Did you take Vitamin D supplements in pregnancy?

We all try to eat healthy balanced diets when we are pregnant. We like to do it, we want to help that little one growing inside us to have the healthiest start in life, and watching what we eat is one thing that mothers feel they have control of.

Typically, while most other things in their body are going haywire while the hormones take control, and we scram at our other halves about anything and everything from forgetting to feed the cat, to losing our keys *or was that just me*

When I was pregnancy, I took vitamin supplements; my choice, and without medical advice. I didn’t realise at the time that I could have discussed this with my GP, and it might even have been a sensible thing to do, particularly around getting enough Vitamin D, where deficiency can cause health problems in our babies and potentially our children too. I didn’t realise that Vitamin D supplements are something that we perhaps should be taking, and also getting a little advice about if we can.

Mumsnet recently did a survey of over 1,000 mums with Internis Pharmaceuticals to look at our understanding of Vitamin D as mums, and there were some interesting details coming out of the research:

• 60% of mums don’t get any assistance in understanding about requirements for Vitamin D in pregnancy; it is important for the growth of healthy bones, teeth, etc in our babies. Anything that requires Calcium or Phosphate. In addition, we need a reserve to pass to our babies should we choose to breastfeed
• 80% of mums know Vitamin D is important for them and their children, but don’t know what dose would be suitable
• 50% of mums realise that deficiency can lead to poor bones, and only 1 in 10 realise that overdoses can pose health risks too
• 90% of mums don’t realise that dietary supplements, like those that contain Vitamin D are unregulated, and therefore contain varying amounts of the vitamin – sometimes is very high doses, which may not be suitable for pregnancy.

Clearly, this most important lesson from both this survey and the infographic below, is that both mums, and those about to become a mum, should perhaps consider checking with their GP to discuss Vitamin D rather than self-medicating themselves or their children through over the counter supplements.

It is always worth getting a little more educated about our family’s health don’t you think?

This is a partnered post.

Helen

Helen is a mum to two, social media consultant, and website editor; and this site is (we think) the only Social Enterprise parenting magazine! Since giving up being a business analyst when juggling travel, work and kids proved too complicated, she founded KiddyCharts so she could be with her kids, and use those grey cells at the same time. KiddyCharts has reach of over 1.1million across social and the site. The blog works with big family brands (including travel) to help promote their services, as well as offering free resources to parents of kids under 10. It gives 51%+ profits to Reverence for Life, who fund a number of important initiatives in Africa, including bringing running water and basic equipment to a school in Tanzania. Helen has worked as a digital marketing consultant (IDM qualified) with various organisations, including Channel Mum, Truprint, Talk to Mums, and Micro Scooters. She loves to be creative in the brand campaigns she works on. Get in touch TODAY!

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