Whether you are planning to become pregnant or gifted with a surprise, taking prenatal vitamins will only benefit you and your baby. Atlanta Women’s Obstetrics & Gynecology suggests these 4 prenatal vitamins you need in order to prepare your body for a healthy baby.
Folic Acid
This vitamin B is one of the most important nutrients you can take while pregnant and while trying to become pregnant. Many pregnancies are unplanned, so taking prenatal vitamins regularly will provide all the nutrients you need in advance.
Start taking folic acid at least 1 month before becoming pregnant and continue throughout your pregnancy to lower the risk of birth defects in the brain or spine. If you haven’t begun taking folic acid and find yourself pregnant, begin immediately as the first few months of pregnancy are important building blocks for you baby’s health.
Folate is found naturally in many foods like leafy green vegetables, fortified cereals, and rice along with nuts and beans. Even if you maintain a healthy lifestyle and diet, it is best to fortify your folic acid levels with supplements.
Between 400 – 600 micrograms is recommended each day, but you should check with one of our obstetricians about your best dose before starting any new type of regimen.
Iron
Iron is important to monitor and regulate the increase in blood that will occur with pregnancy.
27 milligrams are typically recommended for a daily dose, but you can also find it naturally in spinach, white beans, lentils, cashews, chicken, and iron-fortified cereal and breads.
Calcium
Always helpful to build strong bones, calcium is especially beneficial during pregnancy. If your baby is lacking in calcium, he or she will get it from you, so it is important to maintain 1000 mg a day to prevent your own bone loss.
The best natural sources for calcium are milk, cheese, and yogurt.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is an essential prenatal vitamin that helps your body absorb the calcium you need.
Verify with your obstetrician the correct amount of vitamin D that you should be consuming on a daily basis.
Just like the others mentioned in this article, vitamin D can be found in many common foods that you likely already enjoy. Eat lots of egg yolks, salmon, cheese along with fortified milk, orange juice, and cereal.
Best Ways to Take Prenatal Vitamins
It’s easy to say, “take your prenatal vitamins,” but it’s an entirely different thing to get them down and/or deal with their side effects. Some people have difficulty taking any kind of pills even without morning sickness, so here are some suggestions to help make them go down a bit more easily.
Chewable flavored gummies are easy to get down and digest, but they don’t usually have iron or calcium, so be sure to find other alternatives.
Try a multivitamin supplement drink, or other drinks that are available like Pink Stork.
Always check with your obstetrician at Atlanta Women’s Obstetrics & Gynecology about the prenatal vitamins you are taking and the proper amounts for you. To schedule an appointment call 678-466-7418 or schedule an appointment online.
