If you have been Googling everything since discovering you are pregnant, you are not alone. There's so much advice out there, but one thing is worth knowing early. Your baby’s development starts long before your bump begins to show.

Your baby's brain and spinal cord begin forming in the first few weeks of pregnancy. The neural tube typically closes around 26–28 days after fertilization. Sometimes before you even know you are pregnant. 1 That is why getting the right nutrients early on matters.

You have probably heard of folic acid. It is one nutrient worth paying attention to, especially in early pregnancy. Research shows that taking folic acid before conception and during early pregnancy helps reduce the risk of neural tube defects, which affect the developing brain and spine. 2

Folic acid is not the only nutrient to think about. Other nutrients like iron help your body produce red blood cells, iodine supports thyroid hormone production, and vitamin D contributes to normal bone health. 3 Eating a balanced variety of foods is a good start to meeting your changing nutritional needs.

However, the reality is pregnancy is not always picture-perfect.

Morning sickness, sudden food aversions and those days when nothing seems appetizing, many mums know the feeling. And when bloating and trapped gas make things even more uncomfortable, mealtimes can become a struggle.

This is where simethicone can help. It works by bringing together small gas bubbles in the digestive tract, making them easier to pass and helping relieve bloating and gas-related discomfort. 4

For a little extra support, there is Appeton Essentials Natal Care. Formulated for pregnant and lactating mothers, it contains 11 vitamins and 6 minerals, including folic acid, iron and iodine, alongside simethicone to help relieve bloating and gas-related discomfort.

You can also consider Appeton Essentials Folic Acid 400 µg as an additional source of folic acid during pregnancy, as part of your daily nutritional routine.

Because taking care of yourself is part of taking care of your little one, too.