Are Prenatal Vitamins necessary? Prenatal vitamins are formulated for pregnant women and new moms to ensure they’re meeting their daily intake of essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. These supplements are manufactured specifically for enhancing the pregnancy journey or helping women conceive safely.
Taking these supplements can help to fill gaps in your diet and provide you with the essential nutrients that can be challenging during this stage of life. However, not everyone may want to take a prenatal vitamin supplement as a stand-alone option.
For example, some may find that eating more fruits and vegetables throughout the day is more convenient than taking a supplement daily. But others might find it easier to take a prenatally formulated supplement depending on their lifestyle and eating habits. There are also certain circumstances that may make it vital to take a prenatal vitamin as an alternative option. So today, let’s get the final verdict on how necessary are prenatal supplements?
What are the Benefits of Prenatal Vitamins?
So firstly, let’s look at what all prenatal supplements have to offer. But you should note that this list will differ from brand to brand. Each supplement will have some unique quality that will make the pregnancy journey memorable for you and your partner. The common benefits of Prenatal vitamins are:
● Better growth and development of the fetus: A healthy diet during pregnancy is important for your baby’s growth and development. Prenatal vitamins can help you to meet your daily intake, as the vitamins and minerals in prenatal vitamins are essential for fetal development.
● Fills nutritional gaps: They are not just good for your child’s health but also your very own. They are professionally designed to enhance the mother’s health status. This means that prenatal vitamins will include additional nutrients that are important to your health. They might even deliver essentials that your diet fails to provide.
● Presence of Folic acid: For women trying to conceive or are in the early stages of pregnancy, folic acid can work wonders. Folic acid is highly recommended by doctors because it can help with the formation of the neural tube and may also prevent some major birth defects. And certain Prenatal supplements are precisely dosed to deliver a decent serving of Folic acid and, at times, folate.
● May help prevents issues during birth: As the fetus is well-nourished inside the womb, the chances of it facing any difficulties are reduced heavily. Birth complications, premature delivery and other such relative problems can be tackled with the help of prenatal vitamins.
Will Other Supplements Interact with Prenatal Vitamins?
This is something that cannot be said with 100% surety. The ingredients in the supplements you are taking may clash with those in Prenatal Vitamins. Besides, Prenatal vitamins are precisely dosed with the nutrients you need, so there is no requirement for some specific supplement.
But if you have a medical condition or a specific deficiency, then you cannot avoid your regular supplement. So that brings you to square one. And thus, it is advised to reach out to your doctor for consultation.
Are there any Side Effects of Prenatal Vitamins?
Side effects are not something you should be worried about. Most brands are supposed to be safe. But even if they occur, they should be mild, as your body may react differently to this new routine. Check the brand you are choosing for ingredients, side effects and other such things to be on the safer side.
Side effects can be digestive issues, stomach cramps, dizziness, headache, etc. Though these are said to be common, it is your duty to run it through a doctor before consuming prenatal vitamins or any other supplement.
Are Prenatal Vitamins a Necessity?
Now, this can be listed as the most popular and crucial question. So the answer is NO. It is not a must as it will not be a preference of all to opt for prenatal vitamins. And it is only reasonable to be skeptical, as it is a decision that will affect your life significantly. Sometimes, the daily recommended intake of essential vitamins and minerals can be challenging to reach, especially if you have a busy life.
And if you’re already eating a healthy diet, it can be even harder to ensure you are getting enough of the right foods. Prenatal vitamins can help to meet your daily intake of these key nutrients with an extra boost.
If you are living a healthy life and have no strong reason to go for any type of supplement, then there should be no need for it. But if you are still not sure which way to go, you should interact with your doctor or some specified medical professional.
Healthy Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy!
Irrespective of whether you take or avoid Prenatal supplements, an active and healthy lifestyle will surely help you. Certain activities can contribute to your and the child’s well-being. What are they? Let’s find out:
1. Walking and Simple Exercises
Benefits of an active lifestyle are many, such as low stress, better circulation, enhanced mood, etc. And walking is the simplest one you can do during pregnancy. There are other things you can go for such as yoga, Pilates, swimming, and many more. Doing day-to-day chores by yourself is also an excellent way to go.
2. Go for Healthier Alternatives
Making healthier choices will surely pay off. Such as avoiding unhealthy or fast food and instead opting for a nutrition-rich diet. Going down the stairs rather than always using the elevator. Frequently drinking water will keep you hydrated. Say yes to cravings at times, but not always.
3. Check Your Medications
There might be certain medications you were on before conceiving the child. They may be prescribed drugs or other OTC medication, supplements, or “natural” remedies. These may affect your pregnancy, so consult your doctor.
4. Become a Fruitarian
Fruits during pregnancy are a boon for all mothers. They are filling, nourishing, hydrating and a much healthier alternative. Apart from a balanced diet, you can go for oranges, apples, avocadoes, mangos, berries and many more. They will surely keep you in the pink of your health and support the fetus’s healthy growth.
5. Practicing a New or Old Hobby
Hobbies are a great way to relax, which in turn will improve your as well as the baby’s health. Decent hobbies worth trying to include painting, knitting, photography, gardening, writing, indulging in music, and the list goes on.
6. Connect with the Community
Pregnancy can be a stressful time, and having someone to share those mood swings and first kicks with can be bliss. Therefore, it would really be a great activity to befriend moms or soon-to-be moms to interact and gain experience. It also becomes essential as your partner can’t be with you at all times.
7. Just Take a Break (Rest)
Sound sleep plays an important role during pregnancy but also affects labor and delivery. Sleep deficiency can be connected to a number of issues and is not suitable for the unborn child’s health. Not just that, too much bed rest is also of no good use. To manage your day accordingly.
FAQ related to Prenatal Vitamins
Are prenatal vitamins absolutely necessary?
Taking prenatal vitamins play a vital growth in baby growth. Taking it before and during pregnancy lowers the risk of complications for your baby, like low birth weight, preterm birth, spina bifida etc. You can give your child a healthy start by simply taking prenatal vitamins.
Can your baby grow without prenatal vitamins?
You still need to take prenatal vitamins even if you take healthy foods. To grow a baby healthy, it takes lots of vitamins and minerals.
When should I take prenatal vitamins?
It is suggested to consult a doctor before taking any prenatal vitamins. Your doctor will recommend prenatal vitamins if you are pregnant or trying to conceive.
What are the benefits of prenatal care?
If you take prenatal care properly, then it will reduce complications during pregnancy. It also reduces the infant’s and fetus’s risk for complications.
Which prenatal vitamins are best for pregnancy?
The following are the best prenatal vitamins for a healthy pregnancy:
1. One A Day Prenatal 1 Complete Multivitamin
2. Vitafusion Prenatal Gummy Vitamins
3. Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw Prenatal
4. Nature Made Prenatal Multi + DHA
5. Therologix TheraNatal Core
6. Pink Stork Total Prenatal + DHA
Bottom Line: Prenatal Vitamins
Prenatal vitamins are specifically tailored to provide pregnant and breastfeeding women with what their bodies need during this beautiful part of life. These supplements can also help to fill gaps in your diet and provide you with the essential nutrients that can be challenging to obtain from diet alone.
They might become a necessity for people who don’t get the required minerals and nutrients from their food intake. That said, it’s important to remember that prenatal vitamins are not intended to replace a healthy diet.
If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, make sure to take the time to eat well so you can meet your daily intake of essential vitamins. If you feel like the diet plan you follow is rich and sufficient, then you may not need any prenatal supplement. Just make sure to take care of yourself and the new life you will bring to this world. As Sandra Chami Kassis once quoted, “You never understand life until it grows inside of you.”
