Micronutrients - Beyond the Prenatal
We discussed that the idea of “eating for two” is kind of a pregnancy myth. Growing babies doesn’t take nearly as many calories as you might think, and certainly not enough to justify an extra burger, milkshake, and a side of tacos (or at least not every day...). BUT, when it comes to vitamins and minerals, the idea of “eating for two” isn’t so far-fetched. While your calorie needs really don’t change much, your micronutrient needs change drastically during pregnancy (and postpartum!). While not quite double, thinking of it that way can help you focus on getting adequate amounts to support you and your growing babe.
Food First, then Supplements
I get it. It’s appealing to think that you can just take a prenatal or some other supplement and be good to go. Who wouldn’t want to be able to pop a few pills and then focus on basically anything/everything else knowing nutrition was completely taken care of? Yea, me too. And I get so many clients who seem to think that I’m holding out some miracle supplement or silver bullet that will just solve all their problems. Unfortunately, that’s just not the way it works. Believe me, so many days I wish it did! Good news is, Mother Nature is pretty stellar at offering us all we need, if we know how to look (and I can help you with that!). But, sometimes, supplements can help bridge the gaps or offer us a nice safety net, especially in critical times like trying to conceive and pregnancy!