When choosing the best prenatal vitamin, I like to look for a specific set of non-negotiable nutrients. Then, I take mama’s everyday diet into account.
Guess what? My favorite prenatal supplement is NOT a whole food prenatal.
This is mainly because it’s hard to tell what forms of micronutrients manufacturers might be using.
Below I share what I look in a prenatal vitamin along with the two prenatals that are my personal favorite.
Why natural prenatal vitamins aren’t necessarily the best prenatal
The best prenatal gives mama what she needs to have a healthy baby. And even though I love real food and keep a cabinet full of herbal remedies, I’m not convinced that natural prenatal vitamins are the best.
Why?
Because whole food prenatal supplements still add in synthetic nutrients. This includes MegaFood Baby & Me, New Chapter Perfect Prenatal, and Pure Synergy PureNatal.
What these companies do is combine the pulp from fruit, veggies, and leafy greens with vitamins and minerals. Then, they ferment it.
MegaFoods says they,
…then move this delicious pulp through a series of tanks where we integrate in more Vitamins for potency.
New Chapter explains that,
Targeted nutrients (vitamins and minerals) are added to the yeast solution.
Whereas Pure Synergy describes the process like this,
We begin by collecting and combining the purest, most potent ingredients including our pure USP vitamins and minerals and an abundant array of entirely certified organic fruits, vegetables, sprouts, grasses, essential fats, carbohydrates, and proteins all ideally suited to grow each individual vitamin and mineral.
In each case, the packaging and marketing might lead a mama to believe that she’s getting all of her prenatal nutrients from food. But in reality, the food’s nutritional value has been augmented with added vitamins and minerals.
And in some cases – such as folic acid or cyanocobalamin – these added nutrients are harder for the body to use.
Just check the label to see what you’re getting. In the case of trace minerals, the label may not tell you what form of mineral was used.
The big benefit of whole food supplements is that they do contain co-factors and sometimes enzymes that can support absorption.
The best prenatal vitamins have these nutrients
Methyl donors
Methyl donors are a type of nutrient that affects gene expression, which can be particularly important during development.
This includes:
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin B6
- Folate
- Choline
The above nutrients are interrelated. For example, we all know that folate is important during pregnancy for the prevention of neural tube defects, but choline can support mamas with folate deficiency.
When it comes to folate and vitamin B12, look for the methylated forms since those will be easier for your body use. On a label, this may read as methylfolate or L-5-MTHF and methylcobalamin.
Choline
If you’re interested in your baby’s brain development, take note of choline.
Choline is the precursor to acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that’s essential for the growth and maturation of brain cells.
Mama’s choline levels are associated with cognitive development in children up to 7 years old. What’s more, higher supplementation of choline during pregnancy is linked to fewer emotional self-control problems in children.
During pregnancy, choline plays a role similar to folate and acts as a methyl donor, which means it can have a lasting effect on gene expression.
Including those genes that influence behavior.
Choline also has an anti-inflammatory effect during pregnancy, which is important since inflammation is associated with growth restriction and premature birth.
Recommend daily intake for pregnant mamas is 450 mg of choline.
However, a team of researchers at Cornell University found that mamas who took 930 mg of choline a day during their third trimester had babies who reacted faster to pictures across 4 assessment ages than mamas who took 480 mg/day.
Which suggests that current recommendation for choline may be too low.
Vitamin K2
Many prenatal supplements have vitamin K1, which comes from green plant foods and supports blood clotting.
But what about vitamin K2?
Vitamin K2 helps vitamins A and D do their job, ensuring strong bones, beautiful teeth, and robust immune health.
Your breast milk gives your baby a form of vitamin K2 called MK-4. Since the body makes and stores MK-4, I prefer to supplement with MK-4.
That said, both MK-4 and MK-7 do good things for bone development.
Vitamin D3
There are many reasons why you need enough vitamin D during pregnancy — I cover seven of them here.
For your baby, vitamin D (with the help of vitamin K2) helps to form strong bones. It protects against preterm labor. And it packs some serious mojo when it comes to immune balance and related disorders. Like asthma, allergies, and autoimmune disease.
All prenatal vitamins have vitamin D.
The problem? It’s not nearly enough.
According to the Vitamin D Council, pregnant mamas need 4000 – 6000 IU a day to meet the demands of pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Many prenatal vitamins offer less than the bare minimum, 400 IU.
When reading labels, also check to see if your prenatal contains vitamin D2 or D3.
This is because vitamin D3 is what the body makes, meaning it’s easy to pick up and use. Vitamin D3 raises blood levels of vitamin D.
Whereas vitamin D2, not so much.
Two prenatal supplements that I recommend
There are two prenatal supplements that I like to recommend.
Seeking Health Optimal Prenatal
Seeking Health Optimal Prenatal is my go-to prenatal supplement during pregnancy and postpartum.
Recent research on carotenoids (like lutein and zeaxanthin) tells us that these special compounds may safeguard against preeclampsia, preterm birth, and growth restriction.
What’s more, the carotenoid lutein is concentrated in baby’s brain and thought to play a role in developing connectivity and cognitive function.
Seeking Health Optimal Prenatal also contains chelated minerals (read: easy to absorb) along with methylated vitamins. You’ll sometimes see chelated minerals with the TRAACS name and this is a form of the mineral that’s very easy for mama to use.
And it doesn’t have iron.
While iron deficiency can be a problem for some mamas, there are other mamas who don’t need the extra iron.
