Prenatal vitamins are specialized vitamins designed to meet the increased nutrition needs of pregnant and lactating women.
Ahealthy dietis one of the keys to having a healthy pregnancy.
After pregnancy, prenatal vitamins can help provide extra nutrients for breastfeeding, helping keep mama and baby healthy.
Here’s what you oughta know.
Folate helps the body make DNA, enhances brain function, and plays a role in cell growth.
A lack of iron is called anemia and is a common blood condition for women of childbearing age.
Generally, mild anemia during pregnancy just causes slight fatigue (but who isn’t tired while pregnant?)
and doesn’t cause any major problems.
Most doctors will automatically check iron levels in pregnant women so that monitor for anemia.
Most prenatal vitamins contain some iron, but not all do, so be sure to check the label.
For this reason it is important for pregnant women to get enough calcium to help maintain their bone mass.
If a woman does not tolerate dairy, an additional calcium supplement may be recommended.
This healthy fat iscritical for the development of the brain and nervous system.
The brain is 60 percent fat, therefore fat is necessary to help grow a baby’s brain.
Low intake of omega-3 fatshas been linkedto a lower IQ, prematurity, autism, and ADHD.
The reduction in risk was four times greater if the prenatal vitamins were started in the first trimester.
So really, the prenatal vitamin is just as much for the mother’s health as the baby’s.
Nutrient needsactually increase during breastfeeding, when compared to pregnancy.
Breastfeeding moms need more iron, calcium, and vitamin C than pregnant women.
In addition to nausea, iron can also be constipating.
Talk about a double whammy!
For the best rate of success, prenatal vitamins should always be taken with food.
You may have to try a few different brands until you find one that works with your body.
If you are having difficulty with constipation, you may have to look for a vitamin with less iron.
Prenatal vitamins do not contain any secret combination of vitamins and minerals that boost hair and nail growth.
The higher doses of these nutrients, when taken over a period of time,can lead to toxicity.
The same goes for iron.
If you don’t need such a high amount, over time it can lead to iron poisoning.
