Walking into the supplement section of a pharmacy gives me anxiety. I swear to god you go there feeling fine and then suddenly you’re having a whole crisis about whether your liver needs a detox and wondering if you should be taking vitamin C. And the prenatal section is a whole other situation. There are so many things that apparently you need and it’s tempting to just buy the whole shop.
Which would be tip number 1:
Be selective about what you buy
Firstly, buying things randomly could be wildly unsafe! There are a whole lot of supplements out there that contain a whole lot of non-evidence based things, which is equal parts interesting and annoying. I’m talking about tablets that claim to do things like cleanse your system, improve digestion or detox your liver etc. They sound great on paper but there isn’t always a guarantee that they live up to their claims and may actually contain ingredients that are dangerous while you’re pregnant. Unless your doctor, or other healthcare provider (NOT a friend, family member or influencer) has advised you to take a certain supplement you can safely put it back on the shelf. You can always ask about something you’re thinking of trying when you next have an appointment.
Don’t double up
So again, don’t buy the whole shop. Even if you’ve backed away from the weird herbal section, you might still accidentally be picking up multiples of the same thing. For example, if you plan on taking a multivitamin as well as a separate iron tablet, you could be double dosing. This is problematic because some nutrients are harmful in large doses.
Get the essentials
So even though some of the stuff you can buy is nonsense, supplement companies aren’t out to get you, and there are certain nutrients that you really really do need when you’re pregnant. I highly suggest you speak to your healthcare team first, but in general all pregnant women need folate and iodine.
Start early
It is crucial to make sure your nutritional status is optimised before you conceive your baby. Your egg quality and a key developmental stage of your baby’s life (known as the first 1000 days) are completely dependent on what you eat and your nutrient stores. Getting yourself in excellent health before pregnancy will help give your baby the best start in life. I suggest talking to your doctor and dietitian as soon as you are thinking of trying for a baby to correct any deficiencies and start optimising your nutrient stores.
In summary, you need to go armed with a plan. Please note, this is information intended as education only and not a substitute for medical advice. For personalised assistance please book an appointment with me (I would love to meet you) and your doctor.
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