Extraordinary Health Magazine EHMagazine Vol 37 | Page 50

Prenatal Multi
Nourishing Mom & Baby
By Dawn Thorpe Jarvis, Garden of Life ® Senior Director of Nutrition Science & Educational Content
A NUTRITIONALLY DEMANDING TIME
There’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—although we prefer folate,
which occurs naturally in food—to reduce the risk of neural tube
defects should pregnancy occur. 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. In addition to folate, getting enough iron along with vitamins
B6 and B12 is important to support the increased production
of healthy red blood cells and increased blood volume. Iron
reduces the risk of pre–term and low–birth–weight babies, and
helps to avoid anemia, which is common in pregnancy and linked
to fatigue.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding are the most nutritionally
demanding times of a woman’s life. The body needs enough
nutrients every day to support the growth of the baby
and also 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
a 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, which is three extra pints! A study by the Environmental Working Group concluded that
babies are exposed to more than 200 harmful chemicals before
they are even born! Umbilical cord samples taken during
pregnancy have showed babies are exposed to flame retardants,
pesticides and many other toxins. So pregnancy is the time to
go organic.
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The National Institutes of Mental Health has concluded that
it is vital that the mother get enough vitamin D while pregnant
in order for the baby’s brain to develop properly. Some doctors
believe that there is a link between rampant vitamin D deficiency
and the huge jump in autism statistics seen in recent years.
Make sure you and your baby get what you need—before, during
and after pregnancy. Eat clean wholesome organic foods and use
a Certified USDA Organic Prenatal multi.