*TMI* Is my baby's growth affected by me not taking folic acid?

[wyetonne]

Sorry, this will be TMI. I cannot physically take my folic acid tablets (or no tablets at all in fact). I've been sick as a dog during this pregnancy and every time I try to take any tablets I gag and am immediately sick. If not immediately, it happens within 10 minutes of taking it. I'm 8 weeks pregnant now and I've only managed to take it up until about 2 weeks ago. I'm so worried this will affect my baby's growth. Does anyone have any suggestions on how else I could try this without throwing up?

Have you googled for liquid folic acid?
Have you tried crushing the tablets and mixing into a spoon of yoghurt or juice?
Have you looked into high folic acid food and ensured you're eating as much of that as possible?

This thread will inevitably bring on 'I didn't take folic acid with any of mine and they're fine' but it's very important you do everything you can to take the recommended dose daily.

Anti sickness tablets from the GP? I had these throughout my pregnancy.
I think you can also order chewable prenatal vitamins which might help if swallowing the tablets is causing gagging?
Are they just folic acid tablets or are they a range of vitamins? If a range, try ones that are just folic acid and maybe cut them in half and take twice a day in a mouthful of food or something?

Eat food high in folic acid like spinach, nuts and beans. Maybe drink echinacea which is rich in folates and helps keep you and the baby well.

www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/folic-acid

I hope you stop being sick soon. I put drops of peppermint oil on a tissue to sniff... this eases the nausea considerably. Amazon also do anti nausea mints with added vitamin b6 which help.

This got me interested and so I just looked it up. The baby’s neural tube closes up after the first 4 weeks of development and so it is most important to be taking folic acid before conceiving and in the first few weeks of gestation. In other words, you were taking it when it mattered most. A lack of folates can cause neural tube defects. Of course many women get enough folates through their diet anyway, and so many don’t take supplements and go on to have healthy babies.
So please don’t panic. I hope the dr gives you something for the sickness so that you can get some healthy food to stay down, but in the meantime I’m sure your baby will be fine.

If OP is so sick she can't swallow a tablet, I don't think kilogrammes of spinach (you would need a lot) and drinking echinacea will be a viable option!

1. Smaller tablets with just the folic acid (easier to swallow plus if you bring it up you can always take another one whereas with multivitamins you wouldn't want to be doubling up as you can have too much of some things)
2. Chewable ones
3. Take it at a time you feel less sick and allow yourself 15min to lie down afterwards trying not to be sick
4. Anti sickness tablets from doctor - these are safe and taking the anti sickness tablets + folic acid would certainly be better for the baby than no folic acid

I drink echinacea every day and I am being sick. The bubbles in it help settle my stomach and it is packed with folates. I actually went on to explain to the OP that she has passed the time when taking folates is crucial. I was reassuring her @MotherOfCrocodiles.

From memory some foods are fortified with folic acid, I think it was breakfast cereals. But as previous poster said you've made it past neural tube formation, the most critical period to take folic acid. Good luck with your sickness OP.

If you can manage yoghurt drinks (like Actimel) I found that these were much better than taking pills with water. First pregnancy I was gagging all the way through, even way after morning sickness ended, and these were the only way I could take any vitamins/other tablets.

Can you manage foods with folic acid in?

I didn’t take them from 6 weeks with my little boy as I was exactly the same as you (I did take them for about a year before conceiving though.. not sure if that made a difference). I have discovered this time that they sell pregnacare liquid or gummies which may be a little easier for you to manage. Also, as others have said, if the sickness is that bad then it might be worth speaking to your GP about some anti sickness medications.

You only need to take them until 12 weeks.

They don't affect growth but without folic acid, your baby has a higher chance of developing Spina Bifida. This can be operated on these days but it's still not a nice thing to have.

Could you take them with meals? I struggle to take tablets normally, but if I chew up a mouthful of something like a sandwich or put a spoonful of something thick like yoghurt in my mouth, I can usually "hide" the tablet inside (like you do for cats ) and then swallow it. If they are too big I cut them in half first.

This M&S smoothie is fortified if you're able to drink rather than eat? I had buckets of it, dont worry it doesnt actually taste of beetroot - mainly apple juice! www.ocado.com/products/m-s-revitalise-smoothie-with-pomegranate-beetroot-blackcurrant-515278011