If you’re planning on getting pregnant, you should really start taking a prenatal vitamin right away, before conception.

But if you weren’t aware of that, and you’re already pregnant and in the market for a prenatal vitamin – don’t sweat it.

Just get started with a prenatal as soon as you can.

Taking a prenatal vitamin is one of the very best things you can do for your unborn baby.

And here’s a list of things to keep in mind while you’re shopping.

Check the Label

Folic Acid
The most important thing in your prenatal vitamin is folic acid. Your supplement should contain at least 400mcg. Taking folic acid before and during pregnancy greatly reduces the chance of your babe developing spina bifida.

Calcium
Calcium is another super important nutrient. You should be getting at least 1,000 mg of calcium per day to meet the needs of you and your baby.

Iron
Most prenatal vitamins contain between 30-40 mg of iron. But a lot of women (me being one of them!) are slightly anemic and require more iron. Your doctor will tell you if you should be taking an additional iron supplement when they run your blood work.

More Important Nutrients
There are tons of other important nutrients to consider, here are a few of them: zinc, manganese, iodine, and vitamin B6.

Make Sure It Dissolves
Your multivitamin isn’t any good unless your body absorbs it! The USP (United States Pharmacopeia) seal of approval on your vitamin will let you know whether or not it meets the required standards.

If you want to test it at home yourself, try this:

Place your vitamin in ½ cup of vinegar and stir every 5 minutes. It should be fully dissolved (or in small particles) within 30-45 minutes.

Make Sure You Can Stomach It
Common complaints with prenatals are that they’re too large, hard to swallow, cause constipation and nausea.

Choose pills with a slicker coating (they tend to be easier to swallow). And pills without calcium are usually smaller (which makes them easier to swallow)! If your vitamin is making you constipated or giving you gas it could be to do with the iron content. Some prenatals are iron free or have lower iron because of this. And finally if your prenatal is making you nauseous, look for one with vitamin B6 – as research suggests it may help!

Don’t Overdo It
More is not better. Stick to the recommended doses from the supplement manufacturer.