Pregnancy Supplements

This post is really for me, so I can remember all that I am taking/took while pregnant...

I'm 28 weeks..

Prescription Prenatal: OB Prefera One with DHA -- plant based ( I don't particularly love this vitamin, although it does have really high levels of Vitamin B which are supposed to help with morning sickness..and I never had any. But it doesn't have vitamin A and a few other things one is used to seeing on a multi vitamin label. I only stuck with this vitamin because it is the one that our RE put me one before starting IVF..and our insurance covered this RX at 100%..so why not. But now that our deductible has started over for the year, this RX costs  $100 a month... I don't think so. So I'll be moving to an OTC vitamin. )

Vitamin D: 2000 IU. This is an addition to the 400 IU that is in my prenatal vitamin. At the beginning of the pregnancy I took 5000 IU daily. So many benefits for me and the baby....The majority of all Americans are deficient in vitamin D.

Vitamin C: 125mg. This is an addition to my prenatal. Studies have found that this dose helps prevent PROM, which can occur when one has funneling in their cervix, which I have. Started week 28 at this dose.

A Triple Strength Fish Oil: 950 mg Omega 3's-- fish based. Mercury free.  Of course, there are many benefits to fish oil, but one of them is to minimize preterm labor and to also cultivate rapid and optimal brain development in the baby in the third trimester. 95% of all Americans are deficient in the proper ratio of fatty acids. For some weird reason I stopped taking my fish oil supplement once I found out I was pregnant and just stuck with the small amount of DHA in my prenatal. I wish I would not have done this.  I did not start retaking this again until week 28.

Dark Chocolate: I eat at least a few pieces of dark chocolate daily. I began this at the beginning of the pregnancy. Too many benefits for me and baby to list.

Green Tea DeCaff: I am doing the decaff version since I'm having it daily, which does minimize some of its benefit. Since some speculate that it may block small amounts of folic acid, I didn't begin this regime until the second trimester and I also take a higher, prescription dose of folic acid daily--1mg.  I have one cup of tea per day. Lowers the risk of preeclampsia and studies support that it helps to promote a smarter, happier, and calmer baby. ...and it relaxes me while drinking it.

Miralax: I have taken this laxative/stool softener as needed throughout the second and third trimesters.
Colace: This is the stool softener I was given in the hospital, as bed rest causes constipation, so they gave it to me without me having to ask.  I used this as needed mainly in the third trimester.

In the very beginning of the pregnancy I took extra Zinc --about 15 mg extra--and also took AZO yeast probiotic as well as an intestinal probiotic. I realized sometime in the first trimester that I wasn't comfortable taking a product with herbs that for sure are not studied in pregnancy, so I discontinued AZO Yeast tabs. I discontinued the extra zinc and intestinal probiotic sometime in the second trimester.

Slow Release Iron: I became borderline anemic early in the second trimester. It was discovered that I was moderately anemic in week 24. Began a slow release iron supplement in week 25  and never discontinued.

Procardia: A medication used to lower blood pressure, as it is a smooth muscle relaxer, 10 mg every 6 hours starting in week 25 for preterm labor.

Progesterone, Estrogen, and Baby Aspirin: Began all of these around the time of our embryo transfer during our IVF cycle and discontinued them at 14 weeks.

Ambien: I used this sleeping pill twice while in the hospital to finally get some sleep.

Steroids: I had two injections, 24 hours a part, in my 25 th week to help mature the baby's lungs and blood vessels in the brain in case of premature delivery.

I declined a flu vaccine.

I used salicylic acid topically the entire pregnancy as a spot treatment, which is perfectly fine according to my OB.

The entire pregnancy I have drank a minimum of 60 oz to 120 oz of water per day. No juices and only an occasional caffeine drink, but I mostly drank caffeine-free Pepsi if I was really craving a coke.

I consumed no artificial sweeteners at all.

I had no caffeine in the first trimester and avoided all fish and lunch meat. After the first trimester I did have some occasional caffeine other than the very small amount I get in my dark chocolate, as well as an occasional lunch meat sand which. But I usually heated the meat prior to eating.

I avoided eating fish and tuna and ate peanut butter only occasionally in the first and second trimesters. I stopped eating peanut butter all together in the third trimester as there is some evidence that shows peanut exposure in the third trimester can increase the likelihood of your baby having a peanut allergy. However minimal, I'm still skipping it.

Here are some natural methods that are often used by midwives to prevent/stop preterm labor that I will be adding to the mix in my 28th/29th week in conjunction with everything above:

Drinking Boost drinks daily
Consuming large quantities of protein, with a goal of 80 mg a day
Calcium: 1500 mg daily
Magnesium: 400 mg daily

Consuming live cultures in items such as yogurt to ensure that the pH pf my body is in line
Consuming fresh cherries ( which I already eat anyway, and I LOVE...score!)
And if I'm feeling up to it, an occasional glass of red wine, which is known to inhibit the hormone that causes contractions. AND, no country has ever been able to produce a study to-date that shows that a weekly glass of wine causes any detriment to the baby. Actually, studies show there are cognitive benefits to the baby.

I know some may think this all sounds crazy, but I much rather explore "natural" methods as I haate taking medications that aren't even proven safe in pregnancy (Procardia). You have to be your own advocate. Doctors don't know everything.  I'm hoping to be able to control my contractions naturally so I can come off the medications my doc has me on---with her permission, of course. I'm doing all of this for the health of our baby, so I would never do anything to jeopardize our Bean and the pregnancy. :) Pray that it works!

Of course, all of this is done AFTER tons of prayer first. I pray boldly for our Bean every day. I claim a healthy, term baby through our mighty Lord's Will.