The road to motherhood is filled with wonderful, breathtaking moments – moments that take on greater meaning when you are growing and nourishing new life. But as beautiful as it is, this time of your life can be scary and unsettling too. With so many changes ahead, it is important to receive quality care before, during and after pregnancy. At Eius Health, they want to be part of your motherhood journey: to nourish and support your wellbeing as you embark on life’s greatest adventures. Their prenatal supplements are designed for optimal nutrient delivery in preconception and pregnancy, increasing the nutritional needs of a woman whatever stage she is at. Founder Lee Elhage talks to The Natural Parent Magazine about the passion behind her business, how she balances work and family time, and the challenges she has faced along the way.
The passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
Hi, I’m Lee. I’m a mother of three, a wife, and the founder of Eius Health.
During my second pregnancy with our twins, I struggled to find a prenatal vitamin that worked for me. I suffered nausea and gastrointestinal issues due to my sensitive stomach and low nutrient levels due to absorption issues.
I was so cautious when making all other decisions around my pregnancy, the cleaning products I used, my beauty products, and the food I ate; however, when it came to deciding on a prenatal, I was confused. None of the big brands spoke to me or provided the nutrients I felt my baby and I needed to ensure we were at optimal health.
After many conversations with friends, I realised that I wasn’t alone. There seemed to be a lack of confidence in the accessible prenatal vitamins on the market. I wasn’t the only one suffering side effects.
Before having kids, what now feels like a lifetime ago, I worked for two very large pharmaceutical companies, and my husband is a pharmacist. So, after the fog lifted and I started to juggle my new role as a mother of three, I decided I wanted to make the prenatal I longed for and Eius was born.
The launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
It was a rocky start to the design and creation of Eius, and there have been a lot of ‘learnings’ along the way to develop my product. I had very little knowledge around what was actually required to source, manufacture and launch a prenatal vitamin in the Australian market.
We are lucky to live in a country with strict laws around registering and supplying a product like mine. This has required tremendous personal and professional growth and understanding to meet these regulations to ensure that my product is the best that it can be. I wanted to create a product, Eius, that reconnected women with their bodies and the life that grows within through a gentle, conscious, and kind approach to health.
I spent over two years working with brilliant, dedicated individuals, researching and developing my ideal prenatal multivitamin designed for sensitive stomachs and optimal nutrient absorption. I was committed to launching a product that was made in Australia with the very best ethically and sustainably sourced ingredients, free from nasties.
The innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
Designing a prenatal vitamin that met my very long list of requirements was not easy. I really wanted to ensure my product solved my two key challenges – gentle on the stomach with optimal nutrient absorption. As I discovered, through extensive research, the combination of certain nutrients can affect absorption and will hinder each other – this is where I came up with our unique split formulation.
Eius Prenatal AM and PM as the name suggests is spilt into two separate tablets, specifically formulated for optimal nutrient delivery in preconception and pregnancy.
