The 5 Best Protein Powders For Pregnancy – [Reviews & Rankings]

Pregnancy and post-pregnancy are incredibly important times for a woman. You may get caught up with the preparation for your baby’s arrival as you have to buy many other items.

However, it is crucial that you focus on yourself and get the right vitamins and nutrients your body needs. This will help to ensure a healthy pregnancy or nourishing milk supply for your new-born.

Protein is essential for both fetal and new-born development as well as helping your body recover from the stress of giving birth. It is said that during pregnancy, women should consume around 71 grams of protein daily (Source).

However, before taking any supplements, you should consult with your own doctor first. Additionally, the best pregnancy protein powders should provide sufficient levels of protein, be healthy, organic, and taste good, too.

Are Protein Powders Good for Pregnancy? 

You might be in a different boat. You may be someone who has never really taken any dietary supplements but wondering if during your pregnancy you should start.

For some women, adding protein powder to their diets is a good choice. Protein is an essential part of the diet for anyone, and all the more crucial for the development of the unborn.

Still, the precept of “too much of a good thing” holds true in the case of protein powders. Consuming too much protein during pregnancy can affect the health of the baby and mother also.

Eating too much protein during pregnancy can cause a woman to gain too much pregnancy weight or pregnancy complications. Most importantly, the baby’s growth could be negatively impacted.

The sweet spot of daily protein consumption is considered to be between 75 to 100 grams. Every woman is different of course. However, the ideal amount of protein will generally fall somewhere within these amounts.

Protein powders fills an important need for women who struggle to fit these amounts of protein into their diets.

Comparing The Best Protein Powders For Pregnancy

1. Pure Food Plant-Based Protein Powder – Best For Clean Eating

This Protein Powder is great for everyday use. Specifically designed for clean eaters and 100% organic, it is naturally a great protein powder for expectant mothers.

Moreover, Pure Food ingredients are 99% free of preservatives, chemicals, and fillers. This helps it be one of the cleanest and greenest vegan or vegetarian powders to reach the market. It’s also filled with plant-based probiotics to provide better gut health and not leave you bloated after consumption.

Likewise, this is a great powder for those looking to escape the usual artificial flavourings offered by protein brands. Additionally, Pure Food tastes like real food due to its selective ingredient list.

Lastly, if you’re not happy with this purchase, they offer a money-back guarantee.

2. Seeking Health Optimal Prenatal – Best For Anti-Allergenics

Seeking Health’s comprehensive multivitamin formula provides expecting mothers with a nutrient boost. This protein contains 14 grams of vegetarian protein. It also utilises active folates to encourage healthy foetal development. It’s also an anti-allergen protein powder to protect the more sensitive mothers during pregnancy.

Additionally, it comes in an easily stored and convenient screw-top tub, which helps prevent other children from easily getting into it and allows you to store the scoop inside.

Despite there only being two flavors, chocolate and vanilla, this is easily one of the better tasting powders available. We all know how tastes can change during pregnancy; this one doesn’t disappoint.

3. Life Stage Shake & Lactation – Best For Lactation

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A plant-based protein powder with all the trimmings. Life Stage offers 20 grams of protein per serving at only 120 calories each. It’s also soy, gluten, and dairy-free.

Notably, its higher levels of Vitamin B6 that help relieve morning sickness symptoms as well. It also has a patented probiotic formula that helps to support healthy digestive and immune systems.

Moreover, combining 22 different vitamins and minerals in a single package, Life Stage helps raise nutrient levels all around. It especially helps with lactation development. This means it can be used both pre- and post-pregnancy.

4. Baby Booster – Best For Taste

Baby Booster uses high-quality all-natural ingredients. It’s free of caffeine, gluten, soy, preservatives, artificial sweeteners, and contains no GMO protein. It’s an OBGYN certified powder, formulated to provide the best quality nutrients for expectant mothers and their babies.

