Why Postnatal Vitamins Matter Post-Birth
The nutritional needs during the transition from pregnancy to breastfeeding are important. Making sure that you have the best postnatal vitamins for breastfeeding is a good idea not only to supply your newborn with the nutrients that they need, but also for your recovery.
Taking care of your health is paramount as a new mom. New mothers face many nutritional demands throughout pregnancy and into postpartum.
It can be easy in those early weeks to get lost in the fog of postpartum and healing and taking care of your baby, but the important thing to remember is you also need to take care of yourself.
1. What Are Postnatal Vitamins?
Postnatal vitamins are essential vitamins that are designed specifically for the nutrient needs post-pregnancy.
The postnatal multivitamin plays an important role by giving your body the support that it needs to heal from either a natural birth or infection.
They also support your system as you are providing nutrients to your newborn. Postnatal supplements can provide your body with the nutrients that it needs in addition to the food that you’re eating to make sure that your system is supported and that it’s able to heal fully and completely.
There aren’t strong differences between a prenatal vitamin and a postnatal vitamin. Some of the amounts of certain nutrients, such as iron, vitamin D, or DHA, you can use your prenatal as a postnatal supplement.
During the time of breastfeeding, your body is gonna require additional calories and additional nutrients to feed your baby.
You want to make sure that, in addition to a healthy diet, you’re providing your body with those important nutrients that I might need to provide the best nutrition for your baby and prevent vitamin deficiency.
2. Key Nutrients to Look For in Postnatal Vitamins
Folic Acid – helps support cognitive function
Vitamin C – improves iron absorption and boosts immune function
B Complex Vitamins – provides energy and supports metabolism
Vitamin D – facilitates hormone regulation and can improve mood
Iron – assists with building up your blood supply
Calcium – promotes strong bones
DHA (Omega 3) – lowers blood pressure and supports circulation
3. My Experience With Postnatal Vitamins
During the postpartum period of my first pregnancy, I did not consistently continue using vitamins after I had my twins, and I wish that I had. It would’ve improved my energy levels. It would’ve improved my mood.
I think overall I would’ve felt a whole lot better if I had been consistent with that and I know that for postpartum women and new moms, it can be so hard to remember these things when you are so focused on taking care of your baby.
But it’s so important to remember to take care of yourself so with my second pregnancy with my third baby, I have been much more consistent with taking my vitamins during pregnancy and I expect to continue that consistency in postpartum and
I’m looking forward to seeing how I have an improved experience in this postpartum period with my mood, energy levels, and milk supply compared to the first postpartum experience that I had.
4. Top Recommended Postnatal Vitamins for Breastfeeding Moms
These vitamins are the highest quality, best picks that, when coupled with a balanced diet, fulfill the unique needs for a healthy mom and a healthy baby.
These vitamins are safe for some food allergies – “Pink Stork Total Postnatal supplements do not contain GMOs, gluten, soy, or dairy – and are always third-party tested.”
There are a month’s worth of vitamins in each bottle, and their “postnatal vitamins help boost milk supply while replenishing vital nutrients lost during pregnancy and childbirth,” ensuring breastfed infants get the nutrients that they need.
When you are unable to get enough sun exposure throughout the day, this formulation has enough Vitamin D to meet your daily nutrient requirements.
This organic formula is, in my opinion, the top postnatal vitamin with over 11,000 positive reviews on Amazon.
This vitamin contains the essential nutrients for pregnant women, child brain development, and will support your body during the postnatal period.
5. Do Vitamins Help With Milk Supply and Recovery?
Vitamins are a key part of postpartum recovery. Supplementation is not a quick fix or replacement for a healthy diet. We lose so much during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, whether you have a natural birth or a C-section.
As we are trying to heal well also feeding a newborn baby if you’re breast-feeding having that support for your system is so important your body cannot operate at the at the optimal level if it doesn’t have the nutrients that it needs so do vitamins, magically boost, milk supply, not necessarily, but they give your body what it means to create a solid milk supply
There can be various reasons for a regular over- or undersupply of milk, and that’s something that you should check with your provider on, but you need the building blocks there to give your body what it needs to make the best milk for your baby
6. Choosing the Right Vitamin for You
You have to pick the best vitamin for you. If you have certain diet restrictions or allergies, that may influence what type of vitamin you take.
Personally, I prefer a capsule or a gelatin to a tablet because they’re just easier for me to swallow. You want to look for non-GMO, no artificial additives, and vitamins that are easy to digest.
If you’re not used to taking pills, it can be a little bit challenging to remember that every day. Those gummy vitamins can be tempting to buy, and they are possibly better than nothing, but a solid capsule or tablet of a high-quality vitamin is what’s gonna be best for you and your baby.
7. Do You Still Need Prenatal Vitamins While Breastfeeding?
There aren’t a lot of start differences between prenatal and postnatal vitamins. Taking a vitamin is going to be best for you, so if you have a prenatal vitamin that you already like, then that might be your best option moving forward, while you’re breastfeeding, the vitamin does not need to say postnatal specific.
It can still be a prenatal vitamin and still provide all of those nutrients that are going to be beneficial for you during the postpartum period. Many OB/GYNs recommend you continue to take your prenatal vitamins during the postpartum period.
Nourish Yourself to Nourish Them
It is all-consuming to have a newborn baby. