The baby is having a baby!!!

“Oh my God! The baby is having a baby!” were the words expressed by my doctor when I asked if she could recommend liquid prenatal vitamins as opposed to the regular tablet form. While my doctor may have been joking around, there are many women who have a hypersensitive gag reflex just as I do.

What is a gag reflex?

Gag reflex refers to the contraction of the back of the throat, evoked by touching the roof of the mouth, the back of the tongue, the area around the tonsils and the back of the throat. It prevents something from entering the throat except as part of normal swallowing and helps prevent choking. This occurs because the gag reflex muscles are independent of those that control normal swallowing.

A hypersensitive gag reflex can lead to a variety of issues, from swallowing a pill or large bites of food to visiting the dentist. Hypersensitivity is generally a conditioned response, usually occurring following a previous experience.

In Trinidad and Tobago, most OB/GYNs will recommend Materna, as the preferred  prenatal tablet supplement, but if you suffer from hypersensitivity like me you will have a hard time taking care of your baby, and just as importantly, yourself, during that 40 week period.

Most believe that the pre-natal supplement is entirely for your baby, when in reality the vitamins are also for you. Real talk, your baby is a parasite; it will TAKE the necessary nutrients from your body, leaving YOU depleted. Your body may not produce the required quantity to supply your baby AND yourself, that’s why prenatal vitamins are important; so hypersensitive gag reflex or not, GO GET YOUR VITAMINS!

Some of the main supplements you’ll need are iron, folic acid and calcium. If you suffer from hypersensitive gag reflex, there are some over the counter products that you can take, e.g. Ferrum Fol, a chewable, chocolate tasting tablet, will meet your iron and folic acid needs, while Vitafusion provides a very tasty gummy calcium supplement. Additionally, a great liquid multivitamin is Astymin.

Of course please liaise with your doctor before taking any supplement, as every woman’s body will respond differently to supplements.

Hope this helps you on your pregnancy journey!