And finally, if you’re sensitive to methyl donors like choline and methylated B vitamins, Seeking Health has you covered.
FullWell Prenatal
FullWell Prenatal is very similar to Seeking Health and another favorite of mine.
What makes FullWell different is that it’s high in vitamin D3.
Each serving offers a full 4000 IU, rather than 2000 IU. If you know your vitamin D levels are low and you need extra supplementation, it may be helpful to get all your vitamin D3 in one place.
In contrast to Seeking Health, FullWell also offers slightly more choline and magnesium.
The types of magnesium in each band is different. If you’re wondering whether or not this matters, the short answer: Not really.
Magnesium glycinate and malate are both high quality.
And if you’re doing a comparison on bioavailability, glycinate and malate are your winners — with magnesium citrate or magnesium oxide (common in other prenatals) being the least bioavailable.
And why does magnesium matter?
Welp, it may help to resolve restless leg syndrome during pregnancy and manage preeclampsia.
You are such an amazing resource. Thank you! What do you think of the MyKind gummies? I can’t take methylated folate because it makes me super anxious!
Hey! I might take a little extra vitamin D3. A D3/K2 combo is a good idea, like from Thorne or Seeking Health.
I would also take a DHA supplement and eat lots of egg yolks xxo!!
Rainbow Light Prenatal One? Curious of your thoughts on it. I know several mammas that took it and loved it.
Hey! I see that Rainbow Light has vitamin D2, rather than vitamin D3.
You really want vitamin D3 because that’s the form of vitamin D that the body can use. Same goes for folic acid. Especially if mama has MTHFR mutation, you really want folate or (even better) methylated folate.
Hope this helps!
Thanks so much!! Xxx
Thanks for sharing this. Choosing a prenatal gives me such anxiety because there are so many options out there. I’m currently breastfeeding and on the Thorne multi but my LO has an egg sensitivity. Is there anything else I can/should be taking or giving to her for her development?
Hey! I would probably add a D3/K2 supplement to the Thorne prenatal. If you’re breastfeeding and not supplementing her, you want to get around 6500 IU a day of vitamin D3.
Liver is a great source of choline if eggs aren’t an option. You could also switch to Seeking Health and see how you like it. Once she starts solids (or if she already has) you could make a batch of liver pate and give that to her regularly. This is the recipe that I use: https://megangarcia.com/liver-pate-recipe-for-baby/
xxo!!
Thanks for the information!
What do you like for extra Iron during third trimester? Just found out I am anemic and currently I do not eat red meat.
Do you do organ meat? If so, this spleen supplement is my FAVORITE source of heme iron.
And be sure to take a whole food source of vitamin C with all meals. I like 1/4 teaspoon of Pure Synergy camu camu powder in water.
xxo!!
Such good information! Thank you! How do you feel about Pure Encapsulations Nutrient 950 Plus K?
Hey Erica!
It looks great. It’s a little low in vitamin D3, providing BELOW the RDA for vitamin D (400 IU).
So I would add in a D3/K2 supplement. During pregnancy (depending on your own vitamin D levels) you want around 4000 IU a day. And if breastfeeding, 6500 IU daily.
xxo!!
Love these recommendations! I’ve been using Goop’s mother load with DHA, choline + methylated folate/B’s, expensive so deciding between that and Seeking Health next round – curious if you have thoughts on that one!
Hey! I don’t see any vitamin K2 in Goop’s prenatal.
You could switch over Seeking Health *and* take an additional fish oil supplement for DHA. I like Vital Choice.
The price would be about the same with the fish oil, but you do get the additional vitamin K2 which is really important. Another option would be to get the Seeking Health prenatal directly from their website. They have a rewards program, so you build points (and dollars!!) every time you buy. Which is nice since most mamas are taking their prenatal for a year or more.
OR, I would add a vitamin D3/K2 supplement to the Goop prenatal. Throne and Seeking Health both have a combo that’s really easy to use.
xxo!!
Innate Response Baby & Me Multi is my go to along with Nordic Naturals ProDHA. I’m almost 16 month’s postpartum and still use both.
Love how much choline is in Innate Response!
I’ve been using USANAs prenatals and taking extra vitamin D3
What are your thoughts?
Hey Kristen,
It could be better. It’s low on some nutrients. And for others, has forms of vitamins that are less expensive for manufacturers but harder for mama to absorb.
I would probably switch it up and try something else. Hope this helps xxo!!
I used to use Seeking Health, then Thorne, the Designs for Health Prenatal Pro is what I have been taking during the pregnancy and now with nursing. Do you think this one? The other one I found is a UK based prenatal called Prenga-Plan by Cytoplan. Do you have feelings about either of these last two?
Hey Jen,
I like Designs for Health over Pregna-Plan. But it’s still missing vitamin K2. I would probably add Seeking Health D3/K2 drops and make sure you’re eating a couple of eggs (from healthy, happy hens!) a day.
Such a good information thank you! Would the ritual prenatal be ok for postpartum or go with the essential for women ritual supplements? Im really bad at taking supplements so I like that you only need to take two compared to the seeking health haha.
Hey Ava,
I would stick with the Ritual prenatal during postpartum UNLESS you suspect (or know) you have autoimmune thyroid issues, since the prenatal doesn’t have any selenium.
xxo!!
Hi Megan!
Would you recommend sticking with the prenatal of Ritual or moving to the postnatal one?
thank you!
