Which Supplements Do You Need?
YES! You need a prenatal vitamin.
Ideally, you should start taking prenatal vitamins around three months before you conceive. Some nutrients can take some time to ramp up to optimal levels.
Look for vitamins and minerals you’d find in a daily multivitamin!
Look out for vitamins A, E, B, B12, C, Calcium, and Zinc. Also, make sure the vitamin contains folic acid, iron, and vitamin D.
Feeling Nauseous?
Try taking your supplements before you go to bed. By the time the sun rises, your body will have digested the pill, and you hopefully will have slept through the nausea episode.
Is there anything vegans or vegetarians may not be getting through food?
You need to make sure you consume spinach and beans high in iron and fiber if you are on a non-meat diet. To get enough omega-3s, consider using algal oil supplements. These supplements are made from marine algae and contain DHA and EPA.
Should I consider other supplements?
Consult with your doctor before taking any other supplements. Talk with them about whether or not omega-3s, iron, iodine, and choline are worth considering.
Foods To Eat:
Here are the foods that you should think about incorporating into your weekly diet.
Eggs
Eggs are a great source of protein. Their yolks are also one of the richest sources of choline in our diets. One egg yolk contains 169 mg or 38% of the 450 mg that expectant moms need daily. Choline is used to make acetylcholine, which is an important brain chemical that studies suggest has been linked to better cognitive function in babies.
Salmon
Did you know that pregnant women who consumed omega-3s (from fatty fish like salmon or a fish oil supplement) were less likely to have a preterm or early preterm birth than those who didn’t? Another study concluded that maternal consumption of seafood resulted in infants with improved neurocognitive development.
Lean Red Meat
Did you know that moms need 50% more iron than non-pregnant women? This is because iron is a key component of hemoglobin, which is a protein in red blood cells that is responsible for delivering oxygen throughout the body.
Up to 30% of pregnant women are iron-deficient. This has been associated with low birth weight and increased frequency of preterm birth. If you are on a non-meat diet, you need to make sure that you get iron into your diet some other way.
Milk
Milk helps our bodies absorb calcium and form bones. Milk is also essential for eyesight and healthy skin. Studies suggest Vitamin D during pregnancy not only reduces the risk of preeclampsia (high blood pressure that’s potentially dangerous for mother and baby) but also lowers the odds of developing gestational diabetes and having a low-birth-weight baby by about 50%.
Studies suggest 1 cup of cow’s milk will give you around three mcg. Some types of plant-based milk are fortified with vitamin D as well, but you need to check the carton to make sure.
Table Salt
Iodine has become an issue for many pregnant women because many people have moved away from using table salt as much. Consumption in the U.S. has dropped 50% over the last several decades, and 56% of pregnant women have intakes below the RDA of 220 mcg a day. Iodine is a crucial component of thyroid hormones, which help regulate metabolism in the mother and baby. If a woman doesn’t get enough iodine, her baby could suffer intellectual impairments.
40% of prenatal vitamins don’t contain iodine. It’s essential to look for a prenatal vitamin that has the mineral and know that sprinkling ¼ teaspoon of iodized salt on your food delivers 71 mcg.
Here are the foods that you should avoid eating as much as possible while you’re pregnant.
Fish High In Mercury
While we’ve talked about how fish can be great for both the mom and the baby when you’re pregnant, you need to make sure that you avoid fish with a high mercury content, like tuna, mackerel, swordfish, and marlin. Studies suggest sticking to smaller fish like salmon, herring, sardines, anchovies, pacific oysters, and trout. It’s also important to avoid raw fish and raw shellfish of any kind.
Deli Meat
Deli meats are often known to be contaminated with listeria, which can cause a miscarriage. If you get a craving for deli meat, you need to make sure you heat it up until it is steaming before you can eat it. Otherwise, it’s too risky.
Caffeine
While some studies suggest that a moderate amount of caffeine is okay, caffeine intake has been linked to an increase in miscarriages. Make sure to at least avoid caffeine in the first trimester, and always consume less than 200 mg of coffee per day.
Unpasteurized Foods
A lot of low-fat dairy foods like skim milk, mozzarella, and cottage cheese are great for you while you’re pregnant, but you need to make sure that you avoid any dairy products that are unpasteurized. These products could lead to foodborne illness.