Being a mum is tough. From taking care of your kiddo’s physical and mental well-being to juggling other chores, it’s easy to feel run down.
There are many vitamin products on the market that claim to keep both mum and junior healthy by boosting energy levels and preventing illnesses. But do you truly need them? Let’s take a closer look.
Benefits Of Vitamins
Keeps immune system strong
Certain vitamins can strengthen the immune system and fight off illnesses. One of the first vitamins most individuals think of is vitamin C, which can shorten the duration of colds and ward off sickness.
Meanwhile, Vitamin D helps our body to absorb calcium and maintain its bone structure. Without sufficient Vitamin D, our immune system can be compromised! Vitamin D plays a crucial role to support immune health.
Zinc also improves immunity and healing. It is essential for healthy eyes, skin, the activity of enzymes, DNA, and protein synthesis.
Other essential nutrients that help maintain our immune system include vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin E, and iron.
Healthy brain and eye development
What you eat affects how you think and what you see. Omega-3 fatty acids are the building blocks of better brain and eye health.
There are three types of omega-3 fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).
EPA and DHA are primarily found in cold-water deep-sea fishes like salmon and halibut. ALA is found in plant sources like chia seeds and walnuts as well as fish and meat.
Kids Who Need Vitamin Supplements
Not all kids require vitamin supplements in their diets. So, who are the children that need the extra nutrients from multivitamin products?
Picky eaters
As a mother, we can’t help but fret and worry if junior is receiving enough nutrients to grow up big and strong. This job only gets harder when he only wants chicken nuggets or fish fingers for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Good news – multivitamins made for kids such as Blackmores Superkids Fruity Fishies are flavoured to taste just like sweets, which is a good solution to satisfy your fussy eater’s palette and ensure he’s getting the nutrients his growing body needs. Blackmores Superkids Fruity Fishies fish oil capsules are natural and raspberry-orange flavoured. Unlike other brands’ vitamins for kids, they are made from xylitol, a healthier plant-based sweetener that prevents tooth decay.
Another type of multivitamin mummies can consider for their kids is Blackmores Superkids Multi Chewables. It contains 13 essential nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin B12, vitamin C, iodine, and folic acid that promote healthy development in children.
Children who fall ill often
Kiddos who often get sniffles and coughs will probably not eat as well when they’re sick, so they may become deficient in important vitamins and minerals. Children with chronic medical conditions like asthma and celiac disease are also at a higher risk for nutritional deficiencies. This group of children will definitely need multivitamins like Blackmores Superkids Multi Chewables to supplement their diets.
Children on restricted diets
Some families may be following a dairy-free, vegetarian/vegan, or other restricted diets due to certain beliefs or health reasons.
Children on these diets may miss out on essential nutrients needed in their growing years, such as protein, iron, zinc, and vitamin B12, which can be found in animal-based foods.
Some good alternatives to make up for the lack of nutrients include
- Fortified soy products like tofu
- Plant-based proteins like lentils and beans
- Dark green leafy vegetables
However, as vegetables can bulk up your little one’s stomach, he may feel full even before getting enough nutrients. A workaround is to give more snack breaks and offer multivitamins like Blackmores Superkids Multi Chewables to supplement his diet.
Children who have Vitamin D deficiency
It may be shocking, but Vitamin D deficiency is actually very common in Singapore due to diet and lifestyle. About 40 per cent of Singaporeans were deficient in vitamin D, while another 8 per cent were very deficient, according to a National Health Survey.
Vitamin D is synthesised by the body using UVB light or absorbed via our digestive system from certain foods. Children, in particular, may be more prone to Vitamin D deficiency as they stay indoors longer or are not consuming enough vitamin D fortified foods due to a combination of the reasons above.
If your child doesn’t like taking multivitamin pills, consider trying Blackmores Superkids Baby D3 Drops. It comes in liquid format and is easy to consume – simply squeeze three drops to get your essential dose of vitamin D3.
Women Who Need Vitamin Supplements
Do all mummies need extra vitamins? Here’s what to expect.
