To not take folic acid

[MagnumAddict]

I suspect I probably am but need to vent so please hear me out.

I'm 8 weeks pregnant and sick as a dog. If I'm not feeling/being sick I have an upset stomach after EVERYTHING I eat. I'm exhausted and feel miserable.

2nd pregnancy so know it's all worth it before anyone tells me that...

I could be imagining it but I'm convinced that after I take folic acid I feel even more ill so I couldn't face it yesterday and have just told dh I can't face it today either. He's flounced off muttering about the importance for the baby making me feel like a complete shit on top of how awful I'm already feeling.

So I need a fresh perspective. I know you lot won't hold back.

[cantmakeme]

Have you tried either folate supplements, or eating foods plenty of containing folate (leafy greens, liver)?

Folic acid made me feel worse, too.

[PamBalam]

I don't have any condition. She told me they were giving them out as a matter of course now.

[princesspuds]

My dd aged 12 has Spina Bifida and I took Foic Acid before conception and after, I was meant to be on a higher dosage due to medical reasons (Epileptic on Valproate)

I was also informed that NTD's occur within the first 4 weeks of pregnancy.

Look online for the Go Folic Campaign which has a lot of information too

[SortAllTheThings]

Pregnacare made me ill too, just stick with the folic acid tablets.

[NapQueen]

I know the plural of anecdote isn't data but the only pregnancy I didn't take them in (#2) ended at 11 weeks. I'll never know if they are connected, but I regret it every day. Mind, then I look at dc2 (pregnancy 3) and think 'but then I may not have had this one'

[iggysmamma]

Holland and barratt had these pregnancy multivitamin spray things that you sprayed on your tongue that I found a lot easier to stomach when I had hyperemesis.

[80schild]

Have you tried breakfast cereals enhanced with foliate? Plenty of dark green veg as well. You need 400mg per day so still try to take it but if you can't at least you will be getting some protection from your diet.

[Justanothernameonthepage]

The only vit D I found that works for me with constant nausea is the gummy bear one for kids. Could be worth a try?

[Crispmonster1]

Try to take it after eating some dry toast or somethind

[FishlessCake]

Please take it. I lost a baby to anencephaly. Sorry you are feeling awful

[FishlessCake]

I was taking folic acid but should have been on the higher dose had dh mother told me she had a child with spina bifida.

[purplefizz26]

I always throw up straight after taking the vitamin tablet if I do it too early in the day.

Now I take it before bed when my stomach is least sensitive.

YABU to totally give up trying, there are good reasons why it's advised.

[Babynamechange]

If you are going to supplement you need to take it in its folate form and not as folic acid. Folic acid is completely artificial and has been shown to interfere with real folate absorption as well as being associated with increased cancer risk.
Supplementing with Vitamin D is definitely a good idea though, but be sure to take the D3 form (NOT D2) and take along with vitamin K2 x

[BertieBotts]

Folic acid is one it's particularly hard to get from the diet apparently. But if you want to look for diet related things then yes to green veg and also marmite is high in it.

[BertieBotts]

Babynamechange - the studies are far from conclusive. It's not official advice so I wouldn't pay much attention personally.

[Mrscog]

I had terrible nausea with mine, my nausea was calmed by huge quantities of carbs so on the days I couldn't face the tablet I'd just make sure I ate a couple of bowls of fortified cereal to boost my intake for the day. Not ideal but better than missing it entirely.

Could something like that help?

[phoebe2016]

The advice on pregnancy vitamins is usually to take after your main meal. This helps to prevent the sickness feeling and increases absorption of the vitamin.

[RedBlu]

I took folic after as soon as I stopped taking the pill and when I got pregnant took it for the next 12 weeks then stopped and switched to Vitamin D.

I couldn't / can't take pregnancy multi vits, no matter what brand it makes me sick.

I would just take mine at night

[bananafish81]

My cousin's first child developed anencephaly, a very serious neural tube defect that's for the most part, incompatible with life. Discovered at 20w, TFMR at 22w

Beyond heartbreaking. This was before folic acid was part of the standard guidance in the country where they were living, and it's very likely (although not impossible) this could have been preventable if she had taken folic acid

She took folic acid for subsequent pregnancies and has 3 perfect children

I have epilepsy, which affects folate metabolism, and thus I have to take prescription strength folic acid because of the increased risk of neural tube defects. I wasn't allowed to start TTC until I had 3 months under my belt. The neural tube forms between 4-6 weeks, so the most important time to take it is ideally pre-conception, and in early pregnancy. However even later it can have an impact on things like cleft lip

After 12 weeks there's no real need to take it.

[shinynewusername]

Please do not listen to the advice about eating foods that contain folate instead of a supplement. In pregnancy, you actually need 600 micrograms of folate a day - 200 micrograms is from food, the rest from the folic acid pill. It's theoretically possible to eat 600 microgram per day if you have a lot of spinach, but you are never going to manage it with morning sickness.

And don't listen to irresponsible bollocks about folic acid not being effective. It has been shown to reduce the risk of neural tube deficits (spina bifida) by at least 70% - study here.

[PostTruthEra]

Hey, I had hyperemesis and felt the same. I ended up taking the seven seas conception vitamins as they were the smallest I could find and much easier to swallow. Couldn't stomach pregnacare or any own brand pregnancy vitamins at all. Good luck.

[ShowMePotatoSalad]

Do your best to take it, OP. It really is worth it.

Your DH flouncing off and being in a huff is not right though. Obviously he wants what's best for the baby (as do you) but there are better ways of dealing with this. Maybe he could try actually supporting you instead of making you feel guilty, and that might actually help you to take it?

[Somedays]

Do you like marmite? That's a source of folic acid, you could try a couple of slices of toast with it a day. I ate it by the tsp in my first pregnancy

[CaveMum]

I couldn't stomach the Pregnacare vitamins either, a nurse friend suggested it might be the high iron levels that made me feel sick.

I switched to the Sanatogen Mum to Be vitamins and made sure I didn't take them on an empty stomach which made a huge difference.

[ThatsWotSheSaid]

Could you try taking the chewy ones or the syrup rather than pills. All pills make me feel ill, obviously it's in my head but knowing that doesn't help.