Prenatal vitamins help to build a solid foundation for a healthy pregnancy. Vegan women in particular need to be intentional about taking a vegan prenatal vitamin that contains plant-based vitamins and minerals. The question is really less about “if” these women should take prenatal vitamins, and more so when should vegans start taking prenatal vitamins?
What to Look for in a Vegan Prenatal Vitamin
While a lot of foods that we consume from diet alone are packed with nutrients, it’s necessary during pregnancy to take extra measures to replenish your vitamins and minerals daily – since you’re taking in nutrients for two, of course.
Here are some of the most important vitamins and minerals to look for in a vegan prenatal supplement:
Folate (Vitamin B9)
Folate is the natural form of folic acid and can be found in leafy green foods. According to the NHS, you should consume 400 micrograms of folate every day before you are pregnant until 12 weeks into the pregnancy.
Calcium
Like most nutrients that you consume while pregnant, Calcium will go to your baby first, whether you supplement it or not. If you’re not replacing what you’re giving away, you could end up with symptoms of calcium deficiency. Calcium supports both you and your baby’s heart, muscles, nerves, bones/bone development, and hormones.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D works to regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, which are needed to keep bones, teeth, and muscles healthy. It’s recommended that you consume at least 10 micrograms of vitamin D each day, especially if you are pregnant during winter months or aren’t able to spend time in the sun regularly.
Taking a vegan Vitamin D supplement is especially important for vegan moms because Vitamin D is typically found in foods like fish, eggs, and red meat. Also, depending on where you live, you may not be getting the necessary Vitamin D from direct sunlight.
Other vitamins and minerals you need to look for in a vegan prenatal supplement include:
- Iron
- Iodine
- Magnesium
- Zinc
- Selenium
- Copper
- Manganese
- Chromium
- Molybdenum
You can learn more about what supplements are ideal for first time vegan moms from this blog post.
When Should Vegans Start Taking Prenatal Vitamins?
When should vegans start taking prenatal vitamins? According to Very Well Family, “It’s important to start taking prenatal vitamins as soon as you find out you are pregnant, but ideally well before you conceive.”
You can think about it a little bit like designing a nursery. You ideally don’t want to wait until the baby is born to start preparing a room for them. If they are born before you have a nursery, it’s not life-altering but should be done as soon as possible. The same goes for prenatal vitamins. You want to be sure your body is ready and prepared for a baby before you conceive, but if you didn’t know that you were pregnant, you can start taking them as soon as you find out.
Bottom line is, if you are trying to conceive, now is the time to start taking those prenatal vitamins (at the recommendation of your doctor) to provide all the support you need in advance of the pregnancy.
Vegan Life Nutrition’s New Prenatal Focus Bundle.
Vegan life Nutrition set out to provide a 100% vegan prenatal supplement for all moms who are looking to provide essential vitamins for themselves and their babies.
Our Prenatal Focus Bundle includes vital nutrients specifically for prenatal needs and works to help maintain healthy digestion, promote healthy cell division and development, support placenta growth, and red blood cell development.*
Discover more about our Prenatal Supplements.
Vegan Life Nutrition
Vegan Life Nutrition offers a complete line of nutritional products for vegans and non-vegans alike, using nothing but the cleanest, highest quality plant-based ingredients to support your healthy lifestyle. Shop our complete line of products here.
