How much calcium do I need?

Additional calcium is necessary during pregnancy to support the growth of the fetal skeleton as well as the maintenance of mom's bone stores.

The daily calcium recommendation is 1000 mg per day during the second and third trimester. Your prenatal vitamin will typically include a small amount of calcium (around 100-200 mg) but the remaining requirements can be met through what you eat or a calcium supplement. Other than dairy or fortified beverages, fish, beans, almonds, spinach, kale, and bok choy are high in calcium.

Tip: Try to take your calcium supplement separately from your prenatal as it can interfere with the absorption of other minerals like iron.