Every pregnant mum wants the best for her unborn baby. While nothing beats the nutrients obtained from fresh food, it’s next to impossible for many modern mums to rely fully on their everyday diets for all the important nutrients they need. Busy lifestyles and the high costs of fresh foodstuff come in the way ever so often. This is where supplements come in handy. While we don’t recommend going wild with them, there are a handful that have been shown to help with pregnancy, nursing and baby’s health. Here’s what to look for in a good pre-natal supplement.

Folic Acid

Folic acid supplements are commonly recommended for women of child bearing age. It has been extensively studied for use in pregnancy and is found to help in preventing neural tube defects in unborn babies. It is also quite inexpensive and easy for every pregnant woman to take.

Omega 3s and Healthy Fats

Omega 3s and other healthy fats provides necessary nutrients for baby’s brain development and guard against inflammation. They also seem to speed up recovery after delivery, probably due to the anti-inflammatory properties. These are available in capsule form, which is more palatable in early pregnancy. You will not want to forgo these supplements during the third trimester especially, when your baby’s brain development is at its peak.

Magnesium

Magnesium is a nutrient which is especially beneficial in pregnancy. Severe deficiency may lead to poor fetal growth, preeclampsia, or even fetal death. Proper magnesium levels help tissue growth in both mum and baby, help speed up recovery after birth, and may help baby receive more nutrition through the placenta. It is quite difficult to obtain an ideal amount of magnesium through food sources alone, so a supplement will help. Ask your doctor about magnesium supplements before buying one.

Probiotics

Probiotics are far from a fancy supplement that many perceive them to be, but are critical, especially during pregnancy. Babies are born with completely sterile guts. They culture their beneficial bacteria from what they receive from mom when passing through the birth canal and from breast milk in the months afterward. High quality probiotic supplements can help ensure that baby will get a good dose of beneficial bacteria, which can reduce the risk of ear infection and illness in the first few years and promote healthy guts. Probiotics may also help you avoid illness and constipation during pregnancy, and might reduce the risk of Group B strep. Since baby’s gut bacteria continues to culture during the nursing time, it is a good idea to continue to take probiotics during this time as well.

Prenatal Multivitamins

A deficiency in a vitamin or mineral won’t make a tremendous, immediate impact on an adult in most cases, but during the intensive developmental phases of pregnancy, a nutrient deficiency can have lasting consequences for baby. A high quality prenatal supplement can act as an “insurance policy” of sorts to guard against deficiencies but in any case it should still accompany a well-balanced diet! Prenatal multivitamins should contain most, if not all of the important nutrients in appropriate amounts when taken according to the recommended dosage.

The growing popularity of coconut oil

During pregnancy and nursing, try adding 2 to 3 tablespoons of coconut oil into your smoothies or other daily beverages as a supplement. It is to naturally boost one’s immune system. Plus, as a healthy fat, it is also supportive of baby’s brain development and overall health as well.