Also, what are your thoughts on Mary Ruth (pre and postnatal) vs Ritual?
Love your blog! thank you
Hi! What about Naturelo Prenatal? Just posted on your Instagram too. Almost out and wondering if I should switch? Thanks so much for all your information and guidance!
Hey Jenny! It looks pretty good.
I would take extra daily vitamin D (you want to get to 4000 IU), eat a couple of eggs a day (big brain builder for baby), and add a daily teaspoon of Rosita cod liver oil (for DHA, vitamin D, and preformed vitamin A).
Hope this helps xxo!!
Hi there! I am 6 weeks pregnant and have been taking seeking health for months. I love it but am now worried about vitamin a intake . Is it ok that in addition to this I also eat 1-2 eggs daily And eat cheese and dairy ? On top of lots of veggies with vitamin A? When you were pregnant and taking this vitamin did you still eat these great sources of nutrition ? Just want to make sure I’m not over doing vitamin A. But I need the eggs for extra choline ! I am not taking cod liver . Thanks for your time 🙏🏼
Hey Allison,
If you’re taking Seeking Health, I would steer clear of foods high in pre-formed vitamin A. Or, at least make them special occasion foods. So, liver is a biggie. Along with cod liver oil.
Eggs are a good source of preformed vitamin A, especially free range. But not so much that I would avoid them.
For example, 3 ounces liver might have 6582 mcg of vitamin A whereas an egg = 75 mcg.
The Seeking Health prenatal is a blend of pro-vitamin A and preformed. And this is important to note because not all pro-vitamin A is easily converted into retinol – so there’s room for a healthy diet and everyday foods like eggs.
Great question, hope this helps xxo!!
Hi! So if I take liver supplements and just started the seeking health, you are staying I should stop the liver supplements?
Yes! That’s a little too much vitamin A.
xxo
Hi! I am looking into the seeking health prenatals. Can you explain why I should be worried about vitamin A? I don’t believe SH has iron or DHA.. should I look to supplement this another way? What about the smarty pants gummies? I *think* I may have the MTHFR gene so I’d like folate only. I heard Thorne has too much iron and vitamin A
Is it okay to take cold pressed coil oil while pregnant?
Hey Clarissa!
Cod liver oil? If so, YES. Vitamin A is extremely important for baby immune development. Just make sure you’re not overdoing it and check the levels in your prenatal too.
xxo
Hi Megan,
Thank you SO much for this, you are such an incredible resource!
In the Seeking Health Prenatal, some of the ingredients are sourced from China, is that something to consider? Also, has Cal Prop 65 warning?
Thank you!
Hey Emily!
Seeking Health is pretty rigorous about product quality, and that’s something that I look for when products are sourced from China since that can be an issue. For example, I recently looked into heavy metals in shellfish and it turns out *where* they’re sourced matters a lot. Some of my favorite herbs come from China (like Blue Poppy) and there’s a lot of testing that goes on to ensure quality.
As for the Prop 65 warning, it’s almost lost meaning because companies are required to use it on many natural products sold in California. Again, it’s about the standards of quality that an individual company strives to meet.
Here’s more one the Seeking Health website: http://resources.seekinghealth.com/california-proposition-65
I’m currently taking the Seeking Health prenatal and wondering if you recommend continuing that one post-partum?
YES especially if breastfeeding. Not only will it support your energy levels, but many of the nutrients in the Seeking Health prenatal will transfer to breast milk.
xxo!!
Which of the 2 do you recommend for breastfeeding. And do I add any other vitamins to the mix ? Like vitamin d?
Is there any additional supplements that you’d recommend with the Seeking Health prenatal (fish oil?) or is it basically a one-and-done deal? I’m in the process of slowly weaning, but would like to have another baby in the near future. So I’m trying to weight cost-effectiveness during this brief in-between period!
Thanks for your perspective as always!! This was extremely helpful.
Hi Megan,
Thank you for all the information, it is amazing ! I am currently taking NFH Pre Natal SAP (Canadian version), and NutraSea High DHA fish Oil. And now I am wondering if it is a good prenatal or not. Would you recommend switching to a different one ?
I’m taking Best Nest Wellness – Mama Bird AM/PM. It seems to have a lot of the vitamins and in the methylated forms but I don’t hear a lot of ppl speak about it. Any input? Thanks!
Hey Jessica!
It looks pretty good. It’s pretty low in vitamin D3 (400 IU) and contains a harder to absorb form of iron. I would for sure add extra vitamin D.
Thank you for the information! What do you think about the alani nu prenatal and their fish oil with it? Thanks!
Hey! Great information on your site. I am thinking about trying for baby number two and have one gene mutation on my MTHFR gene, I also have a 2 year old that was born with a neural tube defect. I took Garden of Life Prenatals during that pregnancy. Given my circumstances which prenatal would you suggest or additional supplements? My obgyn said I would need to start taking them at least 2-4 months before trying to conceive. I really appreciate any information.
Hey Jeanette,
I’m a big fan of Seeking Health’s prenatal. Based on what you described, that’s the one I would look into. I like taking a good quality prenatal before getting pregnant and after having baby, it can make such a difference!
Hope this helps, xxo!!
Hi! I am following Katie E’s comment about your thoughts on the Alani Nu Prenatal alongside their Fish Oil supplements? Thanks!
Hey Jeanie,
The Alani Nu prenatal looks okay, you definitely do want to make sure you’re getting in the nutrients I mention above (enough D3, vitamin K2, and enough choline).
