Blog

0

So I'm a little overwhelmed at all the info regarding pre-conception/prental supplementations. I would like to start taking fermented Cod Liver Oil, but what else? A folate & iron supplement? I feel like even a whole foods vitamin could be over doing it--but maybe I'm wrong. I currently track my diet on FitDay and as of now I usually get pretty close if not more than the %RDA for everything (including iron, zinc, and Vit D).

There are some other posts asking about the topic, but few people really responded with what exactly they took as supplementation during pregnancy, if they had any complications or looking back if they would do something different.

Thanks in advance!

flag

6 Answers

3

The RDA is not sufficient--it's just enough to prevent disease for some people--and definitely not enough for optimum health for ttc or growing a baby.

I don't recommend CLO to my clients, unless they can't eat liver or dairy. The ratio of A to D is backwards and not evolutionarily sound, IMO.

If you are eating 3-4 oz of liver (especially organic, free-range chicken liver) a week, you are covered for A, folate and iron.

Veggies, pastured butter, and gouda cheese will give you plenty of K1 & K2.

ETA:(Remember that K1 only converts 10-15% to K2--the form we use--so eat plenty of veggies if that is your only source. Fermented sauerkraut & natto are good sources of K2, but not always tolerated in pregnancy!

Get your D3 level tested right away & sun/supplement (with a separate D supplement) to achieve a blood level of 50-60 ng/ml.

More info in my blog post here: http://www.primaltoad.com/primal-pregnancy/

link|flag
The mention of Gouda cheese is extremely interesting to me. I didn't supplement anything as my midwife didn't think it was bessecary, she advised eating a whole food diet with pastured eggs, veg, grass fed beef, etc. But I would frequently wake up ravenous at 4am and eat one of those small baby bel Gouda cheeses and go back to sleep. I could not stomach cod liver or fish oil when pregnant. – Kitzu May 16 2012 at 1:58
1 
 Ps. I was eating lots of bone broth, coconut oil and kefir, and had a perfectly healthy, bright and beautiful baby. If I could do one thing differently, it would have been to move more. I was gluten free but not paleo at the time, and the amount of weight I gained was very uncomfortable by the end. – Kitzu May 16 2012 at 2:09
2 
 LISTEN TO DRAGONFLY... – Marie May 16 2012 at 2:21
Kitzu~ It was very interesting to me, when I found out about Gouda and K2 (Apparently Jarlsberg & Edam are also high in K2). I was eating Gouda like a fiend when I was living in Scotland & it's still my fave cheese. Natto just won't work for most folk! – Dragonfly May 16 2012 at 14:52
1 
 Thanks, Marie, lol! And I would always advise mamas to listen to THEIR body, regardless of advice. – Dragonfly May 16 2012 at 14:58
2

I'm 9 1/2 months pregnant and am planning a natural home birth.

These are the supplements I have taken during my pregnancy. Most of these were the supplements recommended by my midwife.

  • Pure Encapsulations Nutrient 950 with Vit K multi
  • Jarro-Dophilus probiotic
  • Green Pasture FCLO/Butter Oil blend (cinnamon tingle) OR Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Fish Oil
  • New Chapter Zinc Food Complex
  • Now Foods Vitamin D-3 5,000 IU softgels (I only took the Vit D when I was taking the Nordic Naturals instead of the Green Pasture FCLO)
  • Balanced B complex
  • Natural Calm (not every night--just sporadically)
  • Epsom salt baths (almost daily)

As I got closer to 40 weeks, my midwife had me add on a naturopathic protocol plus 1500 mg evening primrose oil.

link|flag
1

This is a dense listen, but I think it would be very helpful:

http://robbwolf.com/2011/06/07/the-paleo-solution-episode-83/

link|flag
0

While TTC and during pregnancy, I took the New Chapter Perfect Prenatal. It's a whole food vitamin and it's awesome. Since my son was born, I had to switch because he has dairy/soy intolerance (thru breastmilk) and it contains soy. So now I take the Rainbow Light AllergenGuard Prenatal. I also take Nordic Naturals Prenatal DHA. I wanted a prenatal specific DHA because I was concerned about large bodied fish as DHA sources and mercury contamination, etc. I don't know if cod liver oil is the way to go because of the mercury issue. And the fatty tissue tends to be where the mercury accumulates, IIRC. Any good prenatal will have plenty of folate so that shouldn't be a concern.

As far as iron, that would be covered in the prenatal as well, and anemia doesn't really become an issue until you are pregnant, into the second trimester. If you eat enough meat it shouldn't be a problem.

I really wanted to make sure that I also got all the nutrients I needed from my food too, but then decided to just take the prenatal to play it safe. I figured I had two back ups- variety in food in case I forgot my vitamin, and a vitamin in case I couldn't deal with kale. haha! Luckily I didn't have much morning sickness, but if you do, that prenatal vitamin is probably the most important thing you can eat, and hopefully, keep down.

Hope that helps! Good luck TTC!

link|flag
0

If I were pregnant, these are what I would be taking. Just based on what I know about them and seeing how well women have done on these and having very healthy babies. Both are whole food based and nothing synthetic. But, this would be a personal choice of mine as I can't recommend them since I'm not a doctor. Just sharing in case that's helpful!

Garden of Life Raw Iron

Seven+ Classic http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=356334074389079

Benefits & Nutrients it gives: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=186820541340434

This was an interesting article I read in the past too... http://www.dailyrx.com/news-article/taking-micronutrient-supplements-impacts-babys-genes-17743.html

link|flag
0

my midwife center has every client do a food journal for a few days at the beginning of pregnancy. i don't have a copy of the sheet but i remember them making sure you were eating whole foods (preferably) and getting enough 1. calcium and 2. iron.

i took "new chapter" perfect prenatal and "bone strength take care" (which also has magnesium, k2, d3 and mk-7 in it).

i ate salmon a few times a week. i havent bothered with fish oil supplements after my pediatrician seemed to not care about dha/omega3/fish oil supplementation, he thinks it should be from cold water fish itself.

if you can't stomach your prenatal, i would just take iron and calcium. a lot of women, even though they eat meat may at some point in pregnancy may be low in iron. i remember my friend being so upset at 36 weeks because she ate really well but was suddenly low in iron. it happens.

recap: i took new chapter perfect prenatal and bone strength take care

link|flag

Your Answer

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.