When Prenatal Vitamins Make You Sick

When we were open to conception, I took regular Centrum vitamin tablets.

They provide 500 micrograms of folic acid per day...

...more than enough to prevent neural tube defects.

When I realized I was pregnant, my doctor recommended prenatal vitamins with more calcium and iron.  I happily filled the prescription for PreNate Advance.

Uh oh.

I never had morning sickness, but my stomach started churning day and night.  Perhaps it was the funny tasting coating?

--->This article from Dr. Spock.com gives a good analysis of some of the most popular prenatal vitamins by prescription.

Well, this is no time to scrimp, I thought. 

I went straight to the health food store for the best prenatal vitamin I could find. Surely an organic vitamin in capsule form would do the trick...

 I've never been so sick in my life. 

I tried taking them with food--and without food.  Vomiting, for 2 days and nights, before I finally threw the $30 bottle in the trash.  You have to take a LOT of capsules to equal one horse-size prenatal tablet!

--->This article gives you some strategies for coping with prenatal vitamins that make you feel sick.

At this point I worried for the health of my baby! 

But the doctor reassured me that while an adequate diet alone isn't ideal, I was certainly keeping down more healthy foods than a pregnant woman with hyperemesis (frequent morning sickness).

Most importantly, I had been taking adequate folic acid at the most important moments--during and just after conception.

--->Here are Whole Foods' Top 10 Power Foods For Pregnant Women.

In the end, his nurse recommended I take 2 Flintstones with iron per day, and that's what I've been doing since 3 months pregnant.

Without the vomiting, thankyouverymuch!