The prenatal has some DHA, so that’s great. It’s the bare minimum, so you could definitely take an additional fish oil supplement if you’re not regularly eating seafood.
Thanks for the great Q and hope this helps, xxo!!
Megan
Hi Megan,
I’m curious about whether you would recommend supplementing with choline or just try to get it from food sources. And if you supplement, would you go with Alpha GPC Choline or CDP Choline. CDP Choline sounds like the better choice, but then I wonder about dosage when you are trying to reach 930 mcg of choline per day. Would you still take both of those supplements aiming for around 930 mcg? A one-capsule serving of the supplement I am looking at has 250mcg of CDP Choline. So 3 capsules even though the daily intake according to the bottle is 1? I so appreciate your input!
Another question I had was on the Vitamin D3/K2 drops. The bottle recommends 1 drop per day, but to reach your recommended dose of D3, together with my prenatal, I would need to take 8 drops a day. Obviously I would get some with food intake, but I am just not sure how to navigate getting these dosages right. I wish someone would just come out with a single prenatal that can do it all in all the correct amounts.
Thank you for your article, it was very helpful to know what to look for! I felt so lost before.
Hey Rachel,
I would get choline from food sources first!! Egg yolk is one of the best (and easiest places) to get choline.
For vitamin D3/K2 drops, there’s no upper limit on vitamin K, meaning it’s safely recycled in the body even at high doses.
So I do the D/K combo based on my vitamin D needs. This can mean 4 – 12 drops a day (2000 – 6000 IU) depending on diet and prenatal, as breastfeeding mamas need around 6000 IU if they’re not supplementing baby.
Hope this helps xxo!!
Megan
Thank you so much!!! You have been an enormous help! And I love that I now feel confident in the nutrients I am getting, rather than hopeful that I can just trust that the prenatal vitamins I happen to choose are adequate.
Hi, I’m a big fan. Do you recommend Mega Food baby and me 2? I’m talking it with Nordic Natural prenatal with DHA
Hey Isabel,
Mega Food Baby + Me 2 doesn’t have choline and it’s not clear on how much vitamin K2 is in the product. It’s also pretty low in vitamin D!!
Is it possible to take too much vitamin d? I am taking baby and me and Nordic naturals DHA xtra along with a probiotic. I try to eat egg yolks 5 times at least per week. What else would you recommend? I’m newly pregnant so I have a long way to go. Wondering if I should change my DHA to Alani Nu fish oil, there’s more dha and epa. Alani nu prenatals also seem to have a higher dosage of a bunch of stuff then baby and me, but that was a quick scan. I want what’s best, what would you take? Thank you so much, this has been such a great read
Hey Justine,
You can take too much vitamin D. With Alani + Nordic Natural prenatal DHA + eggs, I would say you might be getting the minimum req (2000 IU) and could even do more D3. Alani doesn’t have K2, so you might want to switch your prenatal.
xxo!!
Hi Megan,
How would nature’s dynamics prenatal plus gummies be along with Nordic naturals DHA supplements be? Would it be ok to switch prenatals at 4 weeks pregnant. I’m taking the nature made prenatal plus Dha right now and not sure if I should go with ritual essential prenatal or nature’s dynamics. What do you think about the boron in the ritual vitamins. I heard boron could be unsafe to take?
What about Full Circle Prenatal? Is there too much preformed vitamin A if I also take cod liver oil AND dessicated liver capsules?
Looks good, Kassia!
And YES, I would switch to fish oil to manage vitamin A intake xxo!!
Thank you for this!!! It’s so overwhelming to know what to look for with all the information and options that exist. I ended up going with Seeking Health’s Optimal Prenatal and has a positive experience in terms of not getting nauseous after – I generally have a queasy tummy when it comes to vitamins, etc. Now I’m in a situation where they are sold out everywhere! I was going to switch over to Ritual, but that’s also sold out for now. 🙁 I think I am going to go with Full Circle Prenatal, but in terms of fish oil is Full Circle’s fish oil ok? Or is there a different one you would recommend?
Again, can’t thank you enough for putting this info together. When I saw that Seeking Health’s Prental was unavailable I felt like I was going to have a meltdown when I started to look for an alternative!!!
I’m so glad I came across your site! I’m currently taking Naturelo Prenatals and will take the extra supplements you mentioned in one of the comments. Do you have an opinion on taking prenatals as well as doing the tissue salt program? I’ve heard good things about the program but am worried about overdosing with what’s already in the prenatals. Thanks!
Hey Karen,
I don’t have a lot of experience or knowledge of homeopathic remedies. My strengths are nutrition and traditional Chinese medicine.
I might consult with a homeopathic specialist for this Q, xxo!!
I took the Metagenics Plus One daily prenatal packs, along with CDP choline from Klair labs, along with a few other supplements like DHA and CoQ10 which I was deficient in. Are these any good? I was also thinking about starting high vitamin oil with cod liver oil now that I’m nursing. Thanks
Hi, thank you for the article. What is your opinion of Vitafol Ultra Prenatal vitamins? Thanks!
Hey Sara,
With a quick glance, I am not seeing any choline or vitamin K2. It’s low in vitamin D3 and is has a form of vitamin B12 that’s harder for the body to use. It also has synthetic dyes!!
