Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Does anyone else forget to take their folic acid?

40 replies

LiliAnjelika · 15/03/2007 20:06

I'm 11 wks PG and forget to take my folic acid supplements at least three times a week. I made the mistake of buying those really expensive Pregnacare dual action pills which you HAVE to take with your main meal on a FULL stomach. On the box it practically tells you you;re gonna die if you take them at any other time. Anyway, thing is, my DP usually makes evening meal and I'm so tired by then I just wolf it all down and forget about the pill until a couple of hours later or when I'm lying in bed, when it's too late!! The other night I got so paranoid I got up in the middle of the night to eat triple decker cheese sandwich just so that I could take the pill.

Any tips?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

MrsBadger · 15/03/2007 20:12

set the alarm on your phone to go off at breakfast time every day

if you try and take it at breakfast and forget, take it at lunch, if you forget again take it with dinner - three chances vs only one if you try to remember to take it with dinner!

edam · 15/03/2007 20:17

You can stop taking them at 12 weeks anyway so I wouldn't worry.

zephyrcat · 15/03/2007 20:19

I've got the pregnacare ones too and I'm constantly forgetting htem because I don't have a meal until evening by which time I'm too knackered to remember anything"!!

EllieK · 15/03/2007 20:19

i didn't ever remember with ds, and haven't taken more than 5 with this pg, ds is fine and no probs so far

Original poster

LiliAnjelika · 15/03/2007 20:20

Thank you. I will try... I think I read full stomach to mean absolutely stuffed a la Monsieur Creosote and I usually just eat smallish lunch and small breakfast with lots of snacks in between...

Pregnancy turns me into a paranoid lunatic so that's the main problem really...

Does anyone know what foods contain folic acid?

OP posts:

Aloha · 15/03/2007 20:20

The only reason it says with a full meal is that it might make you slightly queasy if you don't, not that it will do you any harm. Honest. And a bowl of cereal and a bit of toast counts so you could take them with breakfast or a lunchtime sarnie too.

CountTo10 · 15/03/2007 20:21

i never took mine regularly - mushrooms have folic acid in as do some green veggies and cereals so you're prob getting some without even realising!!

Original poster

LiliAnjelika · 15/03/2007 20:22

Zephyrcat and EllieK - good to hear I'm not alone

OP posts:

hillary · 15/03/2007 20:22

I wouldn't worry too much, they are very important perhaps if you set an alarm on your mobile or something. Some people go through a whole pregnancy without knowing they're pregnant and their babies are fine.

do try and remember though

Aloha · 15/03/2007 20:24

the protective dose for neural tube defects is higher than you can reasonably get from your diet, hence the recommendation to supplement. However, I'm sure your baby will be fine and the neural tube will be closed now anyway. Folic acid and the other nutrients are good for you - as you have them, take them.

KTeePee · 15/03/2007 20:24

Well with my third child, when we decided to try for another baby I totally forgot about the folic acid until I found out I was pregnant. I didn't expect to get pregnant so quickly but I did. The GP said not to worry....

PestoMonster · 15/03/2007 20:25

Broccoli has it and I think bread made with fortified flour and also some cereals are fortified too.

weepootleflump · 15/03/2007 20:26

Don't think anyone should be coming on here playing down the importance of taking folic acid.

It is almost impossible to absorb the required amount from food alone (even if you ate a plate full of spinach every day).

Perhaps you all need to take a long read of the reasons why we need it in conception/pregnancy.

Original poster

LiliAnjelika · 15/03/2007 20:35

weepootle - that's me told!

I'm pretending it's weetabix week and I've just had weetabix (fortified) with some blueberries (superfood)and my folic acid supplement! Hooray!

OP posts:

EllieK · 15/03/2007 20:40

i'm not playing it down, simply saying that it is not worth worrying yourself about too much, it is still a fairly modern thing to take it, and yes, i have read all about the benefits of it. it's also not a worldwide thing.

KTeePee · 15/03/2007 20:45

Agree with the last post - there is no point in making the OP worry about something that can't be "undone". Yes, it is important to take folic acid but it is to reduce the risk of something happening that is only a small risk.

Original poster

LiliAnjelika · 15/03/2007 20:50

Ellie K - interesting what you said about it not being a worldwide thing. My friend learned that she was PG whilst living in France. She went to the local doctor, brought up the question of folic acid, and the rather surprised doctor asked her why she needed folic acid!

Still I do agree that it's important - I've taken them most days and tried to eat healthily.

OP posts:

weepootleflump · 15/03/2007 21:28

EllieK, it is actually recommended by the World Health Organisation so I'd say it is a worldwide thing.

A 'modern thing'!!! That is a ridiculous statement - does that mean we should just disregard it? Is it not a 'modern' thing due to medical research?

In many countries, the Government systematically enriches basic foods such as flour and bread with folic acid, that is why some countries don't bother to push the supplements.

As for the 'small' risk... why put your baby at any risk? The risk of a neural tube defect is 1 in 1000, if you take your folic acid this is reduced by at least 70%.

Seems you think 'well, I've got one already and he's OK so it won't happen to me'. Well, somebody has to be that 1 in a 1000 so why not you?

I'm not having a go at the OP or any of the others who say they forget the odd one - just the people who seem to know better than the health professionals...

pookey · 15/03/2007 22:00

I think quorn sausages box says they are high in folic acid - I guess it must be the mushrooms. Like you I always felt guilty cos its so hard to remember to take it in the eve - my midwife wasn't too concerned when I mentioned it but my GP was horrified!

CountTo10 · 15/03/2007 22:26

easy weepootle - i don't think anyone's denying the importance just saying that missing some of the pills is not going to lessen the fact that some have been taken and any folic acid is better than none.

Uki · 16/03/2007 02:34

I think full stomach just means after a meal, not before, so even an hour or two or three is fine. I take mine at bed time as part of my routine-face,teeth pills, bed.

I used to forget all the time in the morning though, and did feel nauseuous after them then.

I take my multi pg vitamins before during and after pg, as my midwife and others say babies are a bit like (well are) parasites and strip your body of all your nutrients. So they will be fine, but your body will be depleted.

EdieMcredie · 16/03/2007 08:42

I was concerned as for the first 12 weeks I was very sick and often it would come back up but m/w was impressed as I had already been taking it for 6 months before getting pg and she said this would be more than enough and told me not to worry.

Holly29 · 16/03/2007 09:16

My GP said to take Pregnacare all the way through pregnancy and not just until 12 weeks, is anyone else doing this?

EdieMcredie · 16/03/2007 10:09

I take sanatogen pro natal and it's for conception, pregnancy and b/feeding so am still taking it.

Cloudhopper · 16/03/2007 10:11

I never remembered to take mine in either pregnancy. I felt horribly guilty and worried, but they were both okay. I think it is good if you do take them, but not necessarily something to be concerned about if you forget.

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread