Vitamins, vitamins and more vitamins

The top priority for any women when trying to conceive or upon discovering she is pregnant is to get on a high-quality vitamin program to ensure her growing baby has all of the nutrients necessary for development. Normally, doctors prescribe a brand they prefer. Some docs are OK with patients taking over-the-counter vitamins, but my experience has shown a strong preference for prescription vitamins during pregnancy.

Since my bowel obstruction, I have struggled with ingesting and process pills and tablets. Even though, it's been four years since I had gastric-bypass, my digestive system has retained many sensitivities since the emergency surgery I had in 2007. For that reason, my doctor and I chose to augment my current vitamin routine to ensure I'm getting the necessary amounts of vitamins and minerals without overdosing on any one nutrient.

Here's what I'm taking daily right now:

• 2 Bariatric Advantage high-potency (extra A, D, E, K) chewable multivitamins -- Before pregnancy, I took 1 daily
• 10 Bariatric Advantage Calcium Chewy Bites (250 mg of calcium citrate each) -- Before pregnancy, I took 5 daily
• 1 Bariatric Advantage sublingual B-12 tablet -- Before pregnancy, I took 2 per week
• 1 Se-Vate iron supplement with succinic acid and B12 (generic for Repliva, which has since been taken off the market) -- This is the only tablet I swallow daily.

Obviously, my vitamin expenses have increased during pregnancy. But I figure it's better to be safe than sorry. My doctor's main concern is that I get at least 800 mcg of folic acid daily and that we keep my existing nutrient levels as high as possible. My vitamin D has been very low lately and my iron still runs on the low side of normal.

I have to admit, though, that the daily B12 has really helped with my energy levels.

We're closely monitoring my nutrient levels, but it appears that so far, what we are doing works. The proof, however, will come when I deliver a healthy baby in a few months.