I’m currently taking Ritual prenatal plus PeaPod Cal-mag for Calcium as I try to avoid Dairy and Eggs. I was thinking of adding Nordics Natural Prenatal DHA. Would that be too much DHA? Also, I want to add Mary Ruth’s Prenatal Probiotics but it also contains 940mcg. Would this be too much Folate and Vitamin B12 in combination with Ritual? I read an article about a study that found that high levels of folate and vitamin b12 was linked to autism. What are your thoughts ?
Hi!
I am a little over 4 weeks pregnant (ivf), and was taking the ritual prenatal , but just switched to seeking health today! Then I went down a review rabbit hole, and saw some reviews saying Seeking Health has too much B12 (and possibly folate) which can cause autism! Eek! Do you have thoughts on whether those high amounts are ok/why? Thank you!
I’m 6 months postpartum. Prepregnancy, pregnancy and PP I’m still taking Pure Encapsulation prenatal. Along with CoQ10(3xs), 3 eggs a day, liquid Vitamin D3 as well as a whole food Vitamin C. When I remember I also take iron and fish oil. I was looking into maybe switching my prenatal.
Hi Megan- this article & comments has been full of helpful information. I’ve noticed how you stress K2 intake. I’ve just found out I need to be on Lovonox for the remainder of my pregnancy & postpartum for clotting issues. Do you have a prenatal vitamin rec that is complete but sans K vitamins as I can’t take the one I’m currently on. Thanks in advance!
Hey Sarah,
My understanding is that there aren’t any interactions between Lovenox and vitamin K; this is really only something to be aware of with meds like warfarin. I would double-check with your provider.
Every prenatal I have seen has vitamin K1 (more notable for coagulation) and plant foods do too – it’s very important on a genetic level to eat plant foods (colorful veggies, fruit) during pregnancy for reasons beyond vitamin K. The fiber they provide tends to upregulate the production of short-chain fatty acids and this, in turn, has been found to protect against allergies.
xxo!!
Hi Megan,
I have done so much research on what prenatal vitamin to take before I conceive and am still unsure what one would be best with my diet. I do not eat red meat (beef/pork) and unable to eat cows milk (Sheep/Goat only). I eat more of a plant based diet with eggs/fish/chicken a few times a week. Would you suggest Ritual or Seeking Health?
Hey Jenn,
A plant based diet with animal protein as you describe is ideal. I think you could go with Ritual. If you’re able to get a gene test, that might give more information on what specifically you might need.
xxo!!
Hi Megan,
I’m pregnant and taking ritual prenatal, along with vitamin d/k drops, and now trying to decide if I should continue taking cod liver oil to make up for vitamin A Or just switch my prenatal to seeking health. I’m worried I will have to supplement with iron in that case. I also eat 2-3 egg yolks everyday to make up for choline but not sure if that’s enough. The reason I’m asking is because Rosita can get pricey every month along with the prenatal, and I’m wondering if I switch to Seeking Health if I could cut out cod liver oil? Will I be getting all the essential supplements taking Seeking health prenatal, with vitamin d/k2 drops, eating extra to make up for choline, and iron supplement?
You’re the best for all this amazing info!
Hey Ferisa,
If you switch over to Seeking Health, I *would* cut out the cod liver oil and replace with a DHA/EPA supplement. Nordic Naturals Pro line is great. The reason for this is because both are pretty high in vitamin A.
In terms of iron, heme is the easiest to absorb. So if you’re eating red meat and dark poultry meat daily, I would keep doing that. Unless you have direct need to supplement. I have a blog post on anemia during pregnancy that might help: https://megangarcia.com/anemia-during-pregnancy/
Hope this helps, xxo!!
Hi! I love the seeking health prenatals but I’m now concerned with the amount of Vitamin E, it contains like 5 times more than all the regular prenatals. What do you think of this…
Thanks for all your info!!
Hey Isabel,
Great Q! The upper limit for vitamin E during pregnancy is 1000 mg and most studies looking at high vitamin E are using a 400 mg daily supplement. Seeking Health is well below that, so it’s not on my radar as an issue.
Hope this helps xxo!!
Hi there, I just switched from taking the Seeking Health to the Ritual prenatal (fewer pills) and am curious to know if you’d still recommend supplementing with cod liver oil if I’m also taking the ProOmega EPA/DHA. I’m also taking additional Vitmain D3 and K2 drops. Thank you so much!
Hey Leah,
I would continue the cod liver oil because it’s a good source of vitamin A.
If you want extra support for iron levels during pregnancy, instead of cod liver oil you could eat liver regularly or take desiccated liver capsules. Liver is going to give you choline, B vitamins, heme iron, and plenty of vitamin A.
xxo!!
HI, this is all super helpful. I recently switched from Ritual to Innate Baby and Me Pre and Post Natal Vitamin. Do you have any information on the new one and your thoughts on that one? I am extremely D deficient so I am also taking 5000IU D3 daily from Pure. Thank you so much!!
I recently read another article that suggested both Seeking Health Optimal Prenatal and Full Circle Prenatal. It looks like neither of these have DHA in them. I am wondering if you have a favorite DHA supplement that you could take in addition to either of these.
Hey Lauren,
Right! It’s a very good idea to supplement DHA. I like Vital Choice Salmon Oil and Nordic Naturals ProEFA.
xxo!!
Really appreciate this post! Ritual came out with a new postnatal vitamin. Would you recommend it over their prenatal for nursing mothers? TIA!
Depends on diet!
