How To Make Sure You Are Getting The Proper Prenatal Nutrients
Many women try to do their best to remain as healthy as possible through their pregnancies. They cut out alcohol and harmful medications. But prenatal nutrients are one of the most important factors in the health of your pregnancy, and your continuing health as well.
Here is a look at some of the most important nutrients you need to take in any supplement, as well as some information about why they are so critical to growing a healthy baby.
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 very early during pregnancy, health care officials are recommending that women take folic acid supplements before they become pregnant so that they will have proper levels of this nutrient in their body. It is also recommended to also try and eat foods high in folate, a natural form of folic acid.
If you do not get high enough levels of folic acid, the baby can be born with neural tube defects such as spina bifida. This is a potentially life threatening disease that can leave the skin of the back open and the spinal cord exposed.
There are medications which can actually lower the amount of folic acid in the body, and if you are on any of these it is important to take a supplement with extra folic acid.
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.
Food is always the best way to get any nutrients but in the beginning this can be difficult. Women often experience morning sickness which makes it impossible for them to get much food down. A prenatal vitamin may be the only way of getting important nutrients to your baby in order to help it develop properly.
You can get vitamins in pill form, but you can also get them in powdered and liquid formulas. This may be best if you have trouble swallowing solids. They are worth a try as long as you make sure they have the right nutrients for proper development. You can also take them at night so that you can sleep through any periods of nausea.
Vegetarians may have special challenges when it comes to proper prenatal nutrition. You may lack iron due to a shortage of red meat products in your daily diet, and calcium from animal products may also be an issue.
There are a number of very complete vegan nutritional supplements that you can take, you just need to be sure they have all the elements and vitamins you need. Working with your doctor can be the best way to keep yourself healthy and your baby growing strong.
When researching information about Prenatal Support getting the right advice is most important. Please browse the Solgar site for up-to-date recommendations. Keith Woolley is a Technical Director for Boots Herbal Stores.
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