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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

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Original poster

Pregnancy Vitamin Supplements

17 replies

MrsMcJnr · 05/07/2006 09:35

Hi, I am thinking about taking Santogen's pregnancy vitamins. They say they are approved by the royal college of midwives and I normally take vitamins because I have been unwell in the past quite often and find taking vitamins helps. Are they safe to take. What are your thoughts? Many thanks

OP posts:

gothicmama · 05/07/2006 09:36

safe to take so long as no vitamin a

Original poster

MrsMcJnr · 05/07/2006 09:39

Thanks Gothicmama. Out of interest what is the issue with Vit A?

OP posts:

cupcakes · 05/07/2006 09:46

too much vit a causes birth defects.
No pregnancy supplement would include them.
I used sanatogen in my last pg but this time am using sainsburys own as cheaper. I compared the vitamins and quantities on the packet and they were close enough for me.

expatinscotland · 05/07/2006 09:47

i used solgar prenatals whilst ttc my girls.

gothicmama · 05/07/2006 09:59

too much vit a can cause miscarriage as well. I used santogen beofore and during prg and whilst bf

sandradee · 05/07/2006 10:02

I really would not bother since I think you should not interfere with nature. You can do more damage and I don;t believe in self prescribing - it's very dangerous.

Just eat properly and listen to what your body craves. Fo example I was slightly iron deficient in the last few months and at the same time was complete mad on orange juice to the point I would get ratty if DH had finished the last carton.

I casually mentioned it to the mindwife who said that Vit C aids the uptake of Iron so that would make sense.

If the midwife thinks you need iron they will give it to you (which they did for me).

Otherwise I would just make sure you get lots of fresh fruit and veg and dairy.

Nicola63 · 05/07/2006 10:20

It is not entirely necessary to take a vit supplement if you have a healthy balanced diet, but it IS important to take folate.

cupcakes · 05/07/2006 10:22

not interfering with nature is all well and good if you have the time to sit down to 3 balanced meals a day but I frequently don't so am quite happy to take a vitamin supplement.

Nicola63 · 05/07/2006 10:23

Also, it is only a certain form of Vitamin A that is a problem (the kind that comes from animal rather than plant sources). Some preg supplements do have vit A in the form of carotene in them (that's the plant form and is OK in pregnancy). Retinol (the animal form) is dangerous in large doses, including to an unborn baby.

Nicola63 · 05/07/2006 10:27

Sorry to keep adding! Just wanted to add that in fact some preg supplements do even have a bit of retinol in them, but not at high dosage.

sandradee · 05/07/2006 12:58

whoever said I sat down to eat three proper meals!! I work full time but would be careful to make sure that if I was hungry I did not snack on crap but ate fruit and had good food instead of high calorie junk.

When you are pregnant you have to be careful about so many external things like not dying your hair, making sure the creams you use don;t have too high a vitamin e content blah blah blah but when it comes to what you ingest, I think it's just as important. Vitamins are all well and good but I would be advised by the midwife before you go off self prescribing.

If people ate a decent balanced diet then I think there would not be such a need for vitamins, half of which a crap anyway because if the coating they are covered in means that they are not even properly absorbed by the body.

Sorry but as you can see I'm anti vitamins - except when prescibed or advised (in the case of folic acid)

coggy · 05/07/2006 13:40

My hairdresser told me that not dying your hair in pg was a myth. The dye couldn't be absorbed in any amount that would affect the baby.

Vitamins designed for pg (if they are a recognised brand) would be safe as that's what they are designed for IYSWIM!

The vitamin A issue is also why you shouldn't eat pate whilst pg as it has high levels in it.

Original poster

MrsMcJnr · 07/07/2006 10:22

I always wondered about the dying hair thing, I don't dye mine very often anyway but never liked the idea that it could somehow go into my body never mind a baby's.

Totally OTT but does anyone with a bit of a tum now worry about rolls of fat on top of their bump when it comes that they cannot disguise anymore. Know it sounds vain but I had always thought everyone got a nice smooth bump and am devastated by the reality!!

OP posts:

schneebly · 07/07/2006 10:33

I took sanatogen pro natal while TTC and during pg with both of mine which is probably just as well as I lost my appetite completely during each pg and really struggled to eat hearty meals - my boys were healthy 8 pounders. I didn't have a 'proper' bump either - too much fat on top so I still had 2 rolls ! On the plus side I didn't actually gain any weight while pg (midwife says this is quite common in big girls) and ended up 2 stone lighter afterwards!

Original poster

MrsMcJnr · 07/07/2006 12:31

Wow! that is a great advert for pregnancy. Have to say that many of my friends with kids are much slimmer than they ever were beforehand. I thought it must be the breast feeding and the running about after them! Knowing my luck though, I'll go the other way!

OP posts:

desperate2bmum · 08/07/2006 14:21

hiya girls
can i just add about the hair colouring....i am a hairdresser and you CAN colour your hair throughout pregnancy but it is advised that you do not go for full head colours just highlights and the only reason for this is that all the mixed up hormones in your body can have an effect on the colour if it touches your scalp and makes it go an undesired colour. that is why highlights are recommended as colour does not touch the scalp

coggy · 08/07/2006 15:32

I thought so.....!

I think there is a lot of scare-mongering when you are pg.
I know that it is always best to play it safe and be sensible but it would be nice to be relaxed for nine months rather than worrying about everything!!

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