Are you wondering how to find the best prenatal supplement? There
are so many to choose from these days! Well stay tuned and I'll explain!
Hello! Welcome to Nourish. My name is Melanie McGrice and I'm a dietitian who specialises
in nutrition throughout the first thousand days of life, from conception to toddlerhood,
where it sets the foundations for the future health of your baby.
I'd love you to download my free pregnancy meal plan from www.melaniemcgrice.com/pregnancy.
However, even if you're eating the perfect pregnancy diet, it is still recommended that
you take a prenatal supplement, as during pregnancy, you'll require increased doses
of some micronutrients. But, with so many supplements on the market,
it can be really confusing as to which one you should be taking. So, in this video,
I'm going to share my top 3 tips for finding the best prenatal supplement. Let's dive in....
Number 1: Look at amount and type of folate in the ingredients list
Folate is the most important micronutrient in your prenatal supplement, but it comes
in many different forms and doses. I'd recommend checking out my video on folic acid vs folate for
more detail, but essentially you probably fit into one of three common categories.
Category 1 is people who need higher than standard amounts of prenatal folate.
Ask your healthcare team whether or not you fall into this category. Examples include
women who are overweight, women who take certain medications and women who have a family history of
neural tube defects. If you do require high than standard amounts of prenatal folate,
ensure that your prenatal supplement meets your increased requirements.
Category 2 is women who require methylated folate. Some women don't absorb folic acid
well. If you're having problems conceiving you may fit into this category. You may have also
had your MTHFR enzyme checked for another reason. Either way, if you don't absorb folic acid well
and require methylated folate, ensure that this is provided in your prenatal supplement.
Finally, the third category is the standard, where you simply 4-500mcg per day of folic acid.
Number 2: Find out other key micronutrient recommendations in your country
Every country has country-specific prenatal nutrition guidelines that are based on the
nutritional needs for mummas in that country. For example, in UK, it is recommended that vitamin D
is included in prenatal supplements as most English women don't receive adequate sun to
provide prenatal vitamin D requirements. Or the US and Australia both recommend additional
iodine supplementation during pregnancy due to iodine-deficient soils. Once you know your local
guidelines, ensure that the supplement you choose meets these recommendations.
Thirdly, consider your own personalised nutrition requirements.
For example, if you're getting constipated or feeling nauseous or are at high risk of
gestational diabetes, you might need a prenatal supplement that is iron free,
whereas if your iron levels are low, you might need a supplement which contains additional iron.
Is your diet low in calcium? Ensure you have adequate amounts in your supplement.
There's so many different prenatal supplements on the market as there are so many different
combinations of nutritional requirements to suit different mummas. If you're still confused about
the best prenatal supplement for your personal needs, I'd highly recommend a personalised
consultation with a prenatal dietitian. Your prenatal dietitian will assess your personalised
needs and make a recommendation that will suit you. I'll pop a link to our clinic in the
description box below this video, so that you can book in with one of my amazing dietitians if you'd
like to. We undertake virtual consultations with clients from all around the world!
So you'll be in very safe hands.
The right prenatal supplement is an important choice,
but don't forget that it won't undo a bad diet, so make sure you're eating right too!
If you haven't already done so, make sure you subscribe to my channel for more nutrition
tips during your bubbas first thousand days, and I'll look forward to seeing you in my next video!