The first thing –
that come to my mind when talking about healthy pregnancy is supplement! Reason being I am a full time working mum and have my food mostly outside thus, supplement is very very important for me.
I started to google and try to find out more about how much and type of supplements does a pregnant woman. Then I realized there are 4 supplements that I must take (vary from individual) and also as recommended here. These are calcium, vitamin D (i took multivit), folic acid and fish oil.
Calcium
Required: 1000mg / day
Dosage: Absorb only 500mg per intake
Benefit: Grows strong bones and teeth, healthy nerves, heart, and muscles; develops heart rhythm and blood clotting
Overdose: Constipate, kidney stone
Supplemental calcium comes in different forms, most commonly calcium citrate and calcium carbonate. Calcium citrate is the type most easily absorbed by the body.
Calcium carbonate provides the most calcium, but requires extra stomach acid to help dissolve it, so it’s best taken with a meal. (Because calcium citrate doesn’t require stomach acid for absorption, it can be taken between meals and is a good choice for those taking heartburn medication that reduces stomach acid.)
An adequate intake of vitamin D is necessary for your body to absorb calcium.
According to Bruce Hollis, professor of pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina,
“I recommend that pregnant women take a supplement of 4,000 IU of vitamin D a day. And I recommend that lactating women take a supplement of 6,000 IU daily,”
Vitamin D (Multivit)
Required: 500mcg or more / day
Dosage: N/A
Benefit: Helps build bones and teeth
Vitamin D of 500mcg can be easily obtained from my daily meal as i love milk (1 cup fortified skim milk: 98 IU), salmon (3.5 ounces salmon, cooked: 360 IU) and egg (1 egg yolk: 20 IU) much! Fish liver oil, fatty fish, and fortified milk, egg, and cereal products all contain vitamin D. Be sure to check food labels: Some eggs, cheeses, yogurts, and cereals are fortified while others aren’t.
If you’re lacking vitamin D during pregnancy, your baby may be short on the vitamin at birth. This can put her at risk for rickets (which can lead to fractures and deformity), abnormal bone growth, and delayed physical development. A deficiency of vitamin D has also been linked to a greater risk of pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia, and a higher likelihood of an expectant mom needing a c-section.
Folic acid
Required: 400mcg / day
Dosage: A400mcg highly importance for early pregnancy especially if you have talassemia like me
Benefit: Helps prevent neural tube defects; may reduce risk of other birth defects; critical for DNA production (building block of cells)
Overdose: Don’t take more than 1,000 mcg per day of folic acid unless your healthcare provider advises you to. This is particularly important if you are a vegan. Vegans are at risk of being deficient in vitamin B12 and taking too much folic acid would make it hard to diagnose that deficiency.
Folic acid able to make normal red blood cells and prevent a type of anemia. Folic acid is also essential for the production, repair, and functioning of DNA, our genetic map and a basic building block of cells. So getting enough folic acid is particularly important for the rapid cell growth of the placenta and developing baby. This is why it is essential for me a talassemia carrier.
Fish oil
Required: Not required
Dosage: N/A
Benefit: Baby brain development
Overdose: None studies has shown any clinical proven effect
It is not a essential supplement for pregnancy woman but me being a kiasu mummy want to take everything that is best for my baby if, it is believed. proven to be good. There are several studies show that fish oil can directly or indirectly contribute to baby brain development.
However, studies also show that if a pregnant woman have oily fish more than 2 serving per week, tend to have premature baby or low birth weight. True enough, both my pregnancy does have this problem due to my diet.
Review on supplements –
is the next thing on my list as i am certain of what I need 🙂
You can read it here!!
halfmummy, quarterwife, a full time working babe 