Direct post-natal, I’m looking at nutrients like DHA (looks good) along with choline (baby brain support) and vitamin A (baby immune tolerance support). It’s a bit low in both of these. So, YES if you’re taking Rosita cod liver oil and eating eggs.
xxo!!
Hi there!
Thank you for this article. A friend of mine is taking your classes and recommended your website. There’s so much information out there to disseminate so I’m very grateful for this resource!
I am postnatal and breastfeeding with my 6 month old, and wondering if I should continue with a prenatal or swap to a multi at this point. I eat a primarily vegetarian diet, but do eat plenty of eggs, fish, quinoa, nuts, beans, tempeh, etc. I really struggle with the idea of taking more than 1-2 vitamins per day…these 8 per days don’t feel realistic for me unfortunately! I’m wondering what you would recommend based on all of this. Do you have thoughts on the Mamma Bird Prenatal? I do supplement currently with vitamin D.
Thank you so much! -Autumn
Hey Autumn,
Apologize for the delayed response!! If it’s still relevant, I would probably only do a prenatal or multi if you’re feeling depleted and like you need the extra support. And in that case, Ritual might be a good fit.
Eggs, fish, maybe switch out the tempeh for natto (love this brand https://www.nyrture.com ) because it’s high in vitamin K2. And you’re already supplementing with vitamin D. Sounds like you’re eating a lot foods you and baby need. Keep going! xxo
Hi Megan,
I am wondering what your thoughts are on NFH Pre Natal SAP. Not sure if I am misunderstanding the amounts but are the B vitamins in it too high? I’m concerned about high amounts of folate and B vitamins.
What do you think of this vitamin (3 pills a day). I have spent months looking at prenatals and feel like none of them are great. I know this isn’t a natural food sourced supplement but would like your thoughts if possible.
Thank you and hope you’re doing well!
Hey Amber,
This response is suuuuper delayed but I wanted to hop in and respond: NFH Pre Natal SAP looks okay, especially if you need to supplement with iron.
High folate and B vitamins is something I will address later on; but for now I would say that I think it’s okay to keep things simple. And even though there are so many prenatal formulas, it’s worth finding one that works for you. Some level of supplementation is a really good way to make sure baby has a robust start in life.
I don’t see vitamin A in the NFH supplement and adequate levels can be really important for immune development; there’s a link between low levels as a newborn and a delay in the maturation of baby’s immune system. So, in that case, maybe cod liver oil — just keep in mind vitamin A during pregnancy requires some caution.
Hope this helps!! xxo
Hi Megan! Great post, thank you!!! I’m a vegetarian (but eat eggs and fish occasionally) and am looking at seeking health and thorne prenatals. I noticed seeing health has two options = “optimal” (8 capsules) and a less expensive “basic” option (2 capsules). The basic option appears to be similar to the optimal but with lesser amounts of some vitamins and no chlorine which I could supplement with. In your opinion do you feel the optimal is worth the extra costs over the basic? Thanks so much!
Hey Paige,
If you’re not eating eggs daily, it’s probably a good idea to go with the Optimal. This one also has other plant compounds (not vitamins, more like herbs) that support pregnancy!
xxo
Sorry, I meant is okay to take cold pressed cod oil, while pregnant.
Hi
I am recently trying to get pregnant and I been doing so much research on the different prenatal vitamins and I came across this website. I have low vitamin D levels, and low iron. I was wondering your opinion on the highly recommended Thorne basic prenatal or Pure Encapsulations prenatal nutrients? I know Thorne is missing Choline, DHA, and needs K. And PE has folic acid. THis has been a very stressful process finding the right choice.
I appreciate your feebback.
Thank You!
Michelle
Hey Michelle,
Of the two, I would probably lean towards Thorne. And you would want to supplement with vitamin D and iron, since you know your levels are low. These two blog posts may help:
Vitamin D During Pregnancy
Anemia During Pregnancy
And of course eggs + seafood or DHA supp!!
Great feedback! I was leaning more towards Thorne over PE.
But would recommend Thorne over Ritual?
Megan Thank you so much for the extra resources/links. I have 3 freinds currently pregnant and I cant wait to read information on your page and share with all my friends.
Hi! Beginning the process of ttc #2 and my OB is recommending Designs for Health Prenatal Pro Essential Packets, but with my previous pregnancy I used Ritual’s Essential Prenatal. Is there one you would choose over the other?
Currently taking Ritual essential Prenatal vitamins. Curious what you think about this vitamin and if it is missing anything that essentially I need. In addition how do I get more D3 and vitamin A?
Thank you !
Hi Megan,
You’re amazing. I love how you lay out the info. in such an “easy to digest” way – pun intended.
I’m currently taking the MyKind Organics Prenatal Once Daily and have been supplementing with Nordic Naturals Prenatal DHA and Vibrant Health Vitamin D3. Didn’t see any comments regarding this combo and would sincerely appreciate your feedback.
Thank you for sharing all of your knowledge and wisdom!
Hey Brynn!
This looks like a good combo. My only two thoughts when looking at the table is that I might consider additional vitamin A, especially if allergies or eczema are part of family history. While you don’t want to overdo it on vitamin a during pregnancy, it’s worth adding in some retinol. So liver or cod liver oil. There’s some interesting science around vitamin A sufficiency at birth and the development of allergies.
And for your vitamin D supp, I would take with vitamin K2. MyKind has K1 but not K2.
