Building a Baby
Which Supplements to Take?
I started taking a prenatal supplement before we got pregnant. The number of options was overwhelming and it was hard to decide which one to buy. I think the first bottle I bought was one that was on sale.
Some came with DHA (an omega-3 fatty acid) and some didn't. They all seemed to have most of the same ingredients with slight variations in the amounts and the prices were all over the place (and expensive!).
Over the course of my two pregnancies I tried several different brands and I also tried a nursing specific supplement when I was breastfeeding our second child. I didn't notice any difference in my health. The only supplement that made a noticeable difference was iron. My blood tests showed that my iron levels started getting very low with my first pregnancy and I started to take a high dose supplement and noticed that my energy levels were way higher.
If I were to go back, I would not take DHA in supplement form and I would focus on consuming omega-3 rich foods instead. I wish I had started an high dose iron supplement sooner.
When you get your bloodwork, make sure you scrutinize everything yourself! There are ranges of what is considered normal, but that does not mean that the "recommended" levels are normal for you.