During pregnancy, your body needs more nutrients to develop a healthy baby while ensuring your good health. This is especially true if you are breastfeeding or have had another baby within the last two years. Many women, however, experience nausea, indigestion or constipation after taking prenatal vitamins. Talk with your doctor before changing or eliminating prenatal vitamins from your routine.
Time of Day
Many women feel most nauseated first thing in the morning, so taking your vitamins then is likely to make you feel even more miserable. Try taking your prenatal vitamins right before you go to bed. You might sleep right through any feelings of nausea.
Meals and Liquids
Never take prenatal vitamins on an empty stomach. As they dissolve, they'll likely cause gas, nausea and indigestion. Instead, take prenatal vitamins after a small meal or snack that includes crackers, toast or other mild food. Drink a full glass of water as well, to help dissolve the vitamins quickly and dilute their potency.
Formulas
If your prenatal vitamins make you nauseated, try a different formula. Food-based supplements cost a little more but are healthier and cause fewer side effects, according to Aviva Jill Romm, MD, and author of "The Natural Pregnancy Book." Prenatal vitamins low in iron usually are easier to tolerate. Talk to your care provider, who might be able to provide supplements at a wholesale cost.
Alternatives
If you've tried everything and your prenatal vitamins still make you nauseated, consult your doctor. If you are eating a healthy diet, you probably can stop taking the vitamins for a few weeks without any harm. You might find that your body tolerates the vitamins better later in pregnancy, once general nausea has subsided. In the meantime, eat a high-quality diet of leafy greens, vegetables, fruit, lean proteins and dairy products. Add molasses, which is high in calcium, iron and B vitamins, to smoothies, along with spirulina, flaxseed oil and liquid chlorophyll, to boost nutrition, according to Romm.
References
- "The Natural Pregnancy Book"; Aviva Jill Romm; 2003
- What to Expect: Prenatal Vitamins and Nausea
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