Women trying to conceive and pregnant mothers
For couples trying to conceive (TTC), the experience can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. While there’s no one magic formula to getting pregnant, having a healthy body can help to increase your chances of getting a positive result on that stick. Pregnant mamas also require more vitamins and minerals than usual as they’re eating for two.
Support your TTC and pregnancy journey by consuming more folic acid, iron, and calcium.
Folic acid is essential before and during early pregnancy to prevent birth defects in babies. Consume at least 400mg of folic acid daily before conception and throughout the first three months of pregnancy. Folic acid can be found in
- Eggs
- Dark green vegetables like spinach and broccoli
- Fruits like banana and papaya
- Fortified and enriched foods like pasta and bread
Iron, on the other hand, prevents anaemia and is needed for the formation of red blood cells. During pregnancy, women have almost 50 per cent more blood than usual, so iron is very important as it enables the red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body. Expectant mums need at least 27mg of iron each day. There are two types of iron: heme and non-heme.
Heme iron sources include
- Chicken
- Fish
Non-heme iron sources include
- Egg yolk
- Green leafy vegetables
- Dried fruits and nuts
However, getting iron solely from your food may not be sufficient as non-heme iron is harder to be absorbed by the body.
Lastly, calcium is also needed for the healthy development of the growing baby’s bones, teeth, muscles, and heart. Pregnant women need 1,000mg of calcium per day. If expectant mummies do not consume enough calcium, they have higher risks of hypertension and preeclampsia. Calcium can be found in
- Dairy foods like milk, yoghurt and cheese
- Vegetables like cooked spinach and broccoli
- Soy products like tofu and calcium-fortified soymilk
As the required calcium intake is rather high, hitting the targetted amount may be difficult based solely on food sources alone.
Feeling overwhelmed by the long list? You’re not alone! If you find keeping track of all your food sources a hassle, why not try Blackmores Conceive Well™Gold? With just one capsule and tablet, women trying to conceive can get all the omega-3s and vitamins needed to healthily support the female reproductive system and prepare their bodies for conception. It also contains CoQ10 & folic acid, which are associated with safe and normal conception for expectant mums.
Nursing mothers
As a nursing mother, it’s important to consume enough vitamins as your baby relies on your breast milk to get the necessary nutrients for growth and development. You will also need an additional 330 to 400 kilocalories every day, so eat more foods containing essential fats, vitamins A, Bs and C, zinc, iodine, and calcium.
Although seafood is generally safe, don’t consume large bottom-dwelling fishes such as sharks, swordfishes, and king mackerel to reduce the exposure to known chemical contaminants like mercury.
For expectant and nursing mamas, Blackmores Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Advanced multivitamin helps to fill some critical nutritional gaps. It is designed to support a healthy pregnancy and breastfeeding. Get all the essential nutrients you need with just two capsules each day. Suitable for all mothers-to-be and mothers, its iron bisglycinate ingredient is gentle on the digestive system and doesn’t cause any constipation. Even better, this multivitamin also doesn’t cause any nausea with its odourless concentrated fish oil.
Build A Solid Foundation in Life
While supplements can help fill in the gaps in your diet, the best way to get your necessary nutrients is to consume them straight from food. Not a single superfood can provide all the nutrients that our body needs, so it’s important to have a varied diet that is rich in wholegrains, protein, fruits, and vegetables. However, children—and even us mummies—don’t always eat as we should. This is when supplements can do wonders to help improve our nutrition.
As Australia’s leading natural health company with 90 years of science and heritage, Blackmores manufactures high-quality health supplements suitable for mothers and kids. Blackmores never compromises on quality, always placing the health and safety of consumers at the heart of their business. Rigid testing protocols are in place to ensure top quality and there are no added preservatives, artificial colours, flavours, or sweeteners. Whether you’re trying to conceive, pregnant, or breastfeeding, mummies can enjoy peace of mind when consuming or giving your kids Blackmores multivitamin products. Find out more about them on the Blackmores website now!
