Despite all the books I tried to read or was told I needed to read (etc. etc.), I still leaned on the simple, comforting advice that as long as I was taking a good prenatal, I was doing OK. There are so many books about all the things you should or could be doing to have a healthy pregnancy – food to eat, food not to eat, exercise to do or not to do, the list goes on. Some people thrive in that environment. I usually do! But for some reason, in this case (with pregnancy), I did not. It was too much!

So I decided I’d let myself be in survival mode (aka eat what I wanted or could handle – to an extent) as long as I did a little research and found a good prenatal. (Read more about my first trimester experience here.)

I don’t really think there’s necessarily a “bad” prenatal, but I wanted to at least understand the market and what was out there. And doing so made me feel more confident and took away some of the anxiety and uncertainty of the whole process. As a general rule, I’ve found that taking the time to educate myself (even if just a little bit or with some preliminary information) tends to calm me down and helps me think better.

ANYWAY, let me get to my point. I did my research and looked at several options on the market. I ultimately decided to go with Ritual prenatal vitamins for a number of reasons (I could write a whole blog post on this!).

Why I love Ritual Prenatal Vitamins:

• It’s only 2 pills – this was a big win for me because there was no way I could take a whole handful of vitamins during my first trimester when I was feeling so sick.
• The information (and research) on their website  – there are several extremely helpful articles that explain how they came up with the formula for the prenatal and WHY they decided to include each and every ingredient (as well as where they get the ingredient and their relationship with the specific manufacturer that supplies it).
• Their commitment to transparency – from their packaging to the traceability of their ingredients, they go out of their way to be transparent with their process. I like knowing exactly what’s in the formula and that they explained WHY they chose that specific form of the ingredient (e.g., methylated B12 and Folate).
• Delayed release capsule – designed to dissolve later in the small intestine, which helps with absorption and nausea.
• Fresh lemony flavor so pills are easier to swallow.
• Auto refill – I don’t have to think about getting more. Each month, my new bottle is delivered straight to my door!

Those are just a few of the main reasons why I love Ritual, but of course do your own research in deciding what will be best for YOU! Or talk to your healthcare provider – I’m not an expert.