Healthy and Happy Pregnancy

We're almost at the end of the pregnancy and all in all it's been mostly trouble-free. Other than Lediya's two or three hurling incidences, it's been pretty great actually. You can chalk it up to good luck but I think it most of it can be attributed to good nutrition. More specifically, taking the right combination of multivitamin/multimineral supplements. Here is Lediya's daily regimen:

1. Prenatal vitamin - Lediya first took Natelle vitamins, but at $40 per month for a prescription, I quickly looked for a more cost-effective alternative. I found that the Nature Made Prenatal vitamins worked well, with similar amounts of nutrients as the Natelle. Also, you can get 300 tablets for $13 at Costco. The most important ingredient, at least in the first month of the pregnancy, is taking the suggested amount of folic acid to combat spina bifida.

2. DHA supplement - She also takes Expecta Lipil, a docosahexanoic acid (DHA) supplement. DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid that is needed for normal brain function throughout life. The 200 mg of DHA in Expecta comes from a non-fish source and supports baby's brain and eye development. It is also passed through breast milk after birth.

3. Calcium + Vitamin D - Lediya takes at least one tablet of this combination per day. The calcium is important for teeth and bone development in both the mother and the fetus. Vitamin D, among other things, helps the body absorb the calcium. Our favorite brand is OsCal because it provides 500 mg of calcium (50% RDA) and 400 iu of D (100% RDA).

4. Iron - Due to the blood volume increasing by 50% during the pregnancy, and also the possible loss of a lot of blood during childbirth, the doctor recommended us to take an iron supplement after the 16th week. She is taking Feosol ferrous sulfate, which provides 65 mg of elemental iron (360% RDA). The blood test she took last check-up revealed that her iron levels are pretty good.

Finally, I'm a stickler at these kind of things so Lediya hardly ever misses taking her vitamins. It's been a great pregnancy so far and now we're nearing the end.