If you are pregnant, congratulations! It is a wonderful journey and one that you will not forget. Part of enjoying your pregnancy is staying as healthy as possible and prenatal nutrients can help with this. There are a few nutrients that you need to make sure any supplement has, and you need to look for them when choosing which prenatal vitamins you will take.
Folic acid is important because it helps your baby form a proper nervous system. It helps the neural tubes which are important to the nervous system form correctly and allows the skin to close over the spinal cord at the right stage of development. If the nervous system does not form properly, the baby can develop a serious and life threatening disease. Because the nervous system is formed in very early pregnancy, health care officials are recommending that women take folic acid supplements before they become pregnant so that there are the proper levels of this nutrient in your body. You should also try and eat foods that are high in folate, a natural form of folic acid.
This disease, spina bifida can have a number of negative results. The baby can be born with fluid on its brain and this can lead to mental retardation. It can also cause the spinal cord to be left exposed to the air which can cause paralysis and underdevelopment of the legs and lower body. The leak of cerebral spinal fluid can result in other very serious health problems as well.
Another nutrient which many women are low on during pregnancy is iron.
Remember that your body, at least in the first trimester, will be making the blood supply and placenta that nourishes and supports the baby. Because of this large volume of extra blood, you need to make sure you are getting enough iron so you do not become anemic. This can lead to serious health problems for both you and the baby. Unfortunately, iron can actually cause nausea, which can cause problems in early pregnancy, when nausea is already an issue. There are two forms of iron and if you cannot tolerate one, you may be better off taking the other form. Your doctor can give you advice about which one you take.
Calcium is critical for growing strong bones in the developing baby. You want to make sure you have adequate calcium levels since the baby will actually pull calcium from your body into its own in order to build strong bones. Women who did not take supplements containing calcium would often report soft teeth. At its worst, a woman can lose her teeth if she does not get enough calcium.
One of the best ways to get any nutrient is through a balanced diet. This is not always possible for all pregnant women but you need to make sure that you try as much as possible. In the early days, when morning sickness is a problem, a vitamin supplement is even more critical.
If you are experiencing morning sickness, there are several ways that you can get prenatal nutrients that do not involve a pill. You may be able to get liquid or powder forms of your prenatal nutrients so that you can mix them with liquids. This may be easier to keep down than a pill, since many women find swallowing solid objects can lead to vomiting.
There are a few times when getting the proper prenatal nutrients may be an issue. One problem is that some nutrients can often be sourced from animal products and so vegans may have issues with commercial prenatal vitamins. They can also have trouble getting enough iron from their diet as well so prenatal vitamins are even more important. By speaking with a health food store, you can find excellent vitamin supplements that do not have any animal products in them.
When researching information about Prenatal Support getting the right advice is most important. Please visit the Solgar site for up-to-date advice. Keith Woolley is a Technical Director for Boots Herbal Stores.
categories: health,vitamins,natural,pregnancy,women’s health,nutrition,diet,family,babies
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