Ritual Prenatal Vitamins Review: Why Ill Never Shortchange My Health Again

You’ve taken the test and gotten the results — you’re pregnant!

After the initial surprise and confirmation from a medical professional, the mixture of emotions (you know — that unique blend of excitement and anxiety) sets in.

The best cure? Make a plan. And I don’t mean starting a baby registry. First, make a plan to take care of yourself.

That’s especially true if this isn’t your first pregnancy.

Your life isn’t going to slow down just because you got pregnant. So it’s time to level up your health investment. And take it from me — the best investment you can make is a quality prenatal vitamin.

A stark contrast

For my first two pregnancies, I bought whatever prenatal vitamin was the cheapest at the store. I figured it was wiser to spend my money on the gear we would need, like a crib.

But the truth is, I felt awful. I had low energy, I was so sick, and I felt miserable — all because my health was not a priority. It wasn’t until my third pregnancy that I felt my best.

I truly believe it was because I stopped taking whatever prenatal vitamin was on sale, just to check the “I took my prenatals” box, and instead started investing in a quality prenatal vitamin: Ritual Essential Prenatal.

As a first-time mom, I didn’t know what I didn’t know. But hindsight is 20/20.

A choice that paid off

My first two pregnancies were a mess. I was nauseated, weak, and pretty much miserable from the moment of conception until the end.

My memory of carrying both of my daughters is plagued with exhaustion, an inability to sleep, and the worst nausea you can imagine — the kind where you pull over on the side of the road to vomit.

No one deserves that.

When I found out I was pregnant with my third child, I knew I needed all the help I could get to keep my energy up. I had two kids and a part-time job that wasn’t about to slow down anytime soon.

As soon as I saw that second line on the pregnancy test, I went straight to researching ways to keep my energy up. Of course, there were plenty of suggestions that just did not apply to me — going to bed early doesn’t work when you work and have two preschoolers.

The best advice I found? Make your health the top priority.

I knew I needed to invest in my health first in order to meet all my responsibilities, and the first choice I had to make was which prenatal vitamin I was going to take.

With all that in mind, I decided to give Ritual a shot.

A pregnancy game-changer

Originally, I heard about Ritual vitamins in a moms group where everyone swore by them. But to be honest with you, what attracted me the most to them was how the pill capsule was designed.

The capsules for Ritual vitamins are made with a double layer that’s designed in such a way that it won’t fully dissolve until it’s in your small intestine (1).

This is meant to reduce nausea and help your body absorb the most nutrients — two super important considerations when you’re growing a little one.

My third pregnancy was more of a surprise pregnancy, so I didn’t start taking Ritual prenatal vitamins until after I discovered I was pregnant (around 6 weeks).

Once I started taking them each morning, however, I began to feel better within a few days. I had more energy, less pain, and the ability to sleep easier in the evenings.

My nausea lessened, and my energy increased — which was exactly what I needed, since I had two preschoolers that I had to keep up with.

Not just because the doctor said I had to

The purpose of a prenatal vitamin is to help fuel your body with all the essential nutrients you need in order to function while growing another human body (2, 3).

Prenatal vitamins support healthy neural tube development for your growing baby, as well as a healthy birth weight (2, 4).

But they also help prevent you from feeling depleted and run down by keeping up your nutrient stores. Otherwise, all the good stuff goes toward building a healthy baby, leaving you with whatever’s left.

Still, though, it can be hard to justify the cost of a quality vitamin when you can spend a fraction of the price at your local drugstore. And the truth is — if you’re like I was — you probably don’t know what to look for in a prenatal vitamin.

Not all supplements are created equal

If you’re looking for a quality prenatal vitamin, Ritual should be at the top of your list.

These supplements are vegan-friendly and free of gluten and major allergens, so they’re a good option if you have food allergies or intolerances.

Physically and otherwise, Ritual is one of the most transparent supplement companies out there. Not only are their capsules see-through, but their website lets you track where the nutrients are from.

Learn more

Learn more

This visible supply chain helps you know what you’re putting in your body with their trademarked “Made Traceable” program (5).

The B12, for example, is from Bridgeport, Connecticut, and the iodine is manufactured in Pisticci, Italy. How cool is that?

Of course, the Essential Prenatal carries the essential nutrients you need to thrive during pregnancy and help your baby develop, from choline to omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

In the three pregnancies I’ve experienced, I can tell you that the difference between a quality prenatal vitamin like Ritual Essential Prenatal and a drugstore brand was paramount for me.

If you’re hoping to maintain energy and reduce nausea while your baby develops, I cannot recommend Ritual Essential Prenatal vitamins enough for you.

Try them and thank me later.

More about Ritual

Ritual is a wellness company that was founded in 2016 by Katerina Schneider with the goal of creating high quality supplements for women by women.

Specifically, Ritual specializes in multivitamins for women at various stages of life, including before and after pregnancy.

Since its inception, Ritual’s product line has expanded to include multivitamins for men, teens, and kids.

Here are the multivitamins currently available from Ritual:

• Essential for Women 18+
• Essential for Men 18+
• Essential for Women 50+
• Essential for Men 50+
• Prenatal Multivitamin
• Postnatal Multivitamin
• Essential for Teens Multivitamin for Her
• Essential for Teens Multivitamin for Him
• Essential for Kids Multivitamin Kids 4+

If you’re looking for an easy way to boost your protein intake, Ritual’s product line also includes protein powders formulated for adults over age 18, adults over age 50, and people who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

While its product line continues to grow, the goal behind Ritual remains the same: manufacturing high quality dietary supplements using research-backed ingredients and transparent business practices.

Christine Luna is a wife, mom of 3, and a trainer dedicated to helping women make healthy choices in motherhood. When she isn’t teaching workout classes or running around with her kids, she’s probably drinking coffee.

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