Following healthy eating patterns and being conscious of the foods that enter your body can be a great way to maintain adequate levels of most vitamins. However, even the healthiest of us can be slightly deficient in one or more vitamins or minerals. Having the best prenatal vitamins is a great way to make sure you are getting the nutrients before and during pregnancy to support your health.
If you are pregnant or trying to conceive, it’s important to make sure you’re getting an adequate amount of nutrients, even if this means taking supplements to fill in the gaps in your diet. Walking into a health food store or drugstore to find these vitamins can be incredibly overwhelming, especially when you realize there are 80 different bottles available for purchase. If you’re trying to conceive or are currently pregnant and want to supplement the health of your child, follow along! We’ll give you a rundown of the best prenatal vitamins for pregnancy and why you should take them.
Why Bother With Prenatal Vitamins?
Pre-natal vitamins can have a huge impact on your pregnancy. The deficiencies they counteract can improve the quality of life of your little one and make the process less draining for you.
For instance, prenatal vitamins contain folic acid, which can prevent neural tube birth defects like spina bifida. The neural tube, a structure that encases the spinal cord, develops within one month from conception, so being on prenatal vitamins three months before that guarantees that your body will have enough folic acid to fight the defects.
Specific Nutrients
Other supplements such as iron, vitamin C, and zinc can help your immune system and prevent anemia, allowing you to feel better throughout your pregnancy.
Prenatal vitamins are specially designed for fetal development and a mother’s health. Your doctor may prescribe you specific vitamins or may simply instruct you to get some. The best prenatal vitamins for hair growth might also feature some biotin. Whatever the case may be, consult your physician before beginning to take any prenatal vitamins!
8 Best Prenatal Vitamins for Pregnancy
Now that you’re convinced vitamins are important for your little one’s health and for your own, it’s now time to comb through the hundreds of options available online and in stores to find the best prenatal vitamins. Don’t worry, we’ll help you out with this step.
1. Garden of Life Prenatal Raw Multivitamin Supplements
Best Vegetarian Prenatal Vitamins
The Garden of Life Prenatal Raw Multivitamin Supplements is a great option for vegetarian moms out there. Thousands of women have used them and loved them. They contain folate, so are perfect to start taking three months before conception.
They are non-GMO and also contain probiotics for your own digestive health. The vitamins inside the capsules are derived from 23 fruits and veggies and are designed to improve fetal development, supplement your blood, and foster a healthy reproductive system. Overall, they are definitely the best vegetarian prenatal vitamins around.
2. Nature Made’s Prenatal Multivitamin + DHA
Best Prenatal Vitamins 2017
Nature Made’s Prenatal Multivitamin + DHA is an Amazon bestseller, and for good reason. The capsules not only support neural tube development but also support fetal brain and eye development. They are ideal to begin taking in the months before conception and throughout the entire pregnancy. Being a best seller vitamin last year, we gave them the best prenatal vitamins of 2017 award.
3. New Chapter’s Perfect Prenatal Vitamins
Best Organic Prenatal Vitamins
New Chapter’s Perfect Prenatal Vitamins are perfect for those looking for non-GMO ingredients and healthy sources of nutrients. The vitamins, minerals, and probiotics inside these capsules are derived from vegetables and herbs, the perfect sources of natural vitamins. Your search for the best organic prenatal vitamins is over!
As a plus, these will not cause any discomfort if taken on an empty stomach, so if you’re a mom on the go, or simply do not believe in breakfast, these could be perfect for you.
4. Bellybar’s Chewable Prenatal Vitamins
Best Chewable Prenatal Vitamins
If you love chewy vitamins, you’ll love Bellybar’s Chewable Prenatal Vitamins. With iron, calcium, and folic acid, these vitamins are taking care of both you and your baby’s bone health and development. A month’s worth of these vitamins will cost you around $10, a great bang for your buck.
5. One a Day’s Women’s Prenatal Vitamins
Best Over the Counter Prenatal Vitamins
If you’re a sucker for good deals on great products, One a Day’s Women’s Prenatal Vitamins are for you. The pack comes with 60 DHA/EPA liquid gels and 60 prenatal multivitamin tablets so you can cover all your bases. The omega-3 fatty acids contained in the liquid gels are perfect for fetal brain and eye development.
With folic acid and iron, the tablets are also helping prevent neural tube defects and anemia. One A Day is a reputable brand, and overall the best over the counter prenatal vitamins come from them- especially for the price.
6. VitaFusion’s Prenatal Vitamins
Best Prenatal Gummy Vitamins
If you’ve been a gummy fan since day 1, VitaFusion’s Prenatal Vitamins will be a joy to take every day; you’ll never skip a dose! They contain DHA, Folic Acid, and an array of vitamins to comfortably carry you throughout the whole pregnancy in a healthy way.
7. Rainbow Light’s Prenatal One Multivitamin
Best Natural Prenatal Vitamins
Rainbow Light’s Prenatal One Multivitamin is another great vegetarian, gluten-free option for those with dietary restrictions. Made out of fruits and vegetables, these tablets are made out of pure vitamins. These are gluten free prenatal vitamins, and also t
As a plus, the serving size is one tablet, as opposed to the traditional two, so you’ll be taking fewer tablets every day. Perfect for those who hate swallowing large vitamin tablets! They will also last you a total of 150 days, far more than the standard one month supply.
8. SmartyPants’ Prenatal Complete Gummy Vitamins
Best Prenatal Vitamins with DHA
SmartyPants’ Prenatal Complete Gummy Vitamins claim to be the galaxy’s best tasting gummy! No fishy aftertastes with these ones. They contain 15 essential nutrients including folic acid and Vitamin D3 plus balanced DHA and EPA fatty acids. They are non-GMO gummies and are formulated without common allergens, like dairy, eggs, tree nuts, soy, gluten, wheat, etc.
Wrapping Up
Vitamins are essential for the development of your child, whether you lead a healthy lifestyle or not. Many of us are nutrient deficient and don’t even know it, so supplementing your diet with multivitamins can be a great way to ensure proper fetal development.
Now that you know that the best prenatal vitamins on the market are, its time to incorporate them into your daily routine. If you’re a first-time mom looking for tips or a pro looking to learn more, don’t hesitate to check out our other work. We can provide you reviews with anything baby-related so you can shop stress-free and know you’re getting the highest quality products for healthy little ones.