Does Your Prenatal Have These 4 Things?
We want to give our babies the best start possible, but GEEZ. There are so many prenatal vitamins out there- how are you supposed to choose? Never fear- here is your guide to choosing your prenatal and my top brand recommendations!
First, a couple quick notes…
take care of your gut.
Your prenatal vitamin is only as good as your gut health. Taking a beautiful prenatal doesn’t do any good if you can’t absorb the nutrients in it. Make sure you are taking a probiotic and eating plenty of prebiotic and fermented foods to take care of your gut health along the way.
Daily Value (DV) can be misleading.
The Daily Value percentage on your prenatal is incredibly misleading. Those recommended daily values are based on middle-aged men, NOT pregnant woman. This is also the minimum value needed to not be deficient. I mean…come on. We can do so much better than just “not deficient”. We are starting to understand that optimal daily intake is actually much higher for many nutrients, especially during pregnancy. Your recommended nutrient intake during pregnancy is dependent on many variables (book a free 1:1 consult with me to find out more!) but you should be seeing well over 100% DV for many of the nutrients listed on your prenatal. Otherwise, it’s simply not enough for most people.
THINGS TO LOOK FOR:
Selenium + Iodine ratio
Selenium and iodine are crucial for mama’s thyroid health and for baby’s thyroid development (along with other things). It is important that both are present, but it's also important that they are in the right amounts compared to each other. Aim for about 1:1 ratio, or within about 50 mcg of each other. Be sure that iodine AND selenium are present and that one is not significantly more than the other.
Folate (NOT Folic Acid)
Folate is crucial for baby's brain development (among other things), but make sure it is in the form "folate" and not "folic acid". Folic acid is a synthetic version of folate that is not easily absorbed and just won’t do the job! Read more about the difference between the two here.
Activated B-Vitamins
“Activated” vitamins are in a form that is more easily absorbed than synthetic versions. There are multiple activated forms of the various B vitamins, but B6 could be in a form called pyridoxal-5-phosphate (P5P), and B12 could be in a form called methylcobalamin or adenosylcobalamin. If you aren’t sure if the form on your prenatal is activated, do some googling! If your prenatal doesn’t list the exact form of the vitamin, especially B vitamins, that is a huge red flag.
Key nutrients
We are starting to understand that a healthy baby is grown by much more than just folate. There are some critical nutrients that are often just missing completely (or in very small amounts) such as vitamin D, choline, and magnesium. Make sure your prenatal includes these or take them in a separate supplement.
THINGS TO AVOID:
One-a-day prenatals
I know, it’s so tempting. But in order to get the amount of nutrients you need in the right forms, you have to take more than one pill. There is just no way for a company to make a 1-a day prenatal without sacrificing either quantity or quality of nutrients. The good stuff is just bulky and will be a multiple-pill daily dose.
high iron content
Iron needs vary widely between individuals, and too much iron during pregnancy is concerning. I recommend getting your iron levels tested before, during, and after pregnancy and using targeted iron supplementation if needed. A one size fits all approach is just not wise here.
One thing to be aware of…
These activated forms of vitamins are often more expensive and more bulky than their synthetic counterparts. However, if your cheaper prenatal doesn't deliver enough or the right form of something, it sort of defeats the purpose! This is one area that I wouldn't recommend skimping. Buy the best quality prenatal that you can reasonably afford.
If you’re looking for a recommendation…
One prenatal that I commonly recommend (and am currently taking myself!) is Full Circle Prenatal. (not sponsored) It meets all criteria listed above.
Another great option is Seeking Health Optimal Prenatal (not sponsored)- also comes in a powder form if you struggle to swallow pills or are suffering from severe morning sickness.