Tip of the day….

Don’t forget to  take your Prenatal Vitamin…

There is general agreement that it’s important to increase the amount of  of vitamins and minerals when you’re pregnant…this can ensure your baby’s optimal development and your own health.

If you could do this by changing what you eat, then you probably wouldn’t need a prenatal vitamin. However, studies have shown that most Americans don’t meet even their basic nutritional needs on a daily basis, so we assume that many pregnant women need a some help with this.

Here’s another good reason to take a prenatal vitamin: Recent research suggests that certain nutrients, in quantities that are difficult to get through diet alone, can help with fetal development and even aid in preventing some common pregnancy complications.

For example, choline and omega 3 fats have been shown to enhance fetal brain development AND most recently…lessen the increase of pre-term labor. Folic acid helps prevent neural tube defects, and vitamin C can  prevent premature rupture of the membranes.

With these  important benefits,  a prenatal vitamin has no risk and so much potential reward.

Some women find that taking a prenatal vitamin, particularly early in their pregnancy (1st trimester), may increase their symptoms of nausea.  For those women…try taking the vitamin at night…It may lessen the nausea .  If you still cannot tolerate it, the Doctors and midwives will sometimes recommend trying to take two Flintstone vitamins (with the idea of eventually getting back to the prenatal vitamins). Talk to your Doctor or midwife if you feel your prenatal vitamin is making you nauseous.

And of course…Eating as healthfully as possible is very important even though you are supplementing with a vitamin.

Healthy eating…. One of the best gifts you can give your developing baby!

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