Forgot folic acid

Hi Nienke,

It’s mainly about the first 4 weeks before you start trying to conceive. If you’re already pregnant and haven’t taken it yet, it’s advisable to start taking it right away until the baby is about 8 weeks along. Maybe it’s a good idea to keep it next to your gas stove, since it’s best to take folic acid during meals. Good luck!

I've had three kids, the youngest turned 17 today. When I was pregnant, I didn't use folic acid. That wasn't really brought to attention back then. I wouldn't worry about it. I've had three healthy kids. For your peace of mind: maybe you can combine it with a fixed routine before you go to sleep.

Hi,

I sometimes forget to take my folic acid too.

I've been taking folic acid for 4 weeks now, but I'm still not pregnant. I don't know what to do anymore!

Best,

If you keep a good eye on your cycle, you can use an app for it. When you get your period, it also tells you when you're most fertile.

Lientje, folic acid doesn't help you get pregnant, you know. It's purely for the healthy development of the baby. And because this is especially important during the very earliest stages of development, you're advised to take folic acid before you become pregnant.

By the way, four weeks (unfortunately) isn't really that long when you're trying to conceive. Maybe you'd find the 'need augustus' forum helpful? There's a lot of talk about ovulation and how to keep track of when you're fertile.

My sister has 4 kids and never took folic acid
And she smoked heavily during all her pregnancies
And she has 4 healthy kids

Nope, as you can see from others' posts, it's totally fine. I also forget about it regularly (I have to take it throughout the whole pregnancy). Don't try to make up for lost doses by suddenly taking 3 pills.

I've been trying to get pregnant for 1.5 years now. So I've been taking folic acid for longer than 1.5 years... lately I sometimes forget to take it. But my body has probably built up enough of it by now, right?

I didn't take folic acid during the first weeks of my pregnancy (exactly 7 weeks). Hopefully, I have a very healthy girl in September :-)

With my oldest, I started taking it when I was pregnant and held out for a maximum of 2 weeks before stopping altogether with my youngest It’ll probably be fine, my sister didn’t do it with any of her three kids. (N.L in sha allah sweetheart! It’ll definitely work out with Allah’s will )

I've been trying for my first baby since Oct 2016.
In Sept 2016 we started taking folic acid, and eventually went to the GP in Oct 2017 because we still weren't pregnant. In Jan 2018 we got an appointment at the hospital (3-month waiting list).
In the end, we're now relying on ICSI; natural conception isn't an option unfortunately.
Since January I've been taking dietary supplements that contain folic acid as well as many other vitamins that increase the chances of pregnancy ;-) By the way, these supplements aren't reimbursed and cost 41 euros per pack (28 tablets), so they're definitely not cheap. But if it brings us closer to a (healthy) baby, we're happy to pay for it.
It's scientifically proven that taking folic acid greatly reduces the risk of conditions like spina bifida ;-) Of course, it can still go well without it, but why take the risk? Folic acid isn't that expensive, and it's all for the well-being of your future baby, right? I'd never forgive myself if something was wrong with our (future) baby because I didn't think I needed folic acid.
And smoking, well, you'd better not start. I understand that quitting is really hard for some and can cause a lot of stress, which isn't good for the little one either, but quitting (or at least cutting down) is definitely recommended, not just for the baby's health but also for your own.
Of course, everyone forgets to take something once in a while. Keeping it somewhere you see every day can indeed help. You can also ask your partner to remind you or set an alarm on your phone
It's all your own choice, of course