Each serving contains 20 grams of protein to ensure healthy growth and development of your baby. It also tastes great and comes in flavors such as pina colada, berry, and so many more.

Additionally, it uses vegetarian-based DHA which is essential for your baby’s eye and brain development. Other protein companies use DHA sourced from fish that can contain mercury and other harmful toxins.

5. Mommi – Best Value For Money

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Mommi protein powder contains 15 grams of whey protein. Whey protein is more easily absorbed into the body and is packed with prenatal vitamins. It was formulated by OBGYN and nutrition specialists. This powder provides all of the nutrients and minerals an expectant mother needs for healthy baby development.

This protein powder is also excellent value for money, weighing 35 ounces per unit. This makes it one of the lowest cost per gram of high-quality prenatal protein powders available on the market.

Protein Powder with DHA for Pregnancy 

There are things you don’t want in your protein powder, like synthetic additives and caffeine. But once you’ve determined that protein powder is the right choice for you during your pregnancy, you can begin to investigate the actual powders.

Not all protein powders are created equally. Some things to think about:

• Is the protein in the powder derived from plants or animals?
• How much protein does the powder actually contain per serving?
• Is the powder marketed for pregnant women, or is it for general consumption?
• Does the protein powder include any other nutritional supplements?

Some protein powders are created specifically for pregnant women. These are often designed to be gentle on bodies that are already going through so many other changes. They may also include additional vitamins or supplements beneficial to pregnant mothers.

There are differing preferences regarding plant versus animal proteins. But if you can find a powder that includes DHA, go for it. DHA can be either plant or animal – fish or walnut – and everyone agrees that it is necessary to healthy fetal growth.

Protein plays an important role in the health of a mother and her unborn child. It is critical that both are consuming enough protein.

As with any decision you make regarding your health, always run it by your doctor first. Your doctor knows your personal health risks and can help you make an informed decision.

Are Protein Powders Safe for Pregnancy?

Congratulations! You’re pregnant…or about to be. And you want to know, is it safe to keep up your daily protein powder habit? Are there any ingredients in protein powders that could be harmful to the little one?

And the answers to these questions are yes, and yes. Yes, protein powders can be safe to consume during pregnancy. However, yes, the protein powders you use during pregnancy should be chosen with care.

Protein powders may be hiding ingredients that are unhealthy at the best of times. During your pregnancy you of course want to be extra careful of everything you introduce to your developing child. Look out for artificial ingredients like sweeteners, as well as that pregnancy no-no – caffeine.

Caution is also advised on certain ingredients that aren’t necessarily harmful in their own right. For example, soy has been shown to affect hormones. During your pregnancy, you definitely don’t want anything upsetting your hormonal balance any further.

It may be best to avoid ingredients like whey which have been known to cause digestion problems.

Things To Consider

During pregnancy, getting the right level and combination of nutrients, minerals, and vitamins couldn’t be more anymore important. To ensure healthy development of your child, there are a few things you should consider when buying your protein.

Read the Labels

It’s important to know what you’re putting in your body. Despite most high-quality proteins powders containing similar ingredients, they can be combined in varying quantities. Depending upon external factors such as your diet, it could cause imbalance.

Protein Per Serving

Make sure to check the amount of protein per serving. For those not getting enough protein through their diet, supplements are a great way of making up the numbers.

Consult a doctor to find out how much extra protein you need. It’s best to find one that matches the required number as closely as possible. This will allow for fewer servings required and prevent unnecessary caloric intake.

Calories

The best protein powders will deliver all the extra nutrients your body needs in as few calories as possible. Whilst it’s good not to count calories when pregnant, lower calorie intake can help prevent health problems unrelated to the pregnancy. These problems may end up having an impact on the development of the child’s health. 

What To Avoid 

There are some important ingredients commonly found in general protein powders that expectant mothers will want to avoid. These consist of MSG, gluten, GMO, soy, caffeine, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, and additives.

