Multivitamins for TTC, Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

[Rouge]

Seeing as this is a frequently posted topic we have decided to start a permanent thread here.

If you are using or have used a Multivitamin for TTC, Pregnancy or Breastfeeding or you would like information relating to a certain brand feel free to post here. There are quite a few on the market (e.g. Blackmores, Elevit, Fabfol) and it is always hard to choose. So why not post your recommendations or experiences.

If you would like information regarding other types of supplements or herbal remedies you can find more information in the following threads:

Herbal Remedies & Supplements for TTC
Herbal Rememdies & Supplements for Pregnancy
Herbal Remedies & Supplements for Breastfeeding

*hugs*
Cailin

[Sarah_H]

Does anyone know what the vitamins are that aren't good for pregnancy? Is is Vitamin A??

Also, does anyone know anything about B group vitamins & B12? I'm on both for deficiencies, so wondered if they are safe to continue whilst TTC?

Cai, I can't remember what the multi was that you said was the same as Elevit, but cheaper? I want to start on that soon too.

[Deejoy17]

Shannon - I`ve seen the new Cenovis advertised and wondered what it`s like, how does it compare in price wise to the other pregnant vitamins?

I take Fabfol Plus and have been on Fabfol Plus since July 06, before this I was on just plain old Folate mainly because before TTC Matthew I was taking Elevit and they made me feel quite nauseous so my OB said just to take folate but this time round I`m taking Fabfol Plus as my body is under more stress with feeding the new bubs, breastfeeding Matthew and what`s left Mummy can have LOL

At my 12 week appointment my OB did recommend for me to take something better then Fabfol Plus, he recommended either Elevit or Blackmores but both make me nauseous so for the moment I`m sticking with something which doesn`t upset my body.

All up I`ve been on some type of pregnancy vitamin since April 2004, 3 months before TTC Matthew.

[Baby~amore`]

I would ask The professional support panel about VB12 - I think they DO NOT recommend it as with VIT A too - .
Someone mentioned to me they were on BV12 but had to stop when they got preg but I can't remember why .

I compared both Elevit and Blackmore's - Elevit is superior in terms of the amounts of each 'ingredient' compared to BM and it has a few extra things as well.

It already has more folate and only need one tab not 2. They are smaller to swallow as well.

But someone I know was told by her DR to take Blackmores as it has iodine and apparently Elevit does not (she had low iodine I think)

ELEVIT contains a specific formulation of vitamins and minerals.

Thiamine Vitamin B1 1.55mg

Riboflavine Vitamin B2 1.8mg

Pyridoxine Vitamin B6 2.6mg

Cyanocobalamin Vitamin B12 4.0µg

Ascorbic acid Vitamin C 100mg

Cholecalciferol Vitamin D 12.5µg

dl-∝-Tocopherol Vitamin E 15mg

Biotin 200µg

Folic acid 800µg

Nicotinamide 19mg

Calcium pantothenate 10mg

Calcium 125mg

Magnesium 100mg

Phosphorus 125mg

Copper 1mg

Iron 60mg

Manganese 1mg

Zinc 7.5mg



• There is an increased need for folate throughout pregnancy with the highest levels required during the third trimester.8
Elevit contains 800µg of folic acid.


• There is an increased demand for iron during pregnancy.
Elevit contains 183mg of ferrous fumurate which corresponds to 60mg of elemental iron.


• Elevit has been specifically designed to meet the nutritional requirements of pregnant and breastfeeding women.


• Elevit only includes ingredients which have been clinically tested in pregnancy, unlike some fish oils and herbals.


• Vitamin C aids the absorption of iron.


• Elevit is based on a formulation tested in clinical trials.



Here are some of the ingredients questions answered for your benefit;


• Is Elevit gluten free? - Yes


• Is Elevit lactose free? - No. Elevit contains 31.99mg/tab.


