Before getting pregnant with my first, the only thing I knew about prenatal vitamins was that I should be taking them while pregnant. Yes, I knew ALL about vitamins and nutrients at that time – as I had just received my Master’s in Holistic Nutrition – but I hadn’t ever taken a class solely based on pregnant women, nor had I myself ever been pregnant before, so I was basically flying with one eye covered, so to speak.
However, like most pregnant women, I studied the heck out of pretty much everything pregnancy related, and began to understand that not all prenatal vitamins are created equal! Then, fast forward to having a stillbirth in 2020 (what would have been my 4th living child), and I soon found out that I had MTHFR, which makes it even more imperative to religiously take the correct types of prenatal vitamins.
So how should we know which prenatals we should take and when we should start taking them?! Well, all of our bodies are unique on the inside, just as they are on the outside, but having a good, plant-based well-rounded vitamin is a good rule-of-thumb and something we ALL should be taking! Moreover, this should start well before actually becoming pregnant – and even while breastfeeding too!
Keep reading for more….
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What is Beli?
To summarize it, the combination of ingredients in Beli Prenatal Vitamins boost fertility and egg quality, support the baby’s growth, nourishes you as the expecting mother, helps support your labor and delivery, and even nourishes you post-pregnancy and while breastfeeding. With that said, there are a few nutrients missing from these vitamins, which I will discuss. However, first we must know what nutrients a pregnant mother NEEDS…
What Vitamins and Nutrients Do Women Need During Pregnancy?
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends 10 nutrients during pregnancy:
- Folate/Folic acid: Helps prevent birth defects and supports the general growth and development of the fetus and placenta (folate is the most bioavailable form and should ONLY be taken if you have MTHFR).
- Iron: Helps red blood cells deliver oxygen to your fetus
- Iodine: Essential for healthy brain development
- Choline: Important for the development of your fetus’s brain and spinal cord
- Vitamin C: Promotes healthy gums, teeth, and bones
- Vitamin A: Forms healthy skin, eyesight, and bone growth
- Vitamin B6: Helps form red blood cells and helps your body use fat, protein, and carbohydrates
- Vitamin B12: Maintains the nervous system and helps create red blood cells
- Calcium: Builds strong teeth and bones
- 10. Vitamin D: Builds your fetus’s bones and teeth and promotes healthy eyesight and skin
More About Beli Prenatals
Beli includes all of the above recommended vitamins and nutrients except for Vitamin A and Calcium, which is actually quiet intentional. This is because Vitamin A is very easy to get from diet alone, and if you get too much, it can be harmful (in synthetic forms). Furthermore, Calcium is also fairly easy to get from one’s diet, and including it in a multivitamin can inhibit the absorption of minerals. (You can read a lot more about this here.)
On the other-hand, I do want to mention that Beli is still one of the only prenatal on the market that contain 400mg of choline – most brands don’t contain any! They are also one of the only ones to contain the 4000IU of Vitamin D3 that is recommended, which is another essential nutrient that often gets overlooked!
In addition to the other 8 nutrients mentioned above, Beli Prenatals for women also include Thiamin, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Niacin, Biotin, Pantothenic Acid, Magnesium, Zinc, Copper, Chromium, and Molybdenum.
However, the one additional nutrient that has not yet been mentioned that I suggest EVERY expectant mother take is Omega 3’s (aka, DHA). These help brain development and are crucial for a growing baby. However, Beli intentionally left these out of their supplements as well, due to the fact that they are not considered shelf-stable when combined with other ingredients when in capsule form. Moreover, DHA can be hard on your stomach, giving you fishy burps and morning sickness, which is not something an expecting mother needs more of (and is why it is best to purchase these as a separate supplement).
Finally, Beli Vitamins are manufactured in the US. They are vegan-friendly, soy-free, non-GMO, and made in an FDA-registered facility that has received its cGMP certification. In addition, Beli was just awarded the Purity Award from the Clean Label Project, so you can be sure you are getting what you paid for!
I will note that Beli also creates a Prenatal Vitamin for Men. I myself did not order these {for my husband}, as we are no longer trying for more children. However, I do love the intentions behind them and think that this concept is definitely worth looking into if you and your spouse are trying to conceive.
Summary:
I am a huge proponent of Prenatals and believe women should be taking them well before pregnancy and as long as they are breastfeeding. I also encourage women to spend a bit more money on high quality vitamins as this will ultimately affect the health of both them and their growing baby. Here are some of the reasons I would choose Beli:
- The form of the vitamins and nutrients are in the most bioavailable form (methylated folate and B vitamins); meaning you’re more likely to actually absorb and reap the benefits of the ingredients.
- Beli is third-party tested and received the Clean Label Project Purity Award. This is basically assurance that you don’t have to worry about heavy metals, chemicals, plastics, and other toxins being in your prenatals.
- They are dairy-free, gluten-free, and allergen-free.
- The ingredients are gentle on your stomach. This is especially a concern in regards to iron; it is chelated in Beli which is more belly-friendly.
- The vitamin bottles come with a mint heart that delivers a minty essence, so if you notice a “vitamin smell”, just shake the bottle a bit and let the minty essence distribute throughout.
- The monthly cost is rather expensive {at $50 per month}, but you can take 15% off with code HEALTHYFITFABMOMS – and you and your baby’s health are definitely worth it!
