Hi Ladies,
I am almost 3 months pregnant and this time around, the doctor did not prescribe prenatals like my first time. I started out the One a Day a month before I concieved then about a month into my pregnancy, I started taking "MY Kind" organic prenatals. Just yesterday, I noticed you have to take 3 pills, not one like I had with all the other vitamins I have taken in my life. So for the past 4-5 weeks I have not gotten enough vitamins and I am concerned about neural tube issues. I am 38. Thoughts? Can I do anything about it now besides take the correct dose? Also, do doctors not prescribe prenatals routinely anymore?
I just have never seen a multivitamin that require 3 doses, but it seems like most of the "natural" ones seem to be. I wish there would be bold instructions because it really caught me off guard. Thanks ladies...you hear so much about Folic Acid and Iron in preventing birth defects that you get a little worried sometimes.
I didn't even realize I was pregnant with my oldest until I was two months pregnant and nearly three when I started vitamins. He is as normal as my gene pool can produce.
Why are you concerned about neural tube defects? Does your other child have problems? Family? If the answer to that is no. You are fine.
Women have been having babies for how many years? And how long before that without doctors and vitamins? I'm not trying to be rude. I think you're fine.
BB
You're fine. You eat right, correct? You get vitamins and minerals from eating.
Call your OB/GYN. Ask him/her what they recommend and tell them that you changed pre-natal vitamins and it recommends 3 pills per day and you're used to taking ONE....
You can GO to your pharmacist if you want confirmation TODAY - and show them what you are taking and that you only took ONE and not three. I would BET they will tell you it's all good. You need to worry about taking MORE not less.
You've got this!
You are ok. If you still doubt yourself, talk to your Dr and stay off Google!
Many many healthy babies have been born when no prenatal vitamins were taken. They had healthy babies on the pioneer days and those women didn't take prenatal vitamins.
Take a breath and relax and enjoy your pregnancy!
People have been having babies for centuries without vitamins lol!!!! You're fine! Yes, I took top of the line vitamins with all mine....once I found out I was pregnant :)
Don't worry about it. Honestly. You're a healthy person with adequate nutrition, and your baby has gotten everything it needs!
Just be sure to eat lots of healthy real food as well as vitamins from here on out. No damage done. Promise. I had my babies at 35, 37, and 39. Healthy as horses. All three. And again, I wasn't taking vitamins at first because it took me a while to to know I was pregnant.
Do you drink orange juice, eat bananas, strawberries, grapes, lentils, spinach, broccoli? If you took one vitamin and ate/drank any of those things, you probably got the same dose of folate, which is the big one for preventing neural tube defects. If not, it's still not time to panic. It sounds like you are taking good care of yourself. Women have healthy babies on Twinkies and Coke every day. Not what I would recommend, but cut yourself some slack! I didn't know I was pregnant until 6 weeks each time, when I started vomiting. So no vitamins at all at first for me, and even one night of drinking per pregnancy, pre positive test! Two bright, healthy kiddos here. It is pretty amazing what our bodies can do to get the baby what it needs :) Try to relax and stop googling. Ultimately, there is nothing you can do to change the past, just take the proper dose going forward, I'm betting all will be well.
I didn't even take specifically prenatal vitamins. They made me queasy. With my second pregnancy, I was almost to the second trimester before I realized I had a baby on the way. Both of my kids were born healthy.
While there are no absolute guarantees in pregnancy (or parenthood), the likelihood of neural tube defects in otherwise healthy women is very small, even without prenatal vitamins. So, start taking them now, but try not to worry.
And, no, in my experience, doctor's don't usually prescribe them anymore, because you can get the same thing over the counter.
There are so many benefits to taking vitamin, but (I'm sure i will get hate mail) a baby in-utero that is created does not die or have issue from lack of vitamins. It is really from genetic defects and from poor life style (drugs/drinking/obese/anorexia). There are many healthy babies whose mothers did not know they were pregnant.
Some women get super nauseous from vitamins and skip them (Not that I condone this).
To make you feel better. I had to stop taking pre-natal vitamins very early on with my first child. They were causing me so many issues including severe joint pain that wasn't pregnancy related, they went away after I stopped taking them. I didn't take them at all with my other 2 children. I didn't have my first until I was 30. My second was at 33 and my third was at 38, almost 39. All 3 were completely healthy and full term. I continued to stay healthy and have uncomplicated pregnancies.
Don't freak out. Unless your diet is absolutely terrible and pretty much lacking in everything your fine.
If you are eating a well balanced diet, not drinking alcohol or doing drugs, getting plenty of fluids and generally taking care of yourself ... you're fine.
I couldn't take prenatal vitamins ... they went down ... then came right back up. Any multivitamin is fine really if you're eating well.
Also you only need about 300 to 400 extra calories per day :)
I think back to the olden times ,about 25-50 years ago even, when women didn't take prenatal vitamins, kids didn't have car seats in every vehicle and some people had never even seen them, and they smoked, ate tuna, used the microwave, and more. Their kids were fine and are the adults being pregnant today.
I think you'll find that you are fine. You should get enough vitamins in your diet to take care of your baby and the supplements you take only increase those you yourself eat.