• Is Elevit yeast free? - Yes


• Does Elevit contain sucrose? - Yes. Elevit contains sucrose as part of the Cholecalciferol proprietary ingredient (Vitamin D3)(1.9mg/tab)


• Does Elevit contain egg products - No


• Does Elevit contain peanuts? - No


• Does Elevit contain any preservatives? - No


• Does Elevit contain sulphur? - Yes. Elevit contains sulphur (1.90mg) in the ingredients copper, manganese and zinc.

Blackmores - P & BF ; Two capsules per day provide recommended dietary intake quantities of most vitamins for a pregnant woman, plus minerals and oils essential for baby's health.

Active Ingredients Per Capsule:
Fish Oil - Natural (Tuna Oil) 463 mg
containing omega-3 marine triglycerides as: 167 mg
Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) 125 mg
Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) 32 mg
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine nitrate) 500 mcg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 750 mcg
Nicotinamide 7.5 mg
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine hydrochloride) 750 mcg
Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin) 1.5 mcg
Folic acid 200 mcg
Vitamin E (d-alpha-Tocopherol 3.5 mg) 5.2 IU
Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) 30 mg
Calcium hydrogen phosphate anhydrous 200 mg
equivalent to elemental calcium 59 mg
equivalent to elemental phosphorus 45 mg
Magnesium oxide - heavy 49.8 mg
equivalent to elemental magnesium 30 mg
Ferrous fumarate 15.7 mg
equivalent to elemental iron 5 mg
Zinc sulfate monohydrate 22.2 mg
equivalent to elemental zinc 8 mg
Potassium iodide 98 mcg
equivalent to elemental iodine 75 mcg
Dunaliella salina (natural source) extract
equivalent to fresh cell 72 mg
standardised to contain carotenoids 2.88 mg.



Special Features and Benefits:


Contains the full recommended dietary intake of folic acid for pregnant women which reduces the risk of birth defects of the brain and/or spinal cord (spina bifida) when taken as recommended.
Contains long chain fatty acids from tuna oil, which are necessary for brain and visual development of the baby.
The body's iron needs increase during pregnancy and if it is deficient, not only will the mother feel tired and run down, but the baby may not be receiving all the oxygen it needs for healthy growth and development.
Contains zinc - vital for a baby's growth, particularly in the early stages of pregnancy, and to promote healthy skin and help prevent stretch marks and cracked nipples during breast-feeding.
Calcium is essential during both pregnancy and breast-feeding for a baby to develop strong teeth and bones. When calcium is deficient in the mother's diet, her body will take it from calcium stored in her bones, which may lead to losses of stored calcium of up to 7% during pregnancy, increasing the risk of osteoporosis in later life.
Pregnancy also creates higher than normal demands for other nutrients including the minerals iodine and magnesium, carotenoids, the B group vitamins, vitamin C and vitamin E.

Mind you LOL -you might a science degree to work it out. Both have advantages and both are good for you either way.

[Baby~amore`]

Googled and found Cenovis

Every ingredient used in Cenovis® Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Formula meets the highest quality standards to ensure you can take Cenovis® with confidence. The tuna oil contained in this product is pre-tested for mercury.

Active Ingredients

Fish Oil – Natural (Tuna Oil) 500mg
Containing Omega-3 marine triglycerides equiv: Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) 135mg, Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) 35mg
10 Vitamins

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine Nitrate) 750mcg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavine) 750mcg
Vitamin B3 (Nicotinamide) 5mg
Vitamin B5 (Calcium Pantothenate) 500mcg
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride) 20mg
Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin) 2mcg
Folic Acid 225mcg
Vitamin E (dl-alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate 5mg) 5IU
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) 4S0mg
Betacarotene 1.5mg
6 Minerals

Calcium (as Calcium Hydrogen Phosphate Anhydrous) 137.7mg
Phosphorus (as Calcium Hydrogen Phosphate Anhydrous) 106.3mg
Magnesium (as Magnesium Oxide-Heavy) 42.5mg
Iron (as Ferrous Fumarate) 5mg
Zinc (as Zinc Sulfate Monohydrate) 6mg
Iodine (as Potassium Iodide) 75mcg


Directions for use: Women swallow two capsules daily with a meal or as recommended by your healthcare professional.