Hope this helps and thank you for your feedback!! xxo
Hi Megan,
Thanks a lot for all these knowledge on prenatal. It is such an important discussion and so much of overwhelming information is available out there. This definitely helped me a lot!!
I am a vegetarian (no egg, no meat & no fish ). We just started to plan for baby and wanted to start a prenatal. I am deficient in iron and taking OTC iron tablets. Will Seeking health Optimal will suitable for me or is it too early for me to take this supplement as I am not yet pregnant?
Also regarding higher content of vitamin A in here.. I have predominantly high veggies & fruits inclined diet (no organ meat or cod liver oil) will consuming veggies high in Vitamin A will be safe while taking seeking health optimal prenatal ?
Thanks a lot for sharing this valuable knowledge & thanks for your time.
Sincere Regards,
Sur
What is your opinion about Metagenics Wellness Essentials Pregnancy? Thank you!
Hi Megan,
I am new to your page and I wish I found you sooner! Thank you SO much for sharing this, you are such an incredible resource! Choosing a prenatal gives me such anxiety because there are so many options out there. I am currently 18 weeks pregnant and have been taking Vitafol Ultra Prenatal vitamins. However, I am planning to switch over to Seeking Health Essentials this week because of Vitafol’s synthetic dyes, form of B12 and no K2. (The SE optimal prenatal was sold out.)
I’m a vegetarian but eat some fish occasionally (usually shrimp 2x a week and egg whites 1-2 times a week). Yolks make me nauseous so I have been supplementing with 230-450mg of Choline per day. I also just purchased Nordic Naturals Prenatal DHA to supplement with the Seeking Health prenatal. Additionally I take a probiotic every morning (SEED), and calcium supplement (since I don’t eat dairy)- (Bluebonnet Nutrition, Liquid Calcium Magnesium Citrate Plus Vitamin D3).
Is there anything here you would suggest changing? I’ve done a tone of research but always suspect I’m doing something wrong. Thanks again and really look forward/appreciate your feedback.
Hey Vale!
Seeing Health Optimal is a GREAT switch. The only thing that pops up for me in your question is iron levels. I talk about that more here and its importance during pregnancy. So as a vegetarian, I would get iron levels checked and then if levels are low, possibly supplementing with iron bisglycinate or heme iron.
Hope this helps and congratulations xxo!!
Hi! So I’m taking Pure Synergy now. Are you saying it’s not good to take and I should switch?
I notice the optimal health does not include DHA/EPA. Do you have a recommendation on supplementing this as well?
Hello Megan,
So much amazing information here! I wish I would’ve discovered you earlier. Can’t wait to dive deeper into your content:)
I have been taking Ancestral supplements: Beef Organs, liver and bone & marrow for a few months now. I just found out I’m pregnant and wanted to buy Seeking Health, but am afraid it will be too much. Do you think I could still take some of Ancestral Supplements? Which one would you recommend?
Are these referral links on your website? Would love to support you!
Thank you so much!
Warmly,
Eva
Hey Eva,
Congratulations!! Did you decide to go with Seeking Health? I would pull back on the Ancestral Health liver and organ supplement if you’re doing Seeking Health because all these are sources of preformed vitamin A, so something to watch!
If iron levels are low or you have a history of anemia, you could do their beef spleen (more info here).
Hope this helps! xxo!!
Hi – Thank you for all the information on your page! I’m currently taking the Metagenic Plus One prenatal. Do you think this is a good comprehensive prenatal? My natropath recommended since it includes the DHA and EPA. But I was wondering if the vitamin A in this prenatal is too high? Thanks for your help!
Hey Jess!
It’s a teensy bit high in vitamin A; in general, you’d want a supplement that’s no more than 1500 mcg daily. You’d also want to look at diet. You’re going to find really high levels of preformed vitamin A in liver and cod liver oil, so you may want to avoid these foods with this prenatal.
Otherwise, the only thing that really stands out to me is that vitamin D is a little low. Especially during winter and possibly more time indoors due to travels restrictions, I would add in another vitamin D supplement and aim for roughly 4000 IU daily. This offers big time immune and gut support!!
Hi Megan! I am early into my third pregnancy and started taking Ritual with the last pregnancy. Now looking at it, the Choline is low (55mg). However, I do plan on eating 2 eggs a day and other cruciferous veggies, dairy, a mix of beef, salmon and chicken (switching it up daily). Do you think it is necessary for me to switch my prenatal to get more Choline if I am eating an otherwise balanced diet. Also, is the DHA acceptable in this prenatal? I would look into switching and saw the new Needed. prenatal which also looks good but taking 8 capsules a day seems like a lot for me. Thank you so so much!
Hey Dani!
As long as you’re eating 2 – 3 egg yolks daily along with dairy and animal-based foods, you’ll be getting over the minimum for solid choline requirements.
For DHA, regular salmon and even sardines (I eat mine with salsa or achar! Vital Choice has 2 oz tins, super yummy) with Ritual is perfect. A “high dose” of DHA might range from 600 – 1000 mg but a lot of studies record benefit at roughly 300 mg with the control (or baseline) being no supplementation at all (which might mean less than 100 mg intake).
If there’s any history of depression or anxiety around or after pregnancy, I would pay special attention to fatty acids.
Hope this helps xxo!!
Hi!! I was wondering what you thought of Nutri Gold prenatal? That plus Ancestral Supplements fish eggs (or cod liver oil- I rotate!) and magnesium supplement. Plus lots of whole nourishing foods like eggs and full fat dairy. Thanks!
