Prenatal Vitamins- generic vs organic?

[lovelymiss]

Okay, so I went out and got prenatal vitamins yesterday. Just the generic brand from my grocery store. I had looked at several organic ones, but went with generic because they are cheaper. Thinking about it, I want the healthiest pregnancy possibly. I'm already significantly overweight, so I have that against me. Any tips or tricks on the best brand? Things to look for? I'm okay paying more... especially when I know it's worth it!

 

[BadMamaJAMA]

My doctor's office says there's really not that much of a difference in terms of benefit to your baby. However, you might react better to some than others. Some people claim the right prenatal vitamin can stave off morning sickness. I take store brands, and everything appears to be A-OK.

 

[Whitesoxfan41]

My doctor's office told me as long as it has DHA and Folic Acid then it's fine. They said for them to be called prenatals they are regulated in some way? No idea, but I'm also overweight and I'm taking Gummy prenatals from Walmart. I started with one from the health food store and it didn't have DHA in it.

 

[Dream.dream]

I was told there is no difference since they all have to meet the same standards set by the government. I got mine from Walmart and compared ingredients and percentages on the back of the generic brand and name brand ones and they were identical.

 

[Akna]

I take the vitamin code raw prenatals and I love them. $25 for a 3 month supply so they're pretty cheap and they use folate instead of folic acid which is easier for your body. They also have ginger which I think had helped with the morning sickness.

 

[megrenade]

If you talk to somebody who is well-educated and not a doctor, you will find out that most prenatal vitamins and multi-vitamins in general that you buy at the store don't really absorb properly into your body..

I'm still on the hunt to find a safe, effective prenatal vitamin.

 

[lovelymiss]

If you talk to somebody who is well-educated and not a doctor, you will find out that most prenatal vitamins and multi-vitamins in general that you buy at the store don't really absorb properly into your body..

I'm still on the hunt to find a safe, effective prenatal vitamin.

That's been my thought! I know that's how it is with any other OTC vitamin.

 

[Whitesoxfan41]

I take the vitamin code raw prenatals and I love them. $25 for a 3 month supply so they're pretty cheap and they use folate instead of folic acid which is easier for your body. They also have ginger which I think had helped with the morning sickness.

I started out with the vitamin code raw prenatals but my doctor wouldn't let me take them unless I took a separate DHA supplement with them. They were very easy on the stomach though!

 

[chulie]

I find there are 2 brands that folks who are organic, natural folks suggest. New Chapter and SISU....I've taken both with my pregnancies and I can actually say I feel different when I take them ( I'm anemic). I have more energy...my nails definitely are stronger and better. Their NOT cheap. Costs me 60 bucks for a month and a half supply. But totally worth it!!!!

 

[Proserpina]

I started out on some fancy whole-foods vitamin, but I was supposed to take 6 of these pills a day, which I had trouble doing. Also, they amounted to 1000 mcg of folic acid, and the DHA tablet I was taking on top of that had 200 mcg of folic acid in it, and I just felt like 1200 mcg of folic acid was probably too much.

I switched to Vitafusion gummy prenatals just over a month ago, which already had DHA in them. Last week I got the results of my latest CBC, and was shocked to find that I was mildly anemic. Looked at the label for my gummies and learned that they had no iron in them. So I guess that explains it.

After all of that, I am now taking a bottle of generic prenatals from Target. $4 for a bottle of 100. Still taking the DHA tablets on top of that, though I'm going to switch to one that doesn't have extra folic acid in it soon. Wish I'd done that from the start.

 

[lovelymiss]

I looked at the Generic bottle I got and it doesn't have DHA. Same with Rainbow Light, which seemed like a good option! I am anemic so iron is a must. I guess I'll keep taking the generic kind until I find a better option! Might order online.

 

[Proserpina]

I looked at the Generic bottle I got and it doesn't have DHA. Same with Rainbow Light, which seemed like a good option! I am anemic so iron is a must. I guess I'll keep taking the generic kind until I find a better option! Might order online.

Most prenatal vitamins don't include DHA in the main tablet. You have to take it in a separate tablet.

This is the extra DHA tablet I've been taking.

Probably going to try this once that bottle is out.

 

[CrunchyJenny]

I'm also taking a DHA supplement and would seriously recommend New Chapter's Wholemege Prenatal fish oil supplement. It has none of that gag inducing fish smell/taste! I like they're prenatal vitamins as well. They're not cheap, my DH almost had a heart attack when he saw how much I paid for them! For me it's worth it though, especially when you consider that generic brand vitamins are synthetic and made in a lab which I've read can be difficult for the body to absorb and make the liver and kidneys work overtime to get what they need from them. With organic, whole food vitamins you're getting the benefit of real, nutrient rich foods. It's painful to pay that much for vitamins but I guess I just figure there's not too much else I can do for my little one yet except give him/her the best nutrition...and lots of love of course

 

[chulie]

Crunchy....those are the exact ones I take. I take new chapter whole mega and then the SISU prenatal. I also am anemic and take another separate iron pill called easy iron. I have 0 iron stores so I need LOADS of extra!!! Haha

 

[CrunchyJenny]

I actually ran out of the fish oil for a week and started getting headaches like crazy and feeling awful in general. I feel so much better now that I'm taking them again, I had no idea they were effecting me so much till I didn't have them!