Vitamin C and Probiotics
Vitamin C
We recommend starting 500mg extra each day starting in the second or third trimester. You can find this in tablets, but also lozenges, drinks, etc. Take 500mg extra even if your prenatal vitamin includes vitamin C.
Extra vitamin C can help to prevent premature rupture of membranes (PROM) which means that the water breaks prior to labor starting. Although this is how it usually happens in the movies, this isn't the most ideal labor situation if your water breaks first and labor doesn't start. Extra vitamin C is also a good immune system booster!
Probiotics
Probiotics are great for a variety of reasons. They help to increase the normal bacteria in the gut, as well as the vagina. This can be helpful for GI issues like constipation, gas or loose stools. They can also help the bacteria in the vagina stay in check which can prevent vaginal infections like yeast and bacteria, but also the presence of group beta strep (GBS).
We recommend starting probiotics as soon as you want to during pregnancy, but definitely in the third trimester. If you have a history of group beta strep (GBS) in a prior pregnancy, definitely check out one of the first two brands listed below.
For the best probiotics for vaginal health, check to find one that has at least one billion cell of L. rhamnosus or L. fermentum (now called L reuteri) included.
There is research to show that a daily dose of one of these brands, Jarrow's Women's Fem Dophilus and RepHresh, has been shown to reduce colonization of vaginal bacteria. Because they were specifically studied, one of them might be a good choice to try.
Two other choices that include both types are the
Garden of Life
Fomulated probiotics once daily women's or the Garden of Life RAW probiotics. This probiotic has many different kinds of bacteria and is very comprehensive. It also contains the L salivarius, which is good for prevention of mastitis during nursing.
Generally the more bacteria they have (in billions), the more effective. Once you start comparing the more you see how different they all really are. It's also important to know about requirements for refrigeration and if a particular brand is recommended to be refrigerated, that they were properly stored.
We recommend starting 500mg extra each day starting in the second or third trimester. You can find this in tablets, but also lozenges, drinks, etc. Take 500mg extra even if your prenatal vitamin includes vitamin C.
Extra vitamin C can help to prevent premature rupture of membranes (PROM) which means that the water breaks prior to labor starting. Although this is how it usually happens in the movies, this isn't the most ideal labor situation if your water breaks first and labor doesn't start. Extra vitamin C is also a good immune system booster!
Probiotics
Probiotics are great for a variety of reasons. They help to increase the normal bacteria in the gut, as well as the vagina. This can be helpful for GI issues like constipation, gas or loose stools. They can also help the bacteria in the vagina stay in check which can prevent vaginal infections like yeast and bacteria, but also the presence of group beta strep (GBS).
We recommend starting probiotics as soon as you want to during pregnancy, but definitely in the third trimester. If you have a history of group beta strep (GBS) in a prior pregnancy, definitely check out one of the first two brands listed below.
For the best probiotics for vaginal health, check to find one that has at least one billion cell of L. rhamnosus or L. fermentum (now called L reuteri) included.
There is research to show that a daily dose of one of these brands, Jarrow's Women's Fem Dophilus and RepHresh, has been shown to reduce colonization of vaginal bacteria. Because they were specifically studied, one of them might be a good choice to try.
Two other choices that include both types are the
Garden of Life
Fomulated probiotics once daily women's or the Garden of Life RAW probiotics. This probiotic has many different kinds of bacteria and is very comprehensive. It also contains the L salivarius, which is good for prevention of mastitis during nursing.
Generally the more bacteria they have (in billions), the more effective. Once you start comparing the more you see how different they all really are. It's also important to know about requirements for refrigeration and if a particular brand is recommended to be refrigerated, that they were properly stored.