Dear Dr Mitchell,
I am still taking the prenatal vitamins I got when I was pregnant even though my baby is now over a year old, and I'm not breastfeeding. This is because I need to take vitamins and figured that they can't do any harm.

But my mother-in-law says that I need to take something with calcium and I don't know what else to take. Are there special tablets that I should be taking, now that I'm going up in age and don't have time to eat properly?

Prenatal vitamins are perfectly safe to take during pregnancy, breastfeeding and even long after discontinuation of breast feeding. The popular ones such as Prenatal, Pregnacare and Materna contain a good balance of iron, vitamins and calcium and can be taken by both males and females if so desired.

If you feel the need for extra calcium supplementation then you can buy calcium tablets and take one per day with the Materna. However, consuming foods such as broccoli, sardines, milk and cheese will provide adequate calcium in the diet and there will be no need for supplementation. A regular exercise programme will also help to build strong bone and prevent osteoporosis even without taking extra calcium.

It is important that you find time to eat at least one balanced meal per day and make time for yourself, especially since you now have a child to care for. This will ensure that you will be there for the child in the future.
Best wishes.

Dr Sharmaine Mitchell is an obstetrician and gynaecologist. Send questions and comments via e-mail to allwoman@jamaicaobserver.com or fax to 968-2025. We regret that we cannot supply personal answers.

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