Prenatals, vitamins, and supplements are a hot topic while pregnant — and for good reason! There are a lot of options out there and a lot of conflicting advice. As a pregnant mama, I am particularly aware of the abundance of supplements that I should be taking; and, as a dietitian, I use the knowledge I have to weed through the crappy supplements to get to the good ones. And as someone living with adrenal fatigue, I also take that into consideration when deciding what to put into my (and my little one’s) body. I’m here today to share the answers to questions I get in the Mommy Feeding Family Facebook group about what natural supplements during pregnancy I take. Remember in the words that follow that these are the right things for my body. You should consult your doctor before switching or taking the same things I do. 

 

My Natural Supplements During Pregnancy:

Here is the current regimen of what I am taking.  

AM: Glutathione, Choline (PC) & Adrenal Support

Right after Dinner: Magnesium, Prenatal, Omegas (most days), Vitamin D, Megaspore Probiotics. The reason I wait till after dinner for the rest is just time. I’m busy all day and don’t remember until I get home after work. It’s just easier this way. When I clean up from dinner, I chug some water and take the last cocktail of vitamins.

My AM Natural Supplements During Pregnancy:

Glutathione- an amazing antioxidant and natural gentle detoxifier (I only take 1 tablespoon of it because too much detoxifying during pregnancy and nursing isn’t healthy for baby).

Choline (optimal PC)- even though I eat eggs that are rich in choline, most choline needs to be from runny eggs (which I don’t like & isn’t recommended while pregnant). Choline is important for so many things for baby’s health including brain development, placental health, neural tube defect prevention– and most women are deficient– my storage has been completely depleted with my first two girls, so I want to take this every single day, especially with baby #3.

In pregnancy, the recommended amount of choline is 450 mg per day; however, research has shown that 930 mg per day during pregnancy showed beneficial effects on development of fetus and into the first year of life. If you have the mthfr gene mutation, you may need even more.

My PM Natural Supplements During Pregnancy:

Adrenal Support

I’ve done two whole videos on my healing of my adrenals, part 1 and part 2, (link to part 1). Based on my DUTCH testing, my adrenals were very out of whack. So, based on research and recommendation from my Functional Medicine Provider, I take Drenamin from Standard Process.

Prenatals

While prenatals can be great “insurance” there is no substitute for good, healthy, nutritious foods. So make sure you are eating a wide range of nutritious and (ideally) organic fruits, vegetables, proteins and healthy fats (we need fat to absorb vitamins, so don’t skimp on the fat).

Make sure to pick a prenatal with activated B vitamins such as the one i mention in the video, or L-Methlylfolate, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, B12 pyridoxal 5 phosphate, and B 12 mehylcobalamin or andenoslycobalamin.  Your prenatal should also include choile, iodine, magnesium and selenium, vitamin D, and K2. Make sure your prenatal has vitamin A, but NOT in the form of retinol, we want beta carotene as the source of vitamin A.

The brand I take: Pure Encapsulations PreNatal Nutrients

Magnesium

Magnesium: Magnesium is important for all functions of the body, to help with sleep, prevent cramping, and more. Women with gestational diabetes are commonly deficient as well. Ideally, we’d all eat plenty of seaweed, green leafy veggies and other rich sources of magnesium every day, multiple times a day. But, since that doesn’t always happen, a supplement can be helpful.

Some women may choose to take an Epsom salt bath or foot soaks (a good source of magnesium) to help with magnesium instead of supplementing, which is also an option.

The brand I take: Seeking Health Magnesium

Vitamin D

My Vitamin D level was tested before I found out I was pregnant (around the time i was doing testing for my adrenals), and my number was 22ng/mL. An optimal level is over 50 ng/mL 25-OH Vitamin D. I was shocked to see that my number was low after all my adult years of living in warm/sunny climates (Georgia, Arizona, and now California). It’s surprisingly very difficult to get enough vitamin D from the sun or food. Make sure to have your vitamin D levels tested. The sun is the best source of vitamin D, yet most Americans are low. Vitamin D is important in preventing preeclampsia and low birth weight. Most prenatals only have 400-600 IU of vitamin D, which is not enough. Upwards of 4000 IU is recommended per day during pregnancy, and even more if you are deficient. Look for a Vitamin D3 supplement.

DHA & Omega 3’s

DHA is a form of Omega 3’s that are vital for the baby’s brain development. DHA is important for your kids development for the first 2 years of life as well! During pregnancy, a minimum of 300 mg is recommended. Research has shown that upwards of 1,200 mg to 2,200 mg per day has been shown beneficial. During the third trimester, a fetus will accumulate the highest amount of DHA; so, if you didn’t supplement during the first two trimesters, you might consider it in the third.

If you eat 2-3 servings of fatty fish, eggs from pasture raised chickens, and grass-fed animal products, you may be getting plenty of DHA throughout the week. If you don’t eat the highest quality forms of those (because research shows a difference in grass-fed/pasture raised vs conventional on DHA in the meat) you should consider changing the meat you eat or getting a supplement.

 

As with all vitamins, quality is key. The prices of supplements, prenatals, and vitamins might look great at Walmart or your local grocery store. Buyer/Mama Beware! Keep in mind that most of those are not the highest quality. Do some research on cost and brands before you shop. Then, you can make an informed decision of what is best for you and your baby. If we have to choke down those giant prenatals, let’s make it really worth it!

 

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Comment below so we can discuss!