Build the Best Prenatal Vitamin Regimen Are you worried that your prenatal vitamin lacks the nutrients your baby needs? Check out this list of supplements I take during my pregnancy to ensure my baby grows big and strong. Also, find out the benefits each vitamin has so you can create your own vitamin regimen.
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Are All Prenatals the Same?

Do you ever feel like your prenatal vitamin just isn’t cutting it? As much as you would like to believe that everything your growing baby needs would be in one pill, it just doesn’t seem logical, right?

Prenatal vitamins do not contain enough of the critical nutrients needed to aid in the growth of a baby. That is why I have created a prenatal meal plan and ditched the over-marketed all-in-one prenatal vitamin, and picked out each vitamin I need for my health and my baby’s growth.

I’m sharing the vitamin regimen I created and why each supplement is important during pregnancy.

This is not intended to be medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare provider to make sure these supplements are right for you.

How Do I Choose the Best Prenatal Vitamin?

pregnancy vitamins

Choose a prenatal vitamin regimen that contains the following supplements:

  • Multivitamin
  • Vitamin C
  • Krill Oil
  • Vitamin D
  • Iodine
  • Folate 
  • Biotin

Which Multivitamin Brand is Best for Pregnancy?

Multivitamins are a great way to get in a variety of vitamins through one pill. Keep in mind that a multivitamin will not have a high enough potency for certain vitamins and minerals that we need. 

Just think, how could you possibly get the right dosage of everything from one pill? 

If you are looking for a high-quality multivitamin that uses whole food sources for its supplements, I suggest Mercola Whole Food Multivitamin for Women. 

For a more budget-friendly option that is still great, I would suggest Solgar Female Multiple. I have used both, and they don’t upset my stomach like other vitamins (test them out for yourself, everyone’s different). 

The Solgar vitamins have a very strong odor, but if you can get past the smell, they are a good option. 

Should I Take Vitamin C During Pregnancy?

Yes, taking Vitamin C is crucial for your baby’s bones and teeth development. 

Vitamin C is also amazing for a whole host of different health benefits when not pregnant. It is used to help your immune system, build collagen, absorb iron, and improve overall bone health.

Choose a liposomal vitamin C because it has been found to have higher absorption rates of vitamin C encapsulated in liposomes (check out the study here).

vitamins for the first trimester of pregnancy

Is Krill Oil Safe In the First Trimester of Pregnancy?

Yes, krill oil is safe to take during pregnancy and provides DHA and EPA, which are essential for a growing baby. 

If you don’t eat fish weekly, this is a great way to get the omega-3 fatty acids, DHA, and EPA your body and baby need.

I suggest Neptune Now Krill Oil. The pill is larger than most, but it’s not difficult to swallow (thank you, soft gels).

How Much Vitamin D Should I Take in Pregnancy?

During pregnancy, women should take up to 4,000 IU of vitamin D. 

According to the American Pregnancy Association, a recent study found women taking 4,000 IU of vitamin D daily had the greatest benefits in preventing preterm labor/births and infections. 

They also state that most prenatal vitamins don’t provide enough vitamin D, so making sure to supplement is very important!

If you sit in an office all day and rarely get out into the sun, taking a vitamin D supplement will be very beneficial. Most people today are deficient in vitamin D, which can cause bone and hair loss, fatigue, depression, and a lower immune system. 

I have personally been vitamin D deficient and have felt the effects of fatigue and depression from it. 

If you can, get outside for at least 15 minutes a day or supplement it. I use a liquid supplement to lower the number of pills I’m taking, and it has no flavor, which is a plus for me! 

Iodine Supplementation During Pregnancy

Iodine is essential for thyroid hormone production, and if you’re expecting, it is critical for brain and nervous system development. 

It can be found in salt, but you need an unhealthy amount of salt to reach an effective dosage. 

I use one drop of Harmonic Innerprizes Nascent Iodine daily and quickly drink some water because it tastes metallic. 

If you ever drank out of the water hose as a kid and it had a weird taste to it, that’s what this tastes like. 

How Do Folate and Biotin Help During the First 12 Weeks of Pregnancy?

Folate is essential for the growth of the baby’s neural tube and can prevent major birth defects. Folic acid is a synthetic form of folate and should not be used instead of folate. 

Biotin is needed in higher amounts since it is being used rapidly during pregnancy to convert our food into energy. It also helps in hair, skin, and nail growth (give me all the hair growth!) 

I recommend Nature’s Way Folate and Natrol Biotin for your daily regimen.

How To Avoid Feeling Sick After Taking Vitamins

It has taken some trial and error to find vitamins that don’t upset my stomach, but my best tip for that is to eat half of your meal, take your vitamins and then finish eating so it’s not on an empty stomach and they aren’t the last thing you’ve eaten. 

I usually take my vitamins with lunch to have a full breakfast digesting and then mixed in with my lunch. I typically don’t find any stomach issues that way. 

Choose the Prenatal Supplements That Are Right For You

It’s important not to take a cookie-cutter approach to your health & wellness, especially during pregnancy. Choosing the right supplements for you and your pregnancy will ensure that you provide the right nutrients to help your baby thrive in the womb. 

While an all-in-one vitamin may seem easier, you will feel so much more at peace knowing that you are providing optimum nutrition for yourself and your family by customizing your vitamin regimen. 

What will be your new prenatal vitamin regimen? Let me know below!