How important are pregnancy vitamins?

[PenelopePitstops]

I'm 16 weeks and stopped taking folic acid 2 weeks ago and my nausea dissappeared.
I tried taking some pregnancy multi vitamins which contain folic acid and everytime I take them the nausea is back.

Are they crucial?

[ButtMuncher]

Honestly? I haven't taken anything other than folic acid since being pregnant. I religiously took it up until week 16, and then around that point I started to forget as I knew it wasn't quite as crucial.

I think the general consensus is that for the first trimester it's less easy to take all the crucial vitamins due to morning sickness, tiredness, nausea and aversions. After you stop feeling nauseous, you're more likely to take in a good range of vitamins within your daily diet.

Unless you've got a track record of vitamin deficiency, I'd say no, they are not crucial - but you may want to read up more about it.

[PenelopePitstops]

Thanks. I'm seeing the midwife on Tuesday so will ask her but I imagine I'll get a standard line of take them.

I managed from 6 to 14 weeks with folic acid but I'm not sure I can cope with anymore. The nausea is horrible.

[NameChange30]

You can get tablets with folic acid, vitamin D and ginger. Apparently they're not as bad for nausea as the pregnancy multivitamin tablets with lots more ingredients.

From what I've read, folic acid and vitamin D are important.

[dementedpixie]

Think it's just vitamin d that's recommended for the remainder of the pregnancy.

[dementedpixie]

Folic acid isn't really required after the first 12 weeks

[April241]

I took folic acid and vitamin D from 4 weeks till 13 then stopped, now I just make sure I'm eating a varied diet and get out and about when I can to get some sun. As a pp said folic acid isn't needed after the first 12 weeks as the neural tube has closed by then.

[Bee182814]

I haven't taken them at all this pregnancy as keep forgetting. I took them religiously the first time. I will be 37 weeks on weds and both baby and I are doing great. I must say my diet has been better this time around and I haven't had low iron as I did with the first pregnancy when I was taking the vitamins. I'm also measuring spot on with this one, whereas always measured a bit more with DS and he was a pretty big baby and therefore had difficulties during birth...not sure if that's directly related to the vitamins or not. I guess ask your midwife what she thinks?

[TeaRexit]

Pregnacare made me feel exhausted, I stopped them, felt loads better then tried them again & felt awful again.

I think I ended up just taking folic acid throughout.

[GashleyCrumbTiny]

You don't need folic acid beyond the first trimester. Provided you have a decent diet, you don't really need anything thereafter - my midwife recommended vitamin D only, and I guess iron if you're told you're anaemic. But it's not a huge deal if you eat a good range of foods.

[PenelopePitstops]

This is making me feel better. I'll get some. Vitamin D and get rid of the multi vitamins. I'm eating a wide range of foods so should be ok.

[CharminglyGawky]

I am not taking them religiously anymore. They make me feel sick and I've tried different types. Probably am taking them 3-4 times a week at least though.

I did take them religiously for the first trimester though and was taking a b vitamin complex before conception so should have been fine for folic acid! Tempted to go back to my b vitamin complex and add in a d vitamin and forget the pregnancy multivitamins.

[Fruityfruits1234]

I had the same problem. Midwife told me the important ones are folic acid (1st trimester only) and vitamin d (whole pregnancy). You can get pills that are just vitamin D which would cover you for the rest of the pregnancy. Or try different brands of pregnancy vitamins. With dc1 I found boots own brand better than the pregnacare ones.

[stealthbanana]

gawky watch the b complexes as they have massive amounts of one of the b vits (I think it is b6) which can be harmful to baby if you take too much.

As others have said, neural tube closes at 12w so folic acid not necessary after then. Vit d easily supplemented on its own, although you also need sufficient calcium to enable the efficient uptake of vit d so if you're not having dairy/other sources of calcium then perhaps take that too. Make sure you get fish oil too as that is v important.

I take Zita west second tri vits (+ their fish oil) and have found them v good, no (additional) nausea.

[Whatsername17]

I find them helpful. I get very tired when I don't take them. I could be low in iron though.

[magicboy79]

Only managed up until 12 weeks with both of mine, I had HG so was unable to keep anything down half time. It is important to keep bit D and iron levels up