Protein powders that aren’t specifically designed for pregnancy but are 100% organic do contain many similar nutrients. Hence, if there is an organic brand you prefer, use them, and acquire any necessary vitamins by other means.

Exercise

Expecting mothers that were active pre-pregnancy are still able to exercise and are often encouraged. However, it is important to take extra care and avoid too strenuous a workout. This is when a high-protein pregnancy powder is great; it allows for muscle repair whilst also providing essential vitamins for the child.

Variety Of Flavors

Pregnancy can wreak havoc on an expectant mother’s hormone system and can lead to a change in tastes and moods. It’s always a good idea to have protein powders in a variety of flavors. This will help when you have cravings for certain flavors or can’t stand to be around them.

Allergens

If you have any allergies, it’s important to read through the ingredient list of protein powders. More often than not, common powders will have at least one common allergic ingredient.

There are protein powders available that are specifically anti-allergenic. These will prevent any reactions that could cause harm to your immune system.

Mix It Up

Find a protein powder that can be mixed with numerous ingredients such as fruits, vegetables, milk, or water. This will keep your protein routine from becoming a chore and make it a little more interesting. This is also great for protein powders that offer great nutrition but lack in taste. A fruity protein shake is a great pick-me-up in the early morning hours.

Diet

Whilst protein powders can help get the right amount of nutrition your body needs, focus on your diet first. Once you’re eating healthily with natural minerals and vitamins, you can find a powder that fulfills the extra requirements.

Natural nutrition is important as whole foods have numerous health benefits not found in most protein powders. They’re also a good source of fiber as well as healthy carbs; you’re going to need that extra energy.

Post-Pregnancy Protein 

It’s important to make sure you also get enough protein post-birth. Doctors recommend a 20% increase over the recommended daily value. However, to get more of an exact number, consult with your doctor or a nutritionist.

Types Of Protein

The main sources of non-meat proteins available are as follows.

Whey: it’s a byproduct of dairy production and is easily absorbed into the system. This is the most common type of protein, often within workout-specific formulas.

Soy: avoid soy protein whilst pregnant, as it’s a highly processed GMO and can cause hormone imbalances during pregnancy.

Egg: offers very similar benefits to whey protein; however, it is released over a slower period of time. It’s for pre-workout or early morning protein.

Milk: primarily supports the immune system and muscle growth; this is why mixing protein with milk is a good idea. You will also receive vital calcium content. (For your baby, make sure to store your milk in the best cooler for breast milk when going out.)

Rice: is 100% plant-based, which is great for vegetarians and people who don’t consume dairy or those with gluten intolerances.

Pea: is both hypo-allergenic and very easily digested, allowing for quick absorption into your system.

Hemp: is also 100% plant-based and is a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 will help you keep a lower blood pressure and provide a healthy heart.

When buying protein powders, make sure the brand meets your nutritional requirements as well as your lifestyle choices. There are so many protein powders available on the market, there’s no need for you to sacrifice any values.

Affordability

Protein powders are a great and affordable way of ensuring your body has enough essential nutrients for healthy development. Typically only 1-2 servings are needed per day depending upon your diet and specific requirements.

Most protein powders are advertised as similar prices. However, it’s important to make sure you check the overall number of servings and protein per serving.

Ready To Buy The Best Protein Powders For Pregnancy?

It’s important to remember that everything you consume will have an impact on the development of your child.

For this reason, it’s important that you always consult with a doctor before taking any supplements. Doctors will be able to assess your individual requirements and provide you with unique advice.

We also understand how hard is to be an expectant mother so don’t just settle for the first protein powder you try. Get a little of everything and make sure you find one you like.

In the end, if you find it to be too much work or can’t settle on a protein powder that best works for you, don’t be afraid to try something new; it can be as easy as altering your diet.

Check out also our Baby Jogger City Select Review, if you’re considering to get a stroller for your baby.