Supplements/Pre-natal vitamins etc

[~mia&ryan~]

:wave: Hi lovelies!!!

My lovely friend is looking at TTC very soon and was asking me about supplements and prenatal vitamins etc... I didnt use anything like that when I was preg with DD, so not sure what to tell her...

Is there any need to take these type of supplements and vitamins or does a healthy diet give you all you need????

Any advice and info would be much appreciated..

TIA, Em:hugs:

[bambino]

:wave:

I was taking Elevit. They were great for me as a vitamin supplement.
You can take them while TTC, during pregnancy, after pregnancy and during BF too.
They recommend to start taking them about 3 months prior to TTC. But we didn't know when we would conceive so I took them for quite a few months before hand and all was good.

I think Blackmore's do a similar one, but they didn't agree with me so I went back to Elevit. You just have to have a good diet at the same time cause due to the high iron content they can make you a bit constipated. So lots of water and good food.

But overall, no you don't really have to take anything, but I remember my midwife saying something about folate or folic acid ??

Hope that helps.

[~mia&ryan~]

Thanks Bambino!!!:hugs:

DD was a surprise for us so needless to say, I am not sure what you are supposed to do when trying...

Sounds like they may be a good idea, just to be sure you body and bubs are getting all they need... I can remember something about folate also, that it is really important in the beginning of pregnancy...

Thanks again!

Any other thoughts and experiences are welcome too!!!!:yes:

[Mayina]

Hello girls,
From a website I visit offen:


"Fuel up on folic acid
Even if you do manage to eat a balanced diet, it can be difficult to get all of the nutrients you need from food alone — and there's one in particular you don't want to skimp on at this point. By taking 400 micrograms of folic acid a day for at least one month before you start trying and during your first trimester, you can cut your chances of having a baby with neural-tube defects such as spina bifida by up to 70 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

You can buy these supplements in the drugstore or you can take a prenatal or regular multivitamin. If you do take a multivitamin, make sure it doesn't contain more than the recommended daily allowance of 770 mcg RAE (2,565 IU) of unless it's all in a form called beta-carotene. Getting too much of a certain kind of vitamin A can cause birth defects.

If you're unsure about what to take, ask your healthcare provider to recommend a supplement."
Hope it helps.
:wave:

[bambino]

Yup now I remember (thanks mayina).

You need to take folic acid but NO MORE than 500 micrograms PER DAY.

Most pregnancy supplements will contain 400 - 500 micrograms, but that is the absolute maximum you can take in a 24 hour period.

[~mia&ryan~]

So what happens if you eat food high in folate (special K, juice with added folate??) does that effect anything....

Or is that just 500g in a capsule (concentrated form)...

Maybe the best bet is to send her to her gp, I bet she will probably get all the info ahe needs...

Do most people use supplements etc of just go with a healthy diet????

Thanks again Bambino and Mayina.:hugs:

[kittykatz]

Hi guys

I just wanted to add it is a very good idea to see a GP or Gyno before TTC.

I noticed a post about not taking more than 500mcg per day of Folate, however if you have a family history of Spina Bifida then you need to take 5mg.

I found out accidently from an unrelated xray that i was born with a very mild form of spina bifida, called spina bifida occulta. Usually there are no symptoms with this form, however my chances of passing it on (possibly in a more severe form) to my children are great, and in this case i have to take a higher dose of Folate.

A good quality multivitamin is essential, up to 3 months prior to conception, as well as a balanced diet, because your nutritional needs increase so much pre and during pregnancy.

My Gyno has me on Elevit, Folate 5mg, Iron, Vitex (to help regulate hormones), and Fish Oil. She has my husband on a male multivitamin, zinc and fish oil.

Nothing can beat a professionals advice, so you MUST see a GP, gyno or naturapath before hand to give you and your bub the best chance.

[~mia&ryan~]

Thanks Kittykatz!!

Yeah I think I will tell her to head to her dr for a check up just to be sure.. Sounds like the best thing to do... That way she will get the best advice for her..:yes:

Thanks again!!:hugs:

[Tabby]

.Do most people use supplements etc of just go with a healthy diet????


Its always best to just take them regardless of how good your diet is, what ever isn't needed isn't absorbed anyhow :thumbsup: .