In the third trimester (weeks 28-40) your blood volume increases by 40 percent, your pelvic joints expand and your breast tissue develops. Your baby is growing faster than at any other time in your pregnancy, doubling in size, increasing nerve cells, strengthening bones, maturing lungs, immune system and digestive tract, and laying down stores of fat, iron, and calcium. Brain cells are multiplying faster than at any other time in his or her life.
The formulation of Vital Essence 3 is designed to meet all these needs and to help to get you as fit and healthy as possible in preparation for labour, birth, and breast-feeding. We recommend that you take it in conjunction with Vital DHA.
Iron has not been increased as Vital Essence 1 and 2 will by now have provided an adequate stockpile. But extra zinc is needed in this final stage to help boost immunity and balance hormones. Selenium (a powerful anti-oxidant) has been increased to supply the foetus as has Vitamin E to help the blood flow to the placenta. We've also increased the dosage of Vitamin K to help with the production of blood clotting factors in your baby when he or she is born. Finally, we've increased the dosage of Co-enzyme Q10 as well, to help boost your supply of energy. Take one tablet (with or after food) three times a day.
Vital Essence 3 is suitable for both vegetarians and vegans. It is free from artificial colours, preservatives and gluten and is certified non-GM.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do the ingredients in Vital Essence 3 contain the RDA?
Yes - they have been approved by the HFMA and are formulated in conjunction with Department of Health guidelines.
Will Vital Essence 3 help with tiredness?
Yes, tiredness can be caused by numerous factors; taking a good healthy multi-vitamin and mineral supplement will help.
Can taking vitamins during pregnancy harm the baby?
Anything in excess is not good for you or your baby. It is also best to stick with the recommended amounts. All the active ingredients within Vital Essence 3 are within recommended RDA's.
My GP says if I am eating a good diet, I do not need to take vitamins?
In our view, even if you have a healthy diet - which many people don't these days, given missed, hurried or convenience meals - you can't always be sure you are getting the vitamins and minerals you need. Not least because intensive food production and processing have stripped many foods of a lot of their nourishment. In our opinion, a good multi-vitamin and mineral supplement is essential during pregnancy, if only as an insurance policy.
My appetite has gone off, I don’t want to eat as much. May I take Vital Essence 3 instead of food?
No, you must maintain a good diet, especially one rich in carbohydrates, during the end of pregnancy. Carbohydrates will give you fuel for labour.
Vital DHA alongside Vital Essence 3
Vital DHA during the third trimester
During the last trimester of pregnancy, the baby goes through a period of intense development called the brain spurt. At this time, your baby's brain will take up 70% of your calorie intake and demand for DHA is greater than ever. Zita West strongly recommend you consider supplementing your DHA intake before and after this critical period.
Contains 90 tablets - 1 month's supply.
Three tablets a day typically provide:
RDA%
Vitamin D 6.9ug 138
Vitamin E 235iu 149mg 1490
Vitamin C 500mg 833
Thiamin (Vitamin B1) 10mg 714
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) 10mg 625
Niacin (Vitamin B3) 10mg 56
Vitamin B6 10mg 500
Folic Acid 400ug 200
Vitamin B12 20ug 2000
Biotin 25ug 17
Pantothenic Acid Vitamin B5) 25mg 417
Vitamin K 80ug
Calcium 500mg 63
Phosphorus 250mg 31
Iron 15mg 107
Magnesium 125mg 42
Zinc 15mg 100
Iodine 25ug 17
Manganese 1mg
Copper 1mg
Selenium 100ug
Inositol 10mg
Choline Bitartrate 10mg
Coenzyme Q10 4mg
Vital Essence 3 - Ingredients and their Benefits
Calcium - may prevent pre-eclampsia and hypertension and together with vitamin D may help to ease pain in labour. It may also help to protect you and your baby against allergies, viruses and tooth decay. Most of a baby’s calcium is deposited in this trimester as its bones and teeth harden (the foetus now takes up calcium at the rate of approximately 350mg a day), so you need a plentiful supply to prevent it being scavenged from your own skeleton.
Co-enzyme Q10 - a useful anti-oxidant, very good for boosting energy in the final stages of pregnancy when you are feeling tired and carrying extra weight. It improves the body’s ability to use oxygen and utilise a steady flow of energy from food.
Folic Acid (folate) - needed to manufacture DNA and (with Vitamin B12) to make red blood cells. The World Health Organisation reports that up to a half of all pregnant women suffer from folic acid deficiency in the last three months of pregnancy and so are at risk of pernicious anaemia.
Iron - needed to manufacture red blood cells. Adequate supply now will prevent anaemia and a low blood count going in to labour, ensure good energy and adequate oxygen supply to muscles during labour, and increase resistance to infection after delivery. Deficiency can cause weakness, excessive fatigue, low spirits, a poor labour outcome and possibly premature labour.
Magnesium - adequate stores can prevent premature labour, pre-eclampsia and hypertension. Deficiency may contribute to painful uterine contractions at the end of pregnancy and also the painful leg cramps that some women suffer from.
Phosphorus - plays an important role in the utilisation of carbohydrates, proteins and fats and is needed for your baby’s bone development.
Selenium - essential for your baby’s brain development in the third trimester and an important anti-oxidant to prevent infection. Recent research suggests that selenium levels can fall during pregnancy and women who miscarry may have reduced selenium.
Vitamin C - vital for hormone production and to aid the absorption of iron. It is antioxidant and anti-viral, helps to fight infection and promote healing after delivery, and keeps collagen (a protein found in connective tissue, needed for proper growth and for healthy skin, bones and teeth) healthy and resistant to penetration by viruses, drugs, and toxins.
Vitamin E - antioxidant, helps to speed up wound healing and to keep skin supple. It may prevent miscarriage and can help to ease labour by strengthening the muscles. Deficiency in babies can lead to anaemia, jaundice and poor development of the heart, brain, lungs and kidneys.
Vitamin K - an essential ingredient of prothrombin, which causes blood to clot. It is made naturally by bacteria in the gut, but a baby is born with a sterile gut and has to get vitamin K from its mother. New-borns deficient in Vitamin K are at risk of internal bleeding.
Zinc - essential for balancing hormones and for the growth and development of your baby’s reproductive system. Boys take five times more zinc from their mothers than girls, and deficiency has been linked to undescended testicles. Good zinc status has been shown to improve birth weight, prevent premature delivery and maternal complications, boost immunity and prevent stretch marks.
Allergen Information
From Corn: Modified corn starch
From Soya: Vitamin E (D-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate)
