When I was pregnant and planning my VBAC years ago, I thought taking a prenatal vitamin meant I was fully covering my nutritional needs. I assumed all prenatals were created equally and that if it was marketed for pregnancy, it had to be good enough. Looking back now, I realize how little I actually understood about prenatal nutrition, and honestly, how much the prenatal vitamin world still lacks when it comes to the quality and quantity of ingredients. And most importantly, what’s missing when considering true maternal support.
As I started learning more about prenatal health and nutrition, I personally went out and compared prenatal vitamins in stores and online. I spent time reading labels, comparing ingredients, and looking at nutrient amounts, and unfortunately, I was baffled. And not in a good way.
So many prenatals are missing key nutrients entirely like choline, selenium, and Vitamin D2. And while other varieties contain some amounts, they are too low or in forms that aren’t easily absorbed by the body. This research opened my eyes to how confusing and overwhelming the prenatal vitamin market can be for moms who simply want to make the best choice for themselves and their babies.
It wasn’t until we discovered Needed that I really began to understand what comprehensive prenatal nutrition could (and should) look like. Diving deeper into Needed’s background, mission and products really perked my interest.
Pregnancy asks so much of our bodies. Nutrient needs increase dramatically, and those nutrients are not only supporting baby’s development, but also mom’s energy, recovery, hormones, brain health, and overall wellness throughout pregnancy and postpartum. Yet many conventional prenatal vitamins contain low-quality ingredients, inadequate nutrient amounts, or forms that aren’t easily utilized by the body. Needed’s Prenatal vitamins were designed to offer eight times more nutrition than the other leading brands, like those I found in the grocery store.
And get this… their Prenatal Multi was also developed by practitioners and backed by research to provide optimal forms and amounts of nutrients that many women are commonly deficient in during pregnancy and postpartum. Instead of simply checking a box with the bare minimum, NEEDED intentionally focuses on all seasons of life.
Something else I’ve come to appreciate is how much education Needed provides around maternal health and nutrition. So many women, myself included, were never taught how critical foundational nutrition is during pregnancy. We’re often told to “just take a prenatal,” without understanding that the quality, dosage, and forms of nutrients truly matter. We had an amazing podcast episode with Julie that you can listen to HERE. Plus, check out this blog post for a full overview of nutrition for fertility, pregnancy and postpartum.
If I could go back and tell my younger pregnant self one thing, it would be this: prenatal nutrition is about so much more than taking a convenient prenatal vitamin because it’s at the grocery store. It’s about deeply supporting your body, your baby’s development, your recovery and your long-term health as a mother.
Finding Needed completely changed the way I view prenatal care and nourishment, and it’s something I’m genuinely passionate about sharing with other women now.
Visit Needed to learn more about their entire product line, specifically the Prenatal Multi and use code VBAC for a discount at checkout.
Why Education Matters for Your VBAC + Where to Start