How many times have you heard your Mom or Grandma say that you better drink your milk if you want to have strong bones? Well did you know that while pregnant, calcium is not just important for you but also for your growing baby? Your baby needs calcium to develop healthy teeth, bones muscle and heart. If you aren’t taking in enough calcium through your diet during pregnancy your baby may be depleting your own calcium stores, leaving you at risk of poor bone health, calcium deficiency and even osteoporosis.
Calcium Recommendations During Pregnancy
According to mayoclinic.org women aged 19-50 require 1000 mg of calcium everyday. This can be taken in through foods such as milk, kale, sardines, cheese and yogurt. Even if you are a healthy eater it can often be challenging to meet your requirements through diet alone. For example, you would have to drink 3.3 cups of milk or eat more than 4 cups of cooked kale to reach 1000 mg. If you are a busy mama like myself, you know some days that just isn’t happening!
Why Supplement with Calcium?
Although it is important to take in enough calories through real food and proper nutrition during pregnancy it may be a good idea to include a supplement in your diet in addition to your prenatal vitamin. Viactiv calcium chews provide 500 mg of calcium per chew and just two of them daily is enough to meet all your calcium needs making sure both you and baby continue to grow strong bones and teeth!
In addition to calcium, other vitamins such as folic acid, iodine and vitamin D are also crucial during pregnancy. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends 600 IU per day of vitamin D for all women, especially while pregnant. Since vitamin D is hard to come by in everyday foods, Viactiv soft chews include 500 IU of vitamin D in every chew ensuring you are getting your recommended amount.
Even though I am not currently pregnant, I find I have a hard time reaching my recommended daily intake of calcium. Quite frankly, I hate milk so that’s not an option for me. I have always been sensitive to dairy and although I can tolerate some cheeses and greek yogurt it’s hard for me to eat enough of it everyday.
I recently started taking Viactiv Calcium Soft Chews and I am loving the caramel flavor! They are also available in milk chocolate and you can buy them at major retailers like CVS, Rite Aid, Target, and Walmart, as well as supermarkets nationwide.
Now it’s your turn to #BumpUpYourCalcium to benefit you and your growing baby. Check out Viactiv on Facebook and Instagram to learn more!
Learn more about #Viactiv and pregnancy .
This is a product-provided, sponsored conversation on behalf of Viactiv that contains affiliate links. I received Viactiv Calcium Soft Chews for my own personal use. This post is not intended to address or diagnose any medical conditions. All opinions, text and experiences are my own. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing or planning on becoming pregnant, speak with your healthcare provider if you have any specific health questions or prior to taking any dietary supplements.