Deciding that you and your partner are ready to start a family is an exciting time. You will want to be at your healthiest when you conceive, and once you choose to begin trying for a baby, it’s essential to supplement your health with a prenatal vitamin.
If you are vegan, it is even more crucial to supplement your diet with vegan prenatal vitamins. As a vegan, you may already be slightly deficient in key nutrients. By finding a wholesome vegan prenatal vitamin, you will ensure you are at your healthiest, allowing your growing baby to thrive.
When to Start Taking a Vegan Prenatal Vitamin
Right when you know you want to start trying to conceive, you should add a vegan prenatal vitamin to your daily routine. This will ensure your body is prepared and has sufficient levels of key nutrients needed to support your pregnancy. Some OB-GYNs argue that taking a prenatal vitamin a month before you start trying to conceive can help reduce nausea and morning sickness common in the first trimester of pregnancy.
In any case, you will certainly want to take a vegan prenatal vitamin during the first 12 weeks of your pregnancy; this period is critical to your baby’s development. Many OB-GYNs encourage patients to continue taking prenatal vitamins throughout their entire pregnancy. You can even take your vegan prenatal vitamins post-delivery to ensure you continue providing your baby with the nutrients they need to thrive while breastfeeding.
What Makes a Vegan Prenatal Vitamin Different?
Prenatal vitamins are not always made with vegan mothers in mind. This means they may contain animal by-products, which vegan mamas choose to avoid. Some of these ingredients, like gelatin or lanolin, are binding agents, that most vegans are used to avoiding.
The larger problem is how the key nutrients needed for a baby’s development are sourced. Many essential nutrients are commonly derived from animal sources. By seeking out vegan prenatal vitamins, you can ensure that all the nutrients listed are from plant-based alternatives.
Two of the most essential nutrients, omega-3 fatty acids, and B12 are most commonly derived from animal sources.
B12 is typically sourced from meat, which means many who choose to live a vegan lifestyle are deficient in this nutrient. B12 is essential to synthesizing your baby’s DNA, so look for vegan prenatal vitamins that derive B12 from spirulina or fortified yeast.
Omega-3 fatty acids are healthy fats commonly found in fish oil. They provide DHA, which is essential for the neurological development of your baby. Usually, omega-3s are found in cod, salmon, and mackerel. Those who do not consume fish must go to the source of the omega-3 fatty acids: the algae the fish ingest. Look for a vegan prenatal vitamin that sources its fatty acids from algae.
A good rule of thumb for finding your vegan prenatal is to look for brands that are upfront with their ingredients and where they source them from. Also, make note of the levels of each essential vitamin and nutrient included in the supplement. You may need higher levels of certain nutrients to supplement
your personal diet, lifestyle, and development of a healthy and happy baby.
Why Choose a Vegan Prenatal With DHA
We briefly touched on the necessity of DHA, but it is worth mentioning again as not all vegan prenatal vitamins include it. By choosing a vegan prenatal with DHA, you will aid in the healthy development of your baby’s brain, nervous system, and eyes. Plus, it will contribute to your overall health by supporting cardiovascular functions and your immune system responses. Since DHA also bolsters your joint health, it will help you stay active and healthy while your body does all the hard work of growing a new human.
Iwi Vegan Prenatal Vitamins include DHA sourced from their patented AlmegaPL, an omega-3 derived from algae. Iwi’s particular source of algae has a higher absorption rate than 50% of other fish, krill, or algae-based oil supplements. This allows you to get more of the essential nutrients you and your baby need to thrive.
Plus, Iwi is upfront about all the ingredients they include in their vegan prenatal vitamins. You can easily see how much of each nutrient is included and what key role that nutrient plays in your baby’s development. In addition to DHA, they include methyl folate and vitamin D3 to enrich your baby’s cognitive and bone development. They also include higher levels of iron and K2 to help sustain your health during your pregnancy. As an added bonus, all of Iwi’s ingredients are sustainably sourced; by choosing Iwi, you are making the best choice for you, your baby, and our planet.
