Daily Supplements

Today I thought I would share with you what I have been taking for prenatal supplements just in case you are curious or you are looking into supplements for yourself.

New Chapter Organics: Perfect Prenatal

Unlike conventional prenatal vitamins, these are cultured cultured whole food so they are bio-available, easy-to-digest and can be taken anytime, even on an empty stomach. Before we were even starting to try to get pregnant I was taking New Chapter Organics Every Women's Once Daily, which was recommended to me by someone at whole foods. I used to have a hard time taking vitamins because they always made me queasy afterward, even when I took them with food. But New Chapter Organics have been great, and I never feel sick after I take one. The other nice thing about them being made from cultured whole-foods instead of minerals, is that your body is able to digest all of the vitamins and use them. Conventional vitamins are made from minerals, and even though they have very high daily percentages of nutrients on the label, your body isn't actually able to use most of those nutrients. You have to take those vitamins with food because that's the only way your body can harvest those nutrients, but it the amount of nutrients you actually get from the vitamin varies. With the New Chapter Organics, whatever is on the label is what you are getting. Plus they are made from all organic ingredients and are completely vegetarian. Here is the nutrition information:

Amount per 3 Tablets		% Daily Value
Vitamin A † (100% as beta-carotene)	5000 IU	100%
Vitamin C †	60 mg	100%
Vitamin D3 †	1000 IU	250%
Vitamin E †	30 IU	100%
Vitamin K1 †	70 mcg	88%
Vitamin K2 (MK-7)	10 mcg	12%
Thiamin-Vitamin B1 †	4 mg	267%
Riboflavin-Vitamin B2 †	5 mg	294%
Niacin †	20 mg	100%
Vitamin B6 †	5 mg	250%
Folate †	600 mcg	150%
Vitamin B12 †	30 mcg	500%
Biotin †	300 mcg	100%
Pantothenic Acid †	10 mg	100%
Calcium (from Algae ‡)	75 mg	7.5%
Iron †	18 mg	100%
Iodine †	90 mcg	60%
Magnesium † (70% cultured; 30% from Algae ‡)	15 mg	3%
Zinc †	7.5 mg	50%
Selenium †	50 mcg	71%
Copper †	750 mcg	38%
Manganese †	2 mg	100%
Chromium †	100 mcg	83%
Molybdenum †	20 mcg	27%
Mixed Carotenoids †	3 mg	•
Herbal Blends
Prenatal Herbal Blend †	300 mg	•
[Organic Brown Rice; Organic Oats; Organic Blueberries (fruit); Organic Prunes (fruit)]
[Organic Blackberries (fruit); Organic Flame Raisins (fruit); Organic Raspberries (fruit); Organic Dandelion (leaf); Organic Rose Hips (fruit);Organic Lavender (flower)]
[Organic Lemon Balm (leaf); Organic Peppermint (leaf); Organic Cloves (bud); L.casei; L. plantarum; L. salivarius; L. acidophilus; L. rhamnosus; S. thermophilus; B. bifidum; B. infantis; B. longum; and B. breve]
Breast Support Blend (sprouted seeds)	100 mg	•
(Organic Broccoli; Organic Cauliflower; Organic Kale; Organic Daikon Radish; Organic Cabbage; Organic Mustard)
Barleans: Total Omega Vegan Swirl

My midwives recommend that I have a daily omega 3 or DHA and EPA supplement. These important nutrients perform 2 vital functions in pregnancy. First, the omega 3's reduce the incidence of post partum depression in women who have birthed. Second, they contribute extensively to the neurological and brain development of your baby, which is greatest in the last three months of pregnancy through the first three months after birth. You can continue taking omega 3's after birth to help deliver them through breast milk and to help keep your spirits high). Most people get their essential fatty acids from eating meat, especially fish, but still should have supplements during pregnancy. As a vegetarian, I get some essential fatty acids from dairy products, but I definitely need a supplement. Most fatty acid supplements come in the form of fish oil, which I won't consume. But I found a great substitute that my midwives approved: Barleans Total Omega Swirl. It is completely vegetarian and made out of flax oil and borage seed oil. Here is the nutrition information:

• Complete and Balanced Vegan Omega Nutrition
• Delicious All - Natural Pomegranate/Blueberry Flavor
• Barlean’s Award Winning Organic Flax Oil is a pure, pristine and nutritious source of plant based Omega-3, 6 and 9 fatty acids.
• 100% Vegetarian, Plant-Based DHA/EPA is a pure and natural vegan source of vital Omega-3 fatty acids.
• Barlean’s Borage Seed Oil is a pure, pristine, herbicide andpesticide free source of a scarce Omega-6 fatty acid called GLA (gamma linolenic acid). Borage seed oil is the highest known source of GLA.
• Omega-3s are best known for their effects on the structure and function of the cardiovascular system.
• Omega-6s are best known for their effects on the structure and function of systems related to pain, inflammation and immune response.
• Omega-9s have been popularized by the modern press and scientific research as the cornerstone of the ever-popular Mediterranean diet – the traditional diet of long-lived people in this region of the world.

Palmer's Organics Massage Lotion for Stretch Marks
I really don't want to have stretch marks all over my body after I have this baby, so I've decided to start early and put this lotion on a once or twice a day. I don't know if it will really make a difference, but it keeps my skin really soft. Supposedly Palmer's Organics Massage Lotion for Stretch Marks helps improve the appearance of stretch marks, naturally.  A special combination of Cocoa Butter, Aloe, Shea Butter, Vitamin E, Soybean Oil, Collagen, and Elastin lubricates the skin, helping retain its natural elasticity and moisture.