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