My doc actually gives me a prescription for my pre natal vitamins. They actually have a gentle stool softener in them to help counter-act the iron in the vitamins. I love them. Might want to ask your doc about them.
I am taking the Spring Vally Pre Natal from Walmart, not only does it not constipate me, but it's only $4 for a 3 month supply.
I take Twinlab Pre-Natal CAre vitamins and apparently the iron molecule that they use has been modified to not give you any constipation. So far I haven't had any constipation while taking them even when I was preggers. I also think that the pregnancy hormones cause part of the constipation.
I think you can get these at a GNC store or some other natural foods store.
I've been taking a Rx brand called "Select-OB" and I've had no problems with them. Of course you'll still get constipation (whether pregnant or not), but I've been taking these for close to 2 years now (ttc for a year 1/2 before we finally got pregnant and the doc wanted me to take them the second we started ttc) and I never noticed any difference in terms of frequent constipation or stomach aches like some prenatal vits will cause. They are a little expensive though if your insurance doesn't cover them ($28).
I also heard One a Day made a Prenatal Vitamin! My friend called me the other day to tell me and they sound great for you! I think when I finish the ones I'm taking now I will use those because of the dha-really good for the baby!
I take Vitex Prenatal Plus...its a prescription from the Target pharmacy...I feel fine on them normally but when I was pregnant (lost due to mc in Dec.) I had the constipation...so with me at least, it wasn't the vitamin...good luck!
I take precare premier (is a prescription) but so far i really like them. They have a stool softner in them and extra b vit. to help with the wornout feeling. Im 14w and have actuly been on them since 2 months before i got preggo and I really like them.
i found that one a day now makes a prenatal with a bottle of the dha/omega 3 for pregnancy also attached to it, so far i have liked them.
GNC also sells a kind for only 10 dollars without iron if you start to have severe constipation.
I take One Source from Walmart...very affordable and I'm 9 weeks and so far no constipation! And their very easy on the tummy...Good Luck!
you can also take a stool softener w/ your prenatals.
I just took storebrand OTC multivitamins from Walmart.
In regards to the constipation, it could be the pregnancy itself rather than the vitamins that are causing this. That being said it is always worth trying different brands of prenatal vitamins but it if IS the vitamins causing the constipation then its unlikely a different brand will help since most vitamin pills are essentially identical in composition.
Have you tried fiber pills or metamucil? Both of these are acceptable to take while pregnant.