of vitamin D2, 4,000IU of vitamin A and 100mg of vitamin C.
• It’s a mixture of superfoods, vitamins, minerals, and botanicals that help you with your nutrition and give you energy.
• The concoction can help alleviate some, of the pregnancy pangs.
• It has no artificial colors, flavor, preservatives, and sweeteners.
• It contains no dairy, soy, nuts, yeast or shellfish.
• Vegans and vegetarians like it because it’s a vegan formula.
Advantages of Prenatal One
• You only need to take one tablet a day, either with a meal or between them.
• Since it’s food-based, it’s easier on the stomach.
• The concoction has spirulina (a superfood) along with ginger and raspberry.
• There are no allergen-causing properties in it.
Every purchase of Prenatal One comes with a donation to the Vitamin Angels Maternal Health Project.
Drawbacks of Prenatal One
According to some customers, there have been counterfeit Prenatal One products circulating. Therefore, you need to be mindful of where you’re buying your prenatal vitamin from.
Moisture causes dark spots to grow, but they do not hinder the product’s safety.
The Prenatal One vitamin from Rainbow Light is a food-based multivitamin, offering pregnant women and their unborn babies the vitamins and minerals they need for healthy development and body. Although it’s an extremely powerful blend, it’s still very gentle. One tablet is all you need to get the nutrients the body must have.
3. Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw Prenatal Whole Food Multivitamin
Garden of Life’s Vitamin Code Raw Prenatal Vitamins is a complete multi-nutrient vitamin that was created to meet women’s unique needs. Every vitamin gives you and your unborn baby the nutrients you need. The great thing about this product is that it’s not just a prenatal vitamin. You can take it before you get pregnant and during lactation. What are some of the great things about this prenatal vitamin from Garden of Life?
• What does Garden of Life mean by raw? It means there are no additives, artificial flavors, colors, fillers, synthetic binders or sweeteners in the formula.
• Its raw nutrients contain a mixture of 23 vegetables and fruit.
• One vitamin has 800 micrograms of folate, which is necessary for healthy neural tube growth.
• It has 18mg of iron, which is necessary for a healthy productive system and the blood.
• There is 1,400IU of vitamin D3, increasing the absorption of dietary calcium.
• It can help ease the pain of morning sickness.
• It offers support to the digestive system with the probiotics it contains.
Advantages of Garden Of Life
• You can safely use it after birth and while you nurse your baby.
• The manufacturer uses real food in its formula.
• There are a plethora of benefits for mom before, during and after the birth of her baby.
• Vitamins and minerals were extracted from 23 fruits and vegetables.
• You can open the capsule and mix it into raw juice or water.
Drawbacks of Garden of Life
• It’s recommended that you take three capsules a day. If you don’t like taking pills, you may balk at this idea. But remember, you can open the capsule and mix it with something to drink.
The Garden of Life multivitamin is a complete supplement that provides the nutrients future and currently, a pregnant mother needs to have a healthy baby. It’s got no dangerous chemicals in it and, if you don’t mind three capsules a day, it’s great to take.
4. New Chapter Perfect Prenatal Vitamins
Another prenatal vitamin to consider is the New Chapter Perfect Prenatal Vitamin. The manufacturer developed it to provide two bodies with nourishment. It’s easy on the stomach and is developed using high-quality ingredients such as herbs, vegetables, fruits, and mushrooms. The product is often recommended to pregnant women since it can help both mom and baby. What are some of the features of this prenatal vitamin?
• It has nourishment that’s ideal for women who want to get pregnant or are currently pregnant.
• It’s completely digestible so you can take it whenever you need to, even when you haven’t eaten.
• It’s loaded with various nutrients like folate, vitamin D3, all B vitamins, A, and C, and iron. It also contains herbs such as blueberries, broccoli, kale, and cauliflower.
• It’s free of sugar, gluten and kosher, and is great for vegetarians.
Advantages of New Chapter
• The formula goes through a two-step fermentation process and has the power of probiotics so you can easily take it even if you haven’t eaten.
• The ingredients have been intensely scrutinized and are completely organic.
Drawbacks of New Chapter
It’s recommended that you take three pills a day, which is a bit of an effort for some people.
It’s a pretty big pill and does have a nasty aftertaste.
If you need a prenatal vitamin that gives you all the nutrients your body and unborn baby need without any sugar, kosher or gluten, then New Chapter Perfect Prenatal Vitamins may be the right choice for you.
However, if you don’t like taking three large (horse-like pills) a day, you may feel less than happy about using it even with its whole fermented ingredients like organic herbs and vegetables.
5. Nature Made Prenatal Multi Plus DHA
Another well-known and highly popular prenatal vitamin comes from Nature Made. Its Prenatal Multi Plus DHA vitamin contains the important nutrients the body needs like Omega-3 fatty acid DHA in the right amounts, and in just a single dose. It’s a powerful formula that helps pregnant women stay healthy and lead to healthy development for an unborn baby. What are some of the features you see with Nature Made’s prenatal vitamin?
• It’s got the important vitamins pregnant women and their babies need to grow. However, pre-pregnant women can also benefit from using the vitamin.
• It provides support for bone health, cellular energy production, immune system and nervous system.
• It contains folic acid that can help decrease the chance of spinal cord or brain congenital disabilities.
The vitamin has many important nutrients like calcium, iron, zinc and vitamin D.
• Its ingredients are safe and of high-quality.
• While it does have wheat in it, there are no preservatives, yeast or artificial flavors. Its colors come from natural sources.
Advantages of Nature Made
• You just need one soft gel a day – ideal for people who despise the idea of taking pills. It should also be taken with food.
• One soft gel has 200mg of DHA.
• Its formula offers all the nutrients pregnant women and their babies need.
• It’s developed following the stringent rules of good manufacturing processes.
Drawbacks of Nature Made
• If you don’t like fish or the fish smell, you don’t want to use Nature Made, as it has sardines, mackerel, and anchovies in the formula.
• It’s a rather big soft gel and can be hard to swallow.
Pregnant women and those who want to become pregnant can use Nature Made Prenatal Multi Plus DHA to get the blend of important nutrients their body needs to ensure a healthy growing baby.
If you’re looking for a safe product with the best ingredients, then Nature Made’s prenatal vitamin may be what you’re after. However, if you dislike the idea of fish smell or don’t like seafood in general, consider another prenatal vitamin to take.
What You Should Remember About Prenatal Vitamins
As a pregnant woman, you have to mindful about what you take into your body. Everything you take will affect your unborn baby and his/her development. With so many prenatal vitamins on the market, it’s imperative you do your research to find the product that meets the nutrients your body needs during this amazing time.
Every one of the above mentioned prenatal vitamins offers a formula that makes them so beneficial to pregnant women and their unborn babies. They do have their own advantages and drawbacks, so it’s important to do your research before you settle on a particular prenatal product.
And, it’s not just the nutrients you need to consider, but also the recommended intake and form. For example, if you have a difficult time taking large pills or like the idea of easily, chewable pills, you may want to consider the Vitafusion Prenatal Gummy Vitamins.
Consider choosing organic vitamins that comprise of safe materials with no artificial ingredients and preservatives. Why? The real question is why not? Don’t you want the best for you and your unborn baby? Do your research and find the prenatal vitamin that’s right for you.
