My friend gave me 4 weeks supply of Prenate with DHA when I learned I was pregnant and when I ran out my midwife said that my target brand prenatals and costco brand fish oil pills were just fine. I also supplement with 600mg calcium, D3, B12 and folic acid based on my diet and midwife discussion.
One thing to check out is how much DHA the fish oil capsules actually contain. Sometimes you might have to eat two or three to get the same amount of DHA as is in one prenatal DHA supplement, so just make sure to figure that in when you're doing your cost analysis. Other than that (and the fish oil will probably still work out cheaper), I don't think there is really any reason to choose prenatal DHA supplements over fish oil unless you want to avoid eating fish. (Testing done on fish oil pills have shown they don't have detectable levels of mercury and toxins, so as long as you're getting a reputable brand I wouldn't worry about that.)
I just buy the CVS brand prenatal and dha combo pack. It's $10 for a 30 day supply of the prenatal and the dha, and you just take 2 pills (one of each) a day. I specifically chose this set because the dha is vegetarian and it was rather inexpensive in my opinion.
CVS brand prenatal/dha combo pack is great. I've taken those at times during pregnancy. Not only is it fairly cheap they often have sales of buy one get one free. I like the "One a Day" brand also because it includes both kinds of DHA and not just one kind like most brands.
Honestly the main difference to me between fish oil and dha supplement pills is that fish oil burps are GROSS. Super super nasty! And if you have any nausuea issues like I had, you'll want to avoid that at all costs and go with a dha pill instead. The aftertaste on those isn't half as bad.
Something I would say is to look for a fish oil supplement that says it's been tested for mercury, lead, etc. A DHA supplement is usually higher in DHA (part of omega 3) than regular fish oil (but not always). It will list how many mg of DHA there is per pill on a bottle of fish oil.
They are lemon flavored solfgels, so there is no fishy taste, and Nordic Naturals is a really good company. Just make sure to look on the back of the bottle to see how much actual DHA there is in the supplement, because the amount varies A LOT with different products/manufacturers. Vitamins aren't really regulated by the FDA, so in my experience you really get what you pay for.
I found a prenatal that didn't have the DHA so I had to supplement instead of just switching to a combo pill. I am taking "Triple Omega" and everyone has given me a big thumbs up on it. It's like $7 a bottle and lasts forever. I just get it at the grocery store.
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16w5d
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Honestly the main difference to me between fish oil and dha supplement pills is that fish oil burps are GROSS. Super super nasty! And if you have any nausuea issues like I had, you'll want to avoid that at all costs and go with a dha pill instead. The aftertaste on those isn't half as bad.
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I've been taking Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega: http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=163233&catid=100745&aid=337953&aparam=nordic_naturals_ultimate&CAWELAID=61288669
They are lemon flavored solfgels, so there is no fishy taste, and Nordic Naturals is a really good company. Just make sure to look on the back of the bottle to see how much actual DHA there is in the supplement, because the amount varies A LOT with different products/manufacturers. Vitamins aren't really regulated by the FDA, so in my experience you really get what you pay for.
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