Hi, this is great information. I was wondering what are your thoughts on needed prenatal and also Vitamin IQ?
https://thisisneeded.com/products/prenatal-multi
https://www.vitaminiq.com/products/whole-food-prenatal-vitamin
I am wondering about vitamin iq as well! I’m between that and seeking health.
Hi, I wanted to ask your option on vitaminIQ prenatal and needed the powder? These are the two I’m using. Also what is your recommended amount of DHA and EPA?
https://www.vitaminiq.com/products/whole-food-prenatal-vitamin
https://thisisneeded.com/products/prenatal-multi
FYI, the newest formulation of Seeking Health prenatals seems to have been upped its D3 to 4000 IU per 8 capsules. Would you have any information on Seeking Health & Fullwell both containing inositol? I hear it’s helpful for women with PCOS but it might be best not to take it otherwise, but only anecdotally. I do have irregular cycles, however. Thanks in advance!
Hello, I am only a few weeks pregnant, have been taking Thorne prenatal, a bcomplex, omega 3 and vitamin d/k and vitamin C. Is this a good daily routine? Am I getting the right nutrient or overdoing it? I’m also taking iron because I have low ferritin, a 30 .
Thanks for all your help
Great article! What are your thoughts on vitamin iq? I’m between that and seeking health.
Hi! Just came across your post and am curious what you think of Zahler prenatal? I know it doesn’t have much choline, but everything else seems to check out to me.
Hi,
What are your thoughts on seeking health optimal -8 capsules- 4000 vitamin d? Is this a recommended intake or too high? I was previously taking the SH chewables last pregnancy but also supplementing with DHA, Choline, Calcium and Iron.
I’m wondering if taking the SH optimal is a better option and then just adding Iron and DHA (I was taking Nordic Naturals Prenatal DHA)? I can also add 2 eggs a day for extra choline (otherwise I don’t eat meat, just eggs and some dairy – cheese-
Thanks!
Hey Tillia,
You could definitely do the extra eggs. Needed DHA has choline added.
For iron, I really like FullWell’s Iron Bump because it has vitamin C and plant compounds to enhance bioavailability.
xxo!!
I’m currently taking Seeking Health Optimal as my prenatal.
(I just switched over from Thorne, and hoping to start TTC next month).
In regards to DHA, do you recommend taking Nordic Naturals Prenatal DHA over the EFA 369? If neither, which DHA supplement do you recommend the most for pregnancy? (The NN prenatal DHA also has 400iu vitamin D- I wasn’t sure if this was overload since seeking health already has 4000 IU).
Also, what are your thoughts on Mary Ruth Liquid Iron? (I love that I can take this before bed and that it’s not another capsule!) FTR, I’m mostly plant based. I eat eggs, some fish and some dairy, buT MOSTLY plant based.
If there’s any other supplement you recommend, please lmk!
Thanks!
Hey Tina!
Right, as long as you’re in the range of 2000 – 4000 IU of vitamin D (depending on diet) most folks generally don’t need more than this. I would do a pure DHA supplement, without the added vitamin. You could do FullWell DHA. I also really like Needed, because it contains choline – if you’re eating eggs daily, this is less necessary.
For iron, 100% animal sourced if possible. It’s far more bioavailable. Since you’re not eating meat but do eat fish, would you be open to a supplement? If so, I like Ancestral Supplements Spleen. It’s a lot of capsules though! Worth it, if you are concerned about iron 😉
>> I talk more about iron during pregnancy here.
xxo!!
Hi. Thank you! I’ll check out needed and FullHealth. For the prenatal would you recommend Thorne or Seeking Health Optimal?
Hey Tillia!
Since you want the extra iron, I would do Thorne. It has iron bisglycinate. And this way, you could also do Nordic Naturals… Thorne also has a prenatal DHA without vitamin D 😉
I’m actually going to add them to this post and my FullScript, based on this convo 🙂 They’re a great brand!
Also, if I don’t take full well, and stick to Nordic Naturals, would you advise against seeking health, (it has 4000 IU for vitamins D and the NN has 400)- I wasn’t sure if 4400 is excessive haha
Hey Tillia,
I just created a FullScript “plan” and included probiotics. Two factors that you want to think about is that 1) perinatal probiotics can be very protective for baby against atopic conditions…and there is transfer of good gut bacteria to breastmilk, if breastfeeding…
And 2) your vaginal microbiome. Before, during, and after pregnancy. Jarrow “4 in 1” vaginal probiotic is great for this.
https://us.fullscript.com/plans/megangarcia-prenatal-support
xxo!!
Great post! Deciding between Seeking Health Optimal and Full Well Prenatal. Both are great, but which do you prefer of the two? It’s so difficult for me to decide. Also, if I were to choose one of these, which DHA supplement would you recommend to go along with it? For iron, I’m planning to take Mary Ruth Prenatal & Postnatal Liquid Iron, (I don’t eat any meat and can’t imagine another capsule, haha). FTR, I do eat some white fish and some dairy.
Hey Marlow!
They’re pretty similar.
Seeking Health has more choline; I would say if eggs are off the menu, you may want to do Seeking Health. It also has added flavonoids, which can be nice in terms of inflammation and immune support.
For DHA, Nordic Naturals Complete Omega is great.
Iron, I would lean more into desiccated spleen if that’s something you’re okay with. In general, both DHA and iron are very important in third trimester.
xxo!!