Maternity Milk Drinks: Do they Measure Up?

The debate over the need for supplementation continues, but what everyone agrees on is the importance of preparing a woman’s body for pregnancy, as well as maintaining the health of that pregnancy. To make sure that the baby has the best chances of thriving in the external world, it’s essential to create a nutrient-rich, toxic-free environment within its internal world during those 9 crucial months of growth and development.

What they do
Just like prenatal vitamins, maternity milks are marketed to promote healthy pregnancy and lactation. They claim to provide essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients needed to support her changing body. Most are specially formulated to have increased amounts of certain nutrients that are particularly important during pregnancy and throughout lactation, such as folic acid, choline, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), iron, and calcium:

- Folic acid and choline are extremely important before and during pregnancy because they support the growth and proper development of the baby’s nervous system. Keep in mind that the baby’s nervous system (which includes the brain) is the first system to form, and it basically dictates how the rest of the baby develops, well after they are born.

- DHA, a type of beneficial fat, is important in the regulation of the hormonal changes that occur in the mother.

- Iron is another crucial mineral because the maternal blood volume increases dramatically, and iron is needed to create more hemoglobin, a major component of blood cells, to provide proper oxygen and nutrient delivery to both Mom and Baby.

- Calcium is needed by the heart, nerves, bones, and muscles. If Baby doesn’t get enough, he or she will take it from Mom, who needs it just as badly for her changing body.

(Related story: The 8 Vitamins Vital to your Pregnancy)

For all intents and purposes, maternity milk drinks are on the right track for providing much-needed nutrients. Plus, they tend to be lower in fat and higher in nutritional content than most full-cream milks on the market. For women who, for whatever reason, are significantly limited in their ability to obtain sufficient levels of nutrients, maternity milk drinks are adequate in providing minimum levels of nutrition for both the mother and baby. However, if you are looking to do more than just meet the minimum requirements, maternity milk drinks should not be your only source of prenatal supplementation.

[previous|page|next]

Some things to consider
Here are a few things you should take note of when choosing a maternity milk supplement:

1. Does it have enough of the partner nutrients?
One must consider that for every vitamin needed, there are a few minerals and other “partner” nutrients required for that particular vitamin to be taken in and used by the body. In the case of many supplements, including maternity drinks, you may get large amounts of one vitamin but get very little or none of their “partners” needed to absorb it. If you were deficient in the “partner” nutrients to begin with, then you won’t be able to effectively absorb and use the vitamins taken in from the supplements.

2. Are the nutrients natural or synthetic?
Moreover, you should question whether the vitamins and nutrients in the drinks are natural or synthetic. The body has very little absorbability of synthetic vitamins, and even if the synthetic vitamins are absorbed, they’re not recognized as the same nutrient as their natural counterparts, rendering them useless.

Whenever possible, it’s best to consume these nutrients in their natural form via food, which not only provides the natural, more absorbable form of the vitamins or minerals, but also comes with their partner nutrients. Folic acid can be found in spinach, lentils, egg noodles, and beef liver. Choline, in turn, can be found in spinach, eggs, and lean meats. DHA, can be obtained from sea vegetables, eggs, and high-quality fish oils (speak to your doctor about how much to take and how to choose a good quality fish oil). Iron can be found in meats, lentils, various beans (kidney, black, pinto), chickpeas, and spinach. Lastly, calcium can be obtained from plain, non-sweetened yogurt, some cheese (mozzarella, ricotta, Gruyere), almonds, and sesame seeds.

(Related story: What to Eat while Pregnant)

3. What’s exactly in it?
When choosing between maternity milks, it’s also important to read labels. If you’re not careful, you may be taking in toxins without even knowing it. For instance, some brands may have trans-fats as an ingredient. As you may already know, trans-fats are harmful to the cardiovascular, digestive, and immune systems. In addition, some maternity milk brands are flavored to make them more palatable. Most of the time, particularly with powdered products, flavorings are synthetic and may even contain monosodium glutamate, a nerve toxin that is dangerous to your and your baby’s brain cells. Remember that some toxins easily pass through the placental barrier and thus negatively affect the baby. Find a maternity drink that is as natural in ingredients as possible.

Whatever method you choose to maximize nutrient intake before, during and after pregnancy, be sure to have a discerning eye on all products you consume. With the addition of exercise and effective stress management, you can bet that you’ll be able to provide a nourishing, safe environment in which your baby can develop to its fullest potential. 

Photo from mommypage.com