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Moms-to-be are strongly encouraged to take prenatal vitamins to support their growing babies (and themselves!) during those exciting nine months. But the best time to start taking prenatal vitamins isn’t when you see those two pink lines—it’s actually before you get pregnant. By the same token, new parents shouldn’t stop taking prenatal vitamins when that sweet baby is finally in their arms. Here’s what to know about starting—and stopping—prenatal vitamins.
THE PRECONCEPTION WINDOW
What both biological parents do 6 months before conception helps prepare for everything to come. This is a time to fuel your fertility and boost the chances of successful conception, a healthy pregnancy, and a healthy baby at birth and well beyond. Studies have linked key micronutrients to the very processes that drive conception for both women and men. Let’s face it—we know the importance of nutrition, but most of us have pretty significant gaps. Even if you’re eating for fertility health, a high-quality prenatal supplement, like Beli for Her and Beli for Him, can make a really big difference at every stage.
During the conception stage, our women’s prenatal is formulated for success:
- Vitamin C reduces the chance of miscarriage.
- Vitamins B6 and B12 to trigger ovulation.
- Vitamin D to support embryo implantation.
- Vitamin E to help protect reproductive function and egg quality.
- Zinc to support reproductive hormones.
- Vitamin K2 to aid in the production of progesterone and estrogen.
- Folate to help improve egg quality and boost the chances of conception.
- Chromium helps improve fertility in women with PCOS.
- Choline to reduce the risks of miscarriage by protecting your baby from neural tube defects.
For hopeful dads-to-be, our science-backed formula can make all the difference. Studies have found that specific nutrients can increase fertility significantly — increasing sperm count and quality, protecting sperm growth, and improving sperm motility and morphology.
WHEN SHOULD YOU STOP TAKING PRENATAL VITAMINS?
There’s no standard recommendation for when you should toss the prenatals, though the general suggestion is to continue taking them as long as you’re breastfeeding. That’s based on studies that have found that continued supplementation has direct benefits for your baby.
Beli’s formulation is designed to support new mamas and their babies with appropriate levels of key nutrients:
- Vitamin D to help protect against postpartum depression and support healthy milk production.
- Vitamin E to support immune and heart health.
- Vitamins B6 and B12 to help regulate appetite and boost energy.
- Choline supports brain development.
- Iron helps minimize postpartum fatigue and protect against anemia.
- Magnesium to help protect against postpartum depression and improve sleep quality.
In men, a steep drop in testosterone during late pregnancy and birth can be detrimental to mood and energy levels, leading to reduced sex drive, reduced emotional resilience, even paternal postpartum depression. A workaround to keep testosterone levels stable? You guessed it — the same quality men’s prenatal you started taking preconception.
TAKEAWAY
If trying for a baby is in the cards, start taking a prenatal vitamin six to three months before you hope to conceive. Continue taking that prenatal throughout your pregnancy and during the postpartum and breastfeeding stage. This is a frenzied, exhilarating, exhausting time, and new moms and dads will both benefit from a daily dose of all the right nutrients.
This article was originally published on belibaby.com and written in partnership with Beli Baby.