CLEAN NOURISHMENT FOR YOU & YOUR BABY
Before , During & After Pregnancy here ’ s so much to think about during pregnancy , including the right nutrition to give your baby the best start in life — which is where a prenatal multi can come in . The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that all women of childbearing age take a daily multivitamin supplement containing folic acid ( preferably folate , which occurs naturally in food ) to reduce the risk of neural tube defects should pregnancy occur . They also suggest that all pregnant women take a prenatal multivitamin . The dietary recommended intake for folate is 400 micrograms per day before pregnancy , 600 micrograms per day during pregnancy and 500 micrograms per day while breastfeeding .
The truth is that pregnancy and breastfeeding are the most nutritionally demanding times of a woman ’ s life . The body needs enough nutrients daily to support the growth of the baby and to support the maintenance of the mother ’ s body . During pregnancy , the mother ’ s blood volume increases , more red blood cells are needed to carry oxygen , and greater plasma volume is needed to cope with the large increases in blood flow to organs . A healthy woman carrying a normal-sized fetus , with an average birth weight of approximately seven pounds will increase her plasma volume by an average of about 50 percent — three extra pints !
In addition to folate , getting enough iron along with vitamins B6 and B-12 are important to support the increased production of healthy red blood cells and increased blood volume . Iron reduces the risk of pre-term and low-birthweight babies , and helps to avoid anemia , which is common in pregnancy and linked to fatigue .
Additionally , the National Institutes of Mental Health concludes that it ’ s vital that the mother get enough vitamin D while pregnant in order for the baby ’ s brain to develop properly , while some leading medical experts believe that one of the most important changes that could radically reduce autism is making sure all pregnant women ’ s vitamin D levels are normalized to 50-60 ng / ml because they believe there may be a link between rampant vitamin D deficiency and soaring rates of autism .
Likewise , a study by the Environmental Working Group concluded that babies are exposed to more than 200 harmful chemicals before they ’ re even born . So , pregnancy is also the time to go organic .
Make sure you and your baby get what you need before , during and after pregnancy — a diet of wholesome organic foods and a Certified USDA Organic prenatal multi .