When you’re pregnant, nothing is more important for you at this time in your life than your baby’s health. Pregnancy is a time of growth and development, making health and nutrition a top priority.
Eating well is one of the best things you can do during pregnancy. Good nutrition from whole foods and organic produce helps you handle the extra demands on your body as your pregnancy progresses. The goal is to balance getting enough nutrients to support the growth of your baby and maintaining a healthy weight.
Even with an incredible diet, your body still needs supplementation to meet the additional demands the preconception and prenatal period need. Remember, your inside environment (gut health, low systemic inflammation) is the baby’s external environment … happy, healthy, well-nourished moms make happy, healthy, well-nourished babies!!!
Let’s take a further look at the nutrients that are most important during pregnancy!
Why are supplements needed during pregnancy?
Getting the right nutrients is important at every stage of life, but it’s especially critical during pregnancy, as you’ll need to nourish both yourself, your internal environment (uterus and placenta), and your growing baby. Even if you’re eating a balanced diet, it’s still possible to miss some essential nutrients.
Your body uses vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients in food to be strong and healthy. Your baby gets all the nutrients it needs directly from you, so it’s easy to become deficient in important vitamins and minerals during pregnancy.
Make sure your body has what it needs to nourish both of you and start taking supplements. If you have more than enough of the vitamins and nutrients you need to thrive, then you can afford to share those vitamins and nutrients with your baby as they grow.
What supplements to take during pregnancy?
It’s no secret that proper nutrition is essential for growing a healthy baby, but getting your recommended daily allowance of vitamins and minerals can be difficult, even with the healthiest diet. That’s why supplements are so highly recommended during pregnancy, as they help ensure that you and your baby are getting the maximum benefit from vital nutrients. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with what supplements to take during pregnancy, start with these supplements.
- Prenatal vitamins
A good multivitamin is an extra insurance that you’re getting enough nutrients to support your baby’s growth and to prevent you from becoming depleted. It helps to give your baby the proper nutrition needed to support a healthy pregnancy. Many of the vitamins mentioned below can be present in a medical-grade, whole food prenatal vitamin.
- Folate
Folate plays an integral role in fetal growth and nervous system development. While it has become a “trendy” supplement, it is important to have a good balance in your diet/supplements and not over-supplement, as this can affect your health negatively.
- Vitamin D
Vitamin D is important for immune function, bone health, and cell division. It helps your baby’s bones and teeth grow. Dosage for Vitamin D should be based on your weight.
- Magnesium
Magnesium plays a critical role in immune, muscle, and nerve function. It may reduce the risk of complications like fetal growth restriction and preterm birth.
- Probiotics
Probiotics help your digestive system work more efficiently. A prenatal, female, or breastfeeding-specific blend is preferred.
- Choline
Choline plays a vital role in a baby’s brain development and helps to prevent abnormalities of the brain and spine. Recent research suggests choline be as important as folate for a baby’s development. As a bonus, it will improve your digestion. Choline is essential for gallbladder health!
-Omegas
Fish Oils are the more commonly known form of Omegas but for plant-based diets, there are omegas supplements to accommodate these needs. Healthy fats offer cardiovascular protection to moms but also protect new moms during the post-partum period from post-partum depression/anxiety. For your growing baby, healthy fats help develop the brain and nervous system.
When to start and stop taking the supplements?
You should start taking these supplements-
- When you decide to ‘try” for a pregnancy
If you’re ready to start a family, you should start taking supplements to make sure your body has what it needs before the baby is in the picture. Your body will be prepared to nourish your baby during its first critical weeks of development if you’ve got a foundation of nutrients built up. In an ideal setting, you should begin your preconception health routine at least 6 months before you plan on “trying”.
- As soon as you find out you’re pregnant
If you aren’t already taking prenatal vitamins, you should start as soon as you get a positive pregnancy sign.
You should continue to take them for the duration of breastfeeding or breast milk production, however long that may be. This is because lactation also increases nutritional demands. Continue taking these supplements in early postpartum as you need to recover from birth.
Conclusion
Pregnancy should be a joyful time in your life and you want to feel the best possible. Every mom wants to do all she can to contribute to a healthy and happy baby. Thankfully, with proper diet, nutrition, and the right supplements, you can care for your new little one with confidence.
As a chiropractor, I can guide you in making wise decisions about your health for the next 9 months of pregnancy. I’m dedicated to making your pregnancy journey as seamless and beautiful as it deserves to be. Our patients have direct access to the best nutritional products and supplements to complement their Chiropractic journey. I am here to advocate, educate, and help families THRIVE. I am always more than happy to answer questions and clarify. I hope that by being transparent, I can continue to serve my Thriving families and build trust with them.
Thrive Family Chiropractic, LLC was founded by Dr. Padilla in the fall of 2017 with the idea that Chiropractic care should be convenient and accessible to all, with a focus on facilitating care for families, women during pregnancy, and children. Throughout her years of practice, Dr. Padilla has seen how challenging it can be for families to incorporate Chiropractic into their lifestyles and make it a priority rather than a luxury. With this thought in mind, Dr. Padilla wants to provide the best, most personalized, and individualized Chiropractic care to women during pregnancy and to children of all ages, to help improve their lifestyle, prevent chronic illness, and allow them to express their full potential in life, sports, school.
Call (904) 437-4546 today for a complimentary consultation and to
schedule an appointment in the office or at home!