How long did you take your prenatal vitamins for?

[AliBaby]

I was really good about taking them (elevit and ostelin for vit D deficiency) daily during the first trimester but have been a slacker and am averaging once a week in the 2nd trimester. I always feel guilty about it but have a pretty balanced diet.

I was trying ot remember with my first pregnancy how long I took them for but I couldnt remember. I am sure it wasnt the whole 9 months though.

So really I am wondering what the average length of time is for taking them and what I should be doing.

TIA!

[RhiChiChi]

I was diligent up unto just past 20 weeks then I have been a bit more sporadic since then. I take them a few times a week but not everyday

[willow5]

Stopped bothering at about 6 weeks with DS3 and none at all with this when they weren't going to stay down anyway. My diet was nearly non existent up until 20 weeks with DS3 and non existent until a couple of weeks ago this time. DS3 was born 7lb 9oz perfectly healthy. So don't stress too much especially if you're diet is good

[jellybean88]

I took folate and iodine until last week and will start on iron this week (cant swallos the horse pills)whenever I remember but I'm pretty slack and don't have a great diet with ms but was same last time and ds was perfectly healthy

[Rowellen]

If you have a good diet, you shouldn't need any vitamins. They are supplements and only meant to be used if you are deficient. I think the vitamin companies have done a wonderful job in convincing all of us poor guilt-stricken mums-to-be that the world will end if we don't purchase (and use) their product. Having said that, I have only recently formed this opinion, and I took mine most days when I was pg.

[RainbowRiver]

I was good until about 9/10 weeks, now I just keep forgetting

[Aussiegirl777]

I took folate and Iron every day for my entire pregnancy.

[AliBaby]

Thanks for your feedback girls. I think there is some truth to the vitamin companies making us feel guilty. I suppose it was more important when I couldn't keep food down because of morning sickness but now shouldn't be an issue if I am not taking it everyday. Thanks again for all of your responses.

[Liz]

Pretty sure it's folate that is the important thing in the first trimester (and pre-pg). I stopped at 12 weeks cos I have read that folate isn't good after that. Linked to increased risk of asthma.. Or something like that. Has been a while since I've looked it up.

I agree with the taking advantage of vulnerable mums to be. They extend it into breastfeeding vitamins as well.

[~TT40~]

I tried my hardest, but come about 8 weeks I was skipping days. combination of doing shift work (12hr and nights) I lost track on if i had taken them or not, and nausea, was hard to keep them down so just didn't bother...

[PumpkinZulu]

I take supplements every day when breastfeeding and pregnant, but that's because in deficient in a few things and have a lot of trouble absorbing my vitamins and minerals. Each day I take:

-1 pregnancy vitamin
-1 iron supplement
-3 vitamin D supplements
-6 calcium & magnesium supplements
-10 spirulina

If I weren't the way I am with the levels I have, I wouldn't bother after the 1st or second tri and just stick to a good healthy diet honestly. Who likes taking a bunch of pills, really?

[Mum2twoBoys]

I'm still taking mine due to bf and ttc.

[OceanPrincess]

Looks like I'm in the minority too - still taking them! Have been for over four years now, without a break! Ah well.

[MLR1901]

I've been taking my each night, easier and don't get reflux. Due to getting evening sickness also I haven't been eating dinner, so at least baby is getting something good.

I have a good balanced diet, but the reasoning behind taking vitamins, my long time ago pharmacy training anyway, is that our bodies do not always absorb the vitamins required from our balanced diets. This can be due to factors such as, weak immune systems, thyroid issues, gut and bowel germs, and many more.
Saying that our bodies don't always absorb the vitamin tablets either, but you have more of a chance of getting some from that as opposed to cooking veggies and the amount required to get the daily requirement. The method of how the veggies are cooked makes a difference too.

Your more likely to maintain a healthy weight if you take vitamins and drink 2l of water daily as the right combo of vitamins helps with cravings and balances the chemicals our brains produce.

[Indadhanu]

I always take them daily in first trimester, and I had good intentions to take them daily again in second trimester (I slacked off last pregnancy and didn't take them much past 20 weeks) but ended up slacking off again around 20ish weeks, and taking them sporadically when I remembered about them, and then starting up again daily at 28 weeks. Exactly what I did last pregnancy too lol. Now I take RL extract, RLT, and EPO and I remember my vitamins in amongst my daily schedule of pills and teas because I've worked out a time to take each ill that maximises absorption (with food and at different times etc, and apparently taking RL extract or tea can inhibit the absorption of other vitamins if you take things together, so the naturopath said).
Maybe it's because we tend to feel ebtter so we don't think about the vitamins. I know if I feel really crappy I always remember to take them inthe hopes that they'll make me feel better.

[Taurean]

I'm the same as you OP! I don't bother with vitamins normally but I always take them while pregnant and BF. Maybe they are a gimmick, dunno, but if there is a possibility they're making my unborn baby and then my BF baby that tad bit healthier then I'm happy to do it. I'm just past 18 months of taking them this time. I took them for almost 2 years with DD1 (while TTC, pregnancy and 11.5 months of BFing).

I will agree though that taking the damn things is not an easy task with morning sickness

[Cassius2]

I take all of my supplements daily for as long as I am pregnant and BF. That said, I have had pretty intense fertility and health problems from the get-go and so cannot do without.

[chody47]

I took them everyday (except for the odd forgotten day) with DD and have been trying to do the same this time too.