Do you HAVE to take vitamins??

Hi there,
I'm currently 14.5 weeks pregnant and have been taking folate tablets which have now run out. Do I still need to take them in the 2nd tri? Also, I haven't taken any vitamin supplements - do you NEED to take them?
I didn't suring my last pregnancy and my DD is fine (although she was prem).

TIA

I am 28 weeks now and have not taken any vitamins during pregnancy. I think folic acid is most important during the first trimester to prevent neural tube defects, but I didn't take that either. I had good intentions, but never remembered to take them. As for vitamins, they are huge and smell terrible, there is no way I can swallow them. As long as you eat a decent diet, baby will still get what it needs without suppliments.

i think it's purely a recommendation Carrie! there are a lot of people that don't take them!

good luck with the rest of your pregnancy hun - it seems to be going so quickly!

hi there, I only took folate and didnt take them after the first trimester, my OB said it was fine as long as my diet was healthy which she monitored for me as I was on LOW GI.

Providing that you eat a well balanced diet you do not have to take them. Folate is only needed prior to becoming pregnant and for the first trimester.

Thanks heaps for your replies! I'm not actually sure what my diet is like in terms of what you are supposed to eat, but I have my appointment at the hospital tomorrow so I'll have to ask.

yes taking vitamins is a personal preference I guess, and for me when TTC I wanted to ensure I was giving myself the best chance poss to fall pg so I started taking the pg supp Elevit on advice of my GP. i also took elevit during the entire pg and BF, which I've continued to do this time and both of my pgs have been very smooth (except for sciatica this time damn it) with great energy levels compared to some of the other mum's I know and from things i read within the forum.
I eat a well balanced diet and do ante-natal yoga (and walking with DS too) and all of these I believe inconjuction with the elevit attribute to my fantastic pgs.
Maybe you should do a bit of research online as elevit has a great website and also discuss it with your doc, so you feel that you are making an informed decision.
Lots of luck and I am sure you'll decided what's best for you :)

yep i think it is personal choice and after the 1st tri with the folate to help with neural tube defects it was explained to me that a large part of it will be about my well being and good feeling - the baby will take what it needs from me, and i may find my stored depleted... so i still take them but i must admit i was fanatical about it to start and the last few weeks i have been slacking off a bit and forgetting... that reminds me i had better take one now!!
so if you are feeling good i am sure you are fine, if your energy levels drop or you feel low etc then perhaps look at your diet first and then think about supplements if you need them.

Yeah I think a multi is more for you than the baby. Folate is the important one in the first tri.

I must admit I'm slack with the multi now that I'm in the 2nd tri, and I was slack during breastfeediing #1 too. But I didnt' feel run down or anything, so possibly didn't need them anyway.

I've also heard that taking folate only makes a difference pre-pregnancy and the first trimester. That makes sense because the 12-week scan tells you if there is a likelihood your baby has a neural tube defect.

I didn't take anything afterwards BUT my obstetrician had taken blood tests which looked at all my vitamin levels etc.

If you're at all concerned about whether your diet will be giving you what you need, just get a blood test done. That will give you the answers you need.

All the best

Fiona

I am struggling to eat enough so for me they are important, although at this stage of pregnancy I am finding I forget whether I have taken them or not!

its better to take them..especially if your not monitoring your diet! Folate is best in the first 6 weeks of pregnancy..BUT it also helps with the function of the placenta. And also, if your not taking vitamins..the baby will take them away from your body...which might not seem like a big deal but when you think of what that can mean for your body 10 years from now, you should probably take them! really they are not that expensive and it takes like 20 seconds to take them.

I agree with the others that its a personal thing, and a one financial sometimes.

I didnt use anything with #1 DD and had no probs but with #2 DS i started on Elevit before conceiveing which they recommend with that particular vitamin. And the one thing that i did notice after birth was that i didnt feel so flat. With DD (1) i had to go onto iron tabs because i became really anaemic but after DS i felt fine. Im sure its because of the vitamins. Im still on them now and will be till i finish Breastfeeding, but again thats what is recommended with those vitamins.

