Did you know vitamin D is one of the most important vitamins when you are trying to become pregnant however most of the population including pregnant women are deficient in it. Vitamin D is an important vitamin for a healthy immune system, bone health and healthy cell division. The reason for the widespread deficiency is very few foods contain it and in order for your body to make this hormone there are many factors involved such as where you live, the season, how much time you spend outdoors without sunscreen, skin pigmentation, age, obesity, pollution, and having healthy intestines with optimal absorption capacity.
This is such an important vitamin for pregnancy because it is used in every system in the body from bone, brain, cardiovascular, and metabolic health. It protects against rickets (bone softening) and creates a healthy immune system. It also helps with the absorption of calcium.
Vitamin D deficiency is linked to preeclampsia, high blood pressure, high blood sugar and incre3ase risk of cesarean delivery, just to name a few.
So how do you make sure you are getting enough Vitamin D during and after pregnancy. Follow these 5 simple secrets to give your body everything it needs to make this essential vitamin for you and your baby.
1. Eat your vitamin D- foods like egg yolk, cold water Salmon and cod liver oil are wonderful sources. You need 400-800 IU a day which is 1 3oz piece of salmon or ½ tbsp of cod liver oil.
2. Naked time- Get 10-15 minutes of naked sun time per day. No, I don’t mean go outside naked however I do mean without sunscreen as this will aid in your skin making this necessary hormone.
3. Supplement where needed- The best supplements I have found are Nordic Naturals Vitamin D3 (1000 IU per soft gel). The carrier oil is organic, extra virgin olive oil and they come in small, soft gels that are very easy to swallow. I also recommend Nordic Naturals Prenatal DHA with added vitamin D3 (400 IU per 2 soft gels).
4. Philips Golite Sunlamp- If you are in an area with little to no sun, then invest in this sunlamp. Available on Amazon for about $120, this portable light therapy machine is wonderful for helping your body to make vitamin D in a blah winter or sunless season.
5. Supplement with foods- Add fortified milk, orange juice, and cereals to your diet. Although I don’t recommend lots of packaged foods to my clients, I do recommend supplementing with these foods if the above steps are unable to be taken. Make sure you read your labels and are getting the adequate amounts.
Bottom line- The sunshine vitamin is super important when trying to conceive since it is essential in building a strong, healthy baby. Take the necessary steps today to ensure you are getting the proper amounts as you and your baby’s health depends on it.
Thank you for posting this. I had no idea how important vitamin D was for fertility. I knew it was important for your everyday health and that it is a fat salable vitamin, meaning you can over does on it. If you feel yourself getting nauseous or dizzy you may be over doing it. I would strongly suggest the natural sunlight and in short bursts of around 20 minutes at a time. Headaches while poolside are another sign of overdose on vitamin D. Stay safe.
Ok ladies, I am a guy commenting on this, so please be patient with me. As a health coach, this blog makes so much sense to me now and aligns with my core beliefs on wellness. First, realize our bodies are legacy machines, our body systems work almost identical to how they did 50,000 years ago. Yes, our knowledge and understanding have advanced, but our bodies haven’t progressed into a homo sapien 2.0 system yet, and won’t for another 5,000 years, if at all. Now, look back before the prevalence of agriculture, when we were hunters and gatherers, and our body systems developed. This is a generalization here, but in the summer, you spend more time in the sun and food resources are prevalent, vitamin D levels rise, and you conceive. Then the baby relies on Mom during gestation (fall, winter, spring), and then is born as summer arrives, and Mom has abundant food resources again as the babies rely on mom while nursing. You see degrees of a pattern like this with all species, mother nature knows her stuff.
Now I have a few questions to throw out to the experts on vitamin D. How significant is vitamin D after the baby is born for the mother, say during nursing? How important is it for the child in those first 4-6 months, I assume the baby only gets that from Mom.
Great Blog Kela, Thank you!!
Thanks for your comment Scott! I agree mother nature does know what she is doing and we need to trust her and our bodies. I believe vitamin D is significant for mother and baby. Here is a fun fact- vitamin D is actually a hormone our bodies make when exposed to sunlight. It tells your intestine to absorb more calcium and phosphate, therefore playing a critical role in bone structure & strength. Recent research has demonstrated that vitamin D also plays a role in prevention of some cancers (colon in particular), autoimmune diseases (Type I diabetes, multiple sclerosis), and is important in maximizing ovarian function and improving fertility. It also helps with bone formation and structure as your baby grows as well as helps to prevent depression. If a mama is breastfeeding and her vit D levels are good then baby should be getting enough however spending just 15 mins or so in the sun without sunscreen will allow the mamma and baby to make all they need. Also don’t trust your store bought pre-natal vitamins to have adequate vitamin D since most are made with synthetic vitamins and aren’t bio-available for your body. Thanks for a great discussion.