quick clicks

recipes today articles

recipes today q&a

community & groups

research baby names

prepare a birth plan

content channels

ip channel rss feeds

read birth stories

read parenting stories

recommended books

e-newsletters

safety recalls

ip diaries

ip store

mom of the month

dad of the month

editor's letter

letters to the editor

Vitamins for Pregnancy

Getting Your Daily Dose of Prenatal Vitamins

By Crystal Patriarche

The recommended amounts of calcium for young adults ages 11 to 24 is 1,200 to 1,500 milligrams per day; for ages 24 and older and non-pregnant, it is 1,000 milligrams per day; and pregnant women should get between 1,200 and 1,300 milligrams per day.

During lactation, the amount rises even more to 1,500 milligrams, Britvan says. "Our body only absorbs 500 milligrams at a time, so if you take a supplement that has 1,000 milligrams, then you'll only absorb half of that. More is not necessarily better," she says. "Stick to about 500 milligrams at a time to get the most out of it."

Milk, yogurt, hard cheeses, low-fat or non-fat dairy, canned fish with bones like sardines or salmon, almonds, dried fruit, calcium fortified soy or tofu and broccoli are all good sources of calcium. "The most important thing about calcium is that if you don't consume enough, your body gives it to Baby and takes away from you, which can set you up down the road for osteoporosis," Britvan says.

Vitamin D is an important vitamin that aids in calcium absorption and utilization in the body. "Milk usually is fortified with vitamin D, but [other sources of calcium] may not be so it's important to look for foods that are fortified with vitamin D," Britvan says. Sun exposure can also provide you with adequate vitamin D.

Vitamin B6 plays a key role in many functions of the body. It is needed for protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism, forming of red blood cells, central nervous system development and proper function of the immune system in the mother, and it helps to regulate hormonal functions. Vitamin B6, however, is toxic in high doses, so stick to the dose in your prenatal and do not supplement further.

Want to see more?

• Check out our Article Library.
• Smart Supplements: A Look at Prenatal Vitamins
• Revive with Vitamins: Beauty From the Inside Out
• Getting "Our" Daily Dose: Vitamins, Minerals, Supplements and Herbal Formulas While Breastfeeding
• Talk about it!