They are expensive but i think there worth it. Its all up to you though.

Personal choice, they strongly recommend folate one month before and for the first three months of pregnancy. I take them to keep me feeling well as well as for bubs sake. Working fulltime at the moment I've been too tired to cook so have started taking multiV again as I am not preparing good meals and find I've been getting stuff "on the go" which isn't as healthy. It's upto you and what your lifestyle is like

I agree with Alan, if you eat a healthy, balance diet, the need of vitamins can be excluded. Besides, back in the older days, I don't think vitamins were heard of! I tool vitamins before my pregnancy because my doctor insisted the need of folate acid. Luckily, the folate acid and vitamins are combined together so I didn't need to take ten thousand pills a day. Furthermore, I was fortunately because my doctor prescribe the vitamins & folate acid which is divided into two little pills... I had no problem at all taking them. One disadvantage of that is the cost of the vitamins. Each month, I pay about 50 Canadian dollars for a one month supply. So, I guess, financial could be an issue especially if they are at such high cost!

Yes the cost is a downside. I took them religiously until 18 weeks. Now I take them only to suppliment my diet. If I feel I've eaten really good foods and have covered most of my bases I won't take them. If I feel I haven't eaten so well I may take one (I take Blackmores which is 2 tablets a day) and if I've eaten absolute crud for food I take both. It makes them last longer and they are only meant to suppliment your diet.

Yes I think it's personal preference but I take ELEVIT and have done before TTC and still will carry it right through with vitamins. I just feel better knowing that I have those vitamins in my body because sometimes my diet can be weird and I might not eat enough vegetables or something some days!

I also take fish oil (omega 3) for Bub's brain development. Again, it's all personal choice I believe.

As the others said, it's personal preference, but talk to your GP or midwife, because sometimes you can have too much of a good thing.

Bubs will strip you dry of everything it needs so don't stress there. As long as you get what you need to stay healthy then it's ok. Plenty of fruits and vegies, iron rich foods, proteins and lots of clacium. I'm sure there is more you need as well, but if you eat a healthy and varied diet, you just automatically receive what you need.

Don't forget a lot of foods expecially cereals are now fortified, with iron and folate.

I only took folateprior to conception and for about the first trimester.

I think its better to take them too. I use to take Fabfol throughout my pregnancy. Its just a little reassurance that your baby is getting all the vitamins they need, incase youre not eating them all through the day... same goes for when youre breastfeeding.
But it is personal choice.

i think that folate is a definite must for the first trimester - the benefits have been clearly proven for so long, and while it may be an additional expense for someone who was used to not being pregnant, its really a minimal expense in the long run compared to dealing with the consequences of a neural tube defect.
Vitamin B6 can also be good in the 1st trimester because it can help to relieve the nausea of morning sickness.
its also important to note that multi-vitamins labelled for pregnancy have been specially fomulated to NOT contain vitamin A, which should be avoided during pregnancy because of birth defect and possible fetal kidney or liver damage. So don't try to save a few dollars by buying regular multi-vitamins!
Vitamin C is also useful for iron absorption, so it goes hand-in-hand with taking folate supplements so that both mother and baby can avoid anaemia (a lack of red blood cells - which you obviously want to avoid so that you and baby have enough oxygen and nutrients when your blood volume is increasing so much). The increase in the amount of blood you have circulating is still happening in the second trimester and is the reason why your blood pressure can drop to really low levels to the point where it is common(!) for women in the second trimester to feel faint. So for this reason, i think it would be handy for health and wellbeing of all to continue taking pregnancy multi-vitamins if you can, or actively seek out foods high in these vitamins to ensure you are getting everything you need!

Thanks everyone for your replys. I have been away, so haven't been online til now. I appreciate all your advice!
Spoke to the Dr who advised that it is not really required (other than folate in the first tri) - but personal choice. Think I'll see how I go and if I'm feeling depleted may consider taking them.

Thanks again