It was 10 years ago that I was pregnant with my first baby. TEN YEARS. Where has the time gone?!

I remember reading ALL of the baby books even before I was pregnant! Yes, I was well-prepared, taking prenatal vitamins six months before we even tried to conceive. I had printed out ovulation calendars and was already thinking about baby names.

Looking back, I was probably a little (just a tad!) paranoid, doing everything by the book and following my doctor’s advice. I remember drinking so much milk and juice the first few weeks, my doctor asked why I had put on so much weight so quickly.

It’s only natural when you’ve never gone through a pregnancy before to have a million questions and concerns. More than anything else, the health of the baby and mom-to-be is crucial.

Eating a well-balanced diet and taking a daily prenatal multivitamin containing folic acid helps ensure the health of mother and baby. Whether you’re planning to get pregnant soon, Nestlé Materna prenatal vitamins help nourish their body with folic acid to help prevent neural tube defects when taken daily prior to becoming pregnant and during early pregnancy. Folic acid is a B-vitamin essential for the healthy development of the fetus, brain and skull during the early weeks of pregnancy.

prenatal vitamins

 A woman should start taking a prenatal multivitamin at least 12 weeks prior to conception – when she is trying to conceive or planning a pregnancy, and should continue until she stops breastfeeding. Materna has 22 other essential vitamins and minerals moms and baby need through pregnancy and nursing.

The recommended daily allowance of folic acid during pregnancy is 0.6 mg but most prenatal vitamins will provide up to 1 mg of folic acid.

Ideally, a prenatal multivitamin should be taken with food – I found it much easier to digest. Especially in the first few months, anything to help avoid more nausea and stomach upset was mandatory! Ideally, a prenatal multivitamin should be taken with a meal to help the tablet disintegrate, maximize nutrient absorption and minimize the potential for stomach upset among women sensitive to iron.

If you tend to gag or have trouble swallowing the pills (they are quite large), you can crush the tablet (buy a pill crusher from your pharmacy) and then mix the powder in a drink.

ENTER TO WIN

To help give new moms a head start, we’re giving away a Mommy Essentials prize pack valued at over $150 with special treats to keep mom and baby healthy and happy!

vitamins when nursing

Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter this giveaway. Canada only (sorry my U.S. readers!).

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author

Maria Lianos-Carbone is the author of “Oh Baby! A Mom’s Self-Care Survival Guide for the First Year”, and publisher of amotherworld.com, a leading lifestyle blog for women.

36 Comments

  1. I would love to win this for my best friend and her newborn daughter. Thanks so much for the heads up and opportunity!

  2. Serena Debolt Reply

    I would love to win this for my sister for Xmas – she just announced she is pregnant and its a great present for the whole family

  3. Emma Walpole Reply

    I just had a baby in June so would like some of it for myself and I would share some of the vitamins with some friends that are pregnant

  4. michelle wagner Reply

    i would love to win this , i just had a new baby girl, this would be a great help…

  5. Darlene Schuller Reply

    I would love to win this for my pregnant daughter Caitlin. She’s having Sadie by c section on March 28th.

  6. Angela Mitchell Reply

    I’d love to win this for my cousin who is expecting next year.

  7. nicolthepickle Reply

    Myself. I’m expecting in April! So excited, this pregnancy is going well.

  8. I would love to win this for my friend Lesley, she is expecting her second wee one.

  9. I would love this for my niece who is to become a young mom in March. I would love to help her out!

  10. Oh my goodness! This would be wonderful to win! We’re 8.5 months pregnant and on a tight budget…We can’t believe how expensive baby and mommy supplies are!

  11. Judy C (Judy Cowan) Reply

    Would love to win this for my nephew and his wife who are pregnant with their first baby due in April.

  12. I would like to give it to my brother’s wife, she just gave birth to her second child 🙂

  13. would love to give this to my sisterinlaw. They recently (week ago) had their second child 🙂

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