prenatals

[spicyorange]

when is everyone planning to start prenatal vitamins? i read some things that say you should start 1 month before, some that say 3, some say a year...

they are too expensive to take way way before i need them but i dont want to leave it too late...wondered what everyone else is doing/ planning - maybe i could take the cheap folic acid earlier (3 months?) then go to the multivits a month before??

 

[Tigerlily01]

I started taking a regular multivitamin a few months before ttc. I'll switch to prenatals once we start, assuming I can find one that doesn't make me sick. I think as long as you eat well, you probably don't have to take prenatals way ahead of time. I think you're supposed to start folic acid 3-6 months ahead though, so it can build up in your system. Folic acid is pretty cheap.

Check your local discount stores (or online) for prenatals, not all are expensive. In the US, Target brand is only like, $3 for a bottle of 100, as opposed to some others that are $10 or more. Or if you have good insurance, sometimes the doc can write you a prescription...depending on your prescription plan, that may make them cheaper.

 

[Cntrygal]

I started taking them about a month ago. We plan on TTC or NTNP the end of the month. I'd heard the same conflicint stories so I don't know when the right time is. I buy a Walmart brand but don't remember how much they were. I also take mine at night. I'd heard how some prenatals make women sick and someone suggested they take them at night. I have a Dr appt next week to get everything checked out and to ask the million questions I have before we TTC & I want to find out if I'm ok on the prenatal front.

 

[MellyH]

I started last month, so about 5 months out, but I just wanted to be DOING something proactive while I was waiting. And it's conceivable that we could move things up by a month or two. I am taking the Nature's Own prenatal multivitamin, which was the cheapest one at the store which had folic acid, DHA, and the alphabet of vitamins. Another way I justified it to myself was that frankly I should probably be taking a multivitamin anyway! My doctor is always on about my vitamin D level being too low.

 

[LouOscar01]

I started a couple of months ago and I am TTC in March. The ones I take are from a company called Healthspan and are called 'Pregnapure' they aren't too expensive. Read somewhere that the sooner you take them the better, my doc said a year before if possible. Somewhere said that it helps prevent morning sickness! Anything to stop that!

 

[Hollynesss]

My doctor recommended 6 months in advance. It allows enough time for your body to adjust to the new influx of nutrients so it isn't a shock to your body once you become pregnant.

 

[angiepie]

Mine's a 3 x a day, so I started taking them 2 x a day 6 months before and once I was 3 months away, moved up to 3 x a day. Although a lot of the time I still take them 2 x a day because I forget the lunch ones.

As far as I'm aware, the longer the better, so your body can build up a store of nutrients. If you only started taking them once you were already TTC or only a month before, it wouldn't be built up in your body.

 

[MoldyVoldy]

i take a multi vitamin. but not every day because i tend to have side effects/build up toxicity which we think is because i already eat a very balanced diet.

anywho!

today i actually bought prenatals because i thought, "why not"? we are going to be TTC for REAL next year so i figured i'd switch out my muti with a prenatal.

i wasn't prepared with my son, i wasn't TTC and i didn't take multis at that time either. and i felt emotionally horrible the whole pregnancy because i felt i hadn't given him the best possible start at his life. i won't do that next time around.

 

[JT2013]

I just started taking them, 3 months ahead of when we plan to start TTC but I have a history of folic acid deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia so I wanted to make as sure as possible that I had a good store of them before we start. I guess if you are completely healthy there is no real reason to start taking them until you are actually TTC though

 

[BeachyFeelin]

I read that you shouldn't take them while trying until AFTER you ovulate. Because they can mess with your period. Anyone know if there is truth to that?

I plan on starting them next month, one more month of BC left and then NTNP! (hopefully)

 

[Hollynesss]

I've been on them for 4 months and haven't missed a period

 

[spicyorange]

I read that you shouldn't take them while trying until AFTER you ovulate. Because they can mess with your period. Anyone know if there is truth to that?

I plan on starting them next month, one more month of BC left and then NTNP! (hopefully)

everything i have read says you should take at least folic acid before you start ttc because you might not realise you ovulated or are preg and its improtant you are taking them during the tww - ie right from the moment of conception.

 

[MellyH]

Mine are definitely leaving a metallic taste in my mouth all day. Ugh!

 

[BeachyFeelin]

I was at Target yesterday and bought some gummie multivitamins (The pills make me nauseous! . It doesn't have as much folic acid as the prenatal, but more than I'm getting now.

 

[EmmyReece]

I started about a month ago and we won't even be starting to try until the beginning of June when we go away on honeymoon

 

[babyjan]

With my son I took them when I already found out I was pregnant, I had no idea about taking anything whilst trying, this time I've already started taking some folic acid but kinda stopped cause I forgot and got soo busy with a lot of things happening, hopefully I will be back on it

 

[MoldyVoldy]

I was at Target yesterday and bought some gummie multivitamins (The pills make me nauseous! . It doesn't have as much folic acid as the prenatal, but more than I'm getting now.

i use the target brand prenatal (the pill) and i usually get sick with vitamins in general but these are ok on my belly. i take it with water then follow up with something with some sugar in it (i drink a coke...kinda bad i guess but really helps).