As you’d expect, a lot of questions arise during pregnancy. The changes and symptoms of pregnancy may leave your mind FULL of questions about prenatal life and all it entails. There’s a lot to manage and think about, from the excitement of preparing for a new, healthy baby to navigating what to eat and symptoms like heartburn and nausea.
And, in the midst of all of this, remembering to take your prenatal vitamins may slip your mind from time to time. While we want to avoid missing the daily prenatal vitamin dose as much as possible, it’s not something to feel guilty about. Whether it’s a busy morning, a sudden bout of morning sickness, or simply the chaos of life, it happens.
But what should you do? What will happen if you forget? I’m dedicating this post to discussing what happens if you forget your prenatal vitamins and how you can get right back on track! Let’s explore how to handle this common hiccup so you can keep your pregnancy journey healthy and stress-free!
Forgot To Take Your Prenatal Vitamin? Here’s What to Do!
To be honest, forgetting to take prenatal vitamins is common during pregnancy. With everything on your mind and a list of things to do, it’s easy for one small task to slip through the cracks, especially if you weren’t accustomed to taking a daily vitamin before pregnancy. In addition to busy schedules or forgetfulness, some women develop an aversion to their prenatal vitamins and skip them for this reason.
Life can get hectic, and pregnancy symptoms, like morning sickness, heartburn, and fatigue, can make it even harder to remember. Whether it’s a busy day, a long night, travel, or just a lapse in routine, it’s important to remember that you’re not alone, and if you miss a day or two, it’s okay. Try not to stress about it.
If you regularly miss your daily prenatal vitamin dose, it’s time to strategize ways to make it more routine. When this occurs regularly, we want to correct it and get back on track as soon as possible!
What Happens If You Forget To Take Your Prenatals?
Forgetting to take your prenatal vitamins occasionally is generally not harmful, but missing them on a regular basis can take a toll on your overall nutrient intake. High-quality prenatal vitamins provide essential nutrients like folate, choline, magnesium, calcium, and possibly DHA, which support your health and your baby’s growth and development, including the development of strong bones, brain, and spinal cord.
Folate, for example, is crucial when preventing neural tube defects in the early stages of pregnancy, while choline is fundamental for developing baby’s eyes and brain. It’s challenging to meet all nutrient needs through food alone during pregnancy. Prenatal vitamins help fill the gaps and ensure you get what you need. Consistently missing your prenatal vitamin may create room for nutrient deficiencies.
Again, while missing a day here or there is unlikely to pose an issue, regularly skipping your prenatal vitamin is best avoided when possible. If you forget a dose, aim to get back on track as soon as possible.
Do not double up on your prenatal vitamin; start retaking a normal dose at your next regular time.
What To Do If You Forget To Take Your Prenatal Vitamin
Take your next prenatal vitamin dose as soon as you remember.
If you forget to take your prenatal vitamin, the first thing to do is take your next dose at the usual time. Again, don’t double up on your next dose, even if you missed one or more days. Taking too many vitamins and minerals at once can be harmful or lead to poor absorption.
Don’t stress – it’s normal to miss a dose occasionally.
While taking your prenatal vitamins is important, it’s also normal to occasionally miss a dose. Stressing about it only makes things harder on you. Stay calm, and don’t worry! Just resume your daily routine and prioritize maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle as best you can. Try setting reminders or alarms or using a pill organizer to keep a more consistent schedule.
Ensure you’re eating a nutritious diet.
It’s always a good idea to prioritize food first. Focusing on a nutrient-rich diet is good for your well-being and baby’s development. While you may not meet every nutrient need through food daily, you can still get plenty of nutrients. Ensure you’re eating various nutrient-rich foods, including meat, eggs, seafood, poultry, vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, and seeds.
Think about switching brands.
If you find that you skip your prenatal vitamin because it’s making you feel sick, try making a switch. It’s okay to switch prenatal vitamins at any time during pregnancy. We encourage finding the best option for you. There are even other forms of prenatal vitamins, like powders or gummies, that you may find more tolerable when battling morning sickness and food aversions.
Write it down.
As mentioned above, perhaps consider setting an alarm or reminder on your phone to help you remember in the future. You could also create a daily calendar reminder. If you use a written planner or wall calendar, write it down there. You could even write a sticky note and put it on the bathroom mirror so you see it every morning.
Leave your prenatal vitamin bottle out.
Out of sight, out of mind. It’s often easier to remember things when we see them. Leave your prenatal vitamin bottle out on the kitchen counter so that it sparks your memory to take it each day. You could even consider using a medication or pill organizer to “lay out” your prenatal vitamins for the week. This makes it easier to remember if you took them that day or not.
Forgot to take your prenatal vitamin? Now you know what to do!
There you have it. Now you know what to do if you forget to take your prenatal vitamins. After reading this blog post, it’ll also be helpful to check out these blog posts: 1) what to look for in a prenatal vitamin and 2) 10 nourishing foods to include in a healthy pregnancy diet.
For more detailed evidence-based guidance about prenatal nutrition at your fingertips, join The Prenatal Nutrition Library app. The Prenatal Nutrition Library is your one-stop shop for clear answers to all your preconception and pregnancy nutrition questions. Plus, we have an ‘Ask the Dietitian’ forum, a private podcast, pregnancy meal plans, and more. Grab a sneak peek when you download our FREE one-week meal plan!