Cenovis® Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Formula 60’s RRP $14.95

All have basically the same ' vital' ingredients but slightly different strengths - so go with what suits you and your budget .

I can buy my Elevit for $19.95 - so about $5 more than Cenovis appears to be. Though I saw somewhere else recently Elevit for $29.95 :shock: thta is profiteering :smt018

Elevit now come in boxes of 100 tablets. I bought a box just this week for $69.95.

I find with Elevit I have so much more energy and feel alot more alert. Probably the Vit B and even the iron in them I imagine.


Carys

[Sarah_H]

Yaaay!! They had them in 100s for a while but they were talking about deleting the line.

I've decided to take just folate on it's own for the moment.

[Deejoy17]

Kate - your correct it`s 500mcg of Folate you should be taking, I notice some of the vitamins have less then 500mcg in them.

Do the Microgenics make you feel nauseous?

I have been taking Elevit and found it to be good. I started taking it a few months ago when we started TTC.

I haven't had any morning sickness and I've read that studies have shown Elevit to reduce the occurence of m/s.

[Fi]

I've been on Blackmores since.....April 2004!! Same as Dee. I miss a couple now and then, but oh well.
I tried to get Elevit, but it was $29.95 and I couldn't actually see any appreciable difference (like a big difference) so it just wasn't worth the cost.

I am now on a new vitamin mum got for m in NZ, and they are horse tablets, but oh well - apparently they were expensive, but she tookt he label off so I dont know how much.
They are called "Solgar Prenatal Nutrients" for pregnant and lactating women. 2 tabs a day.

So daily dosage (per 2 tabs)
Calcium 650mg
Magnesium 225mg
Iron 14mg
Zinc 7.5mg
Folic Acid 400 microg
B6 1.25mg
B1 0.85mg
B2 1mg
B12 4microg
B3 10mg

And lots of other things that we obviously need. They look comparable to the others but are much higher in Calcium than the blackmores.

And if your vitamins are lower in folate - dont forget you can get a nice dose of folate through eating the right things - like cereal for breakkie. I know - not much help with morning sickness

[Pony]

I've been taking Fabfol for my whole pregnancy but last week I decided to get the Elevit instead. I geuss that the it must be the differant type of irn they use because now I'm a tiny bit constipated. I've been drinking lots of water and eating heps of ruit so its not so bad but I think that I'd better get some metamucil soon. I can't wait till they run out and I can go back toFabfol.

[Baby~amore`]

last week I got Elevit in 100 pack for $49.95 - bargain normally $19.95 for a 30 pack
(bought 2 packets so will last me 6 .5 months now)

(Blooms chemists)

[Melbo]

Trish - that's cheap for the 100 pack. Well done. I'm thinking of getting myself a stock of Elevit for later. I've been back on Blackmores now for a wee while.

Chloe - Yes, the extra iron does make one a bit constipated. I found I needed to take my psyllium husk every day to keep it all going but on the plus side, my iron levels have never been so good. I'm not sure how much of that is actually due to not having the monthly visit from the witch but I'll bet that's helped too.

[Angel]

Does anyone know what the smallest sized PG & BF tablets are? I can't stand taking tablets but unfortunately I have to take quite a few of them especially when PG! Thankfully they've all been fairly small in size but one of the main reasons I haven't taken a BF & PG multi is cos they all seem so big! I had a look at the blackmores ones before my 1st PG the size of them made me feel sick LOL. So has anyone come across small tablets? The smaller the better LOL!

[Baby~amore`]

elevit aren't too big =smaller than BM anyway

[Deejoy17]

Angel - Fabfol Plus are small round tablets

[Sarah_H]

I've noticed it has come up a few times recently where people have asked about how long you should take folate. Does anyone know???

I was taking Elevit from January 2003 until June 2005 and have just started again, but this for the moment I am only taking Blackmores Folate.

[Angel]

Oops forgot I posted in here LOL. Thanks for the replies, Deeanne & Trish.

Sarah, I've heard that folate's a good one for women to take all the time, but WRT TTC I was told to take it for at least 3 months prior to conception and up to the 2nd tri.