Prenatal Vitamins

Did you know that you should start taking prenatal vitamins a few months before you want to start trying to conceive? (And I just thought I all I had to do was coo at baby stuff and buy some lingerie!) Kudos if you did, but until a few months ago, I had no idea. Luckily we hadn't started trying yet, so once I was clued in, I started taking prenatal vitamins and extra folic acid right away. Don't get too worried if you didn't take this extra step - it isn't required, just recommended. According to the Mayo Clinic, taking prenatal vitamins once you start trying is the number one thing a mother can do to prevent neural tube defects, since these often happen from a lack of folic acid in the first month of pregnancy (often before a woman knows she is pregnant). But, for vegans and vegetarians, finding a prenatal vitamin that doesn't contain gelatin or other animal ingredients, and that addresses our unique vitamin needs, can be difficult. I use Deva Prenatal vitamins, which have prenatal needs covered plus plenty of extra B12 we vegetarians need - all from vegan sources. Other pre-pregnancy recommendations from the Mayo Clinic include getting active with exercise and cutting out bad habits like caffeine (the horror!) and alcohol (eek!) ... so get cracking girls!

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=1671

The Pregnant Bean

The Pregnant Bean is written by me, a writer and home cook in Nashville. I've had a passion for healthy cooking and living for years and am currently writing a thesis on women and cooking for my master's degree. When I’m not footnoting research articles or sautéing onions (and, let’s face it, occasionally scrapping burnt garlic off the bottom of my skillet), I’m generally thinking about footnotes or cooking…yeah, my world is a little small right now. But hopefully it will be getting a bit bigger soon as my husband and I have decided it’s time to expand our little family of two.

I decided to start this blog as a way to become a better cook and compile healthy recipes and tips about pregnancy. I eat a vegetarian diet that is also mostly vegan and sometimes gluten-free – I know, quite a complicated mouthful. But what I really like is good food! Good, clean, pure food, no matter what label you give it. Cooking whole foods anchors me to my body and the earth, and it is just so darn fun! The smell of fresh herbs, the vibrant natural red of a pepper, the crunch of carrot under a knife, the creamy white of risotto…these are the things I love. This blog isn’t for one specific type of healthy mom, it is for us all (and Dads too, of course!). You’ll find healthy meals whether you are just looking to add a vegetarian meal or two into your week, or whether you are a hard-core vegan with a gluten sensitivity. Later on, I’ll add recipes for baby food too.

You can reach me at thepregnantbean@yahoo.com or http://twitter.com/ThePregnantBean.