[Lizas_mommy]

My OB told me they arent really necessary as long as Im eating healthy and if I want to take a chewable flintstone vitamin, thats good enough... but she says I need to take a folic acid supplement.

Ive been doing this through the first trimester but now in my 2nd, I have been really bad at being consistent on taking them every day... I will skip a few days here and there. I also read an article that folic acid is only really needed during the first trimester and is actually harmful in the 3rd trimester.

What do you all think?

I stopped mine at 13 weeks when I stopped my progesterone supplement too. My DR said they are only actually needed in 1st tri. as long as I eat fruits, vegs, and dairy often. Which I do....

[Lizas_mommy]

Glad Im not the only one! I was a little worried that maybe my Dr. was being too laid back about it.

[ElizabethS]

I take them but mostly because my diet isn't the best because I work so much and am constantly on the run.

[madelynsmomma]

I haven't been. Here and there occasionally, but I've been so sick its usually not an option to take them. I figure I'm better off trying to eat something healthy than just taking a vitamin and getting so sick. I'm definately feeling guilty about it, but I try to take in a decent amount of folic acid from foods each day.

[kiwigirl]

So glad you ladies brought this up cause I haven't been taking mine either. My prenatals were making me super sick. My doctor told me to stop cause I was throwing up everything anyways. I go every few weeks to get a folic acid shot at my naturopath. I'm also taking vitamin b12 and D-which is a liquid. That's about it. I have been feeling so guilty not taking them-cause I thought I was the only one.

[blue lotus]

Folic acid is most important in the first trimester. You actually want your level of folic acid to be ok before you conceive, which is why they recommend taking it if you are thinking about getting pregnant.

Once you are in the second trimester, folic acid is less important (unless you have a serious deficiency, which is unlikely) and most women will not need a supplement.

Iron becomes more important, though. Since you are producing a lot of red blood cells in the middle of pregnancy, you need iron. Iron will be especially important if you started out slightly anemic before pregnancy. So the prenatal vitamin at this point is mostly for the iron - and other vitamins that you might be deficient in, but that is unlikely if you are eating well.

[Alison79]

I haven't been able to tolerate them during any of my pregnancies. I do take a Flintstones chewable a few times a week and my diet is pretty well balanced.

[sethsmum]

I stopped a few weeks ago. I had every intention but I am so forgetful. I eat really well though so hopefully thats enough

[preciousgiftsmama]

I have never taken them with any pg. Mainly because I would thow up constantly so there was no point.

[~~Que~~]

I don't take them. I tend to get kidney stones easily, so I have to be very very careful about my diet. I have already had two kidney stones this pregnancy (I have had around 50 in the past 5 years!), and when I get the stones, my BP skyrockets.... sooooooo I have to be very very careful. I do take vitamins, but I take a specific amount of certain things that I need based on my dietary needs.

[Arei_720]

I just munch on a children's chewable with my daughter each morning, just to fill in any dietary gaps I might have for the day.

[naznurse]

I haven't taken one since my 1st trimester either-they were making me sick.I really didn't take a vitamin with my other pregnancies either I just try to eat as well as I can.

[Mom-Mom]

Originally Posted by naznurse

I haven't taken one since my 1st trimester either-they were making me sick.I really didn't take a vitamin with my other pregnancies either I just try to eat as well as I can.

Same here...i have a folic acid supplement i take during the 1st trimester, but i stopped that when i hit the 2nd trimester.

[mom2lexi]

When I was preggers with DD, the prenatals I was taking made me so sick, that I started throwing up blood. (TMI, I know.) My dr. told me to just take a Flintstone Complete each day. They have all the vitamins you need, including the recommended amount of folic acid. I was very forgetful still about taking these but DD turned out just fine.

With this one, I have pregnancy brain as well and forget mine quite a bit. But when I do, I take a Flintstone Complete. I drink tons of milk (one of my cravings) and eat veggies and fruit a lot. So I think I'm good...

[Momtourage]

I am TRYING to keep taking them but I do miss them here and there. I have to make sure I take a softener with them tho or I get another problem! Thanks for the info about folic - I was wondering about that too!

I'm missing a lot of calcium in my diet - not a milk drinker so if you have any suggestions, (besides ice cream, I'm getting that :-) ) I'd appreciate it!

[Mama2threeprincesses]

I take it every day, along with the Expecta. They never made me sick unless I took them on an empty stomach so I always take them with dinner since that's my biggest meal of the day. My doc still recommends taking them, so I am, especially since I'm a vegetarian!

[BethyLou]

I take them at night, when I remember, so they do not make me ill. Sometimes I just eat the flintstone gummies though!

[alinne1026]

I'm about as good at taking my prenatals as I was at taking my birth control pill...not very good at all! I try to take them as often as I remember though.

[GinaOfAllTrades]

I have not taken them either. I did off and on at the beginning but I forget more than I remembered.

I was thinking of starting to take them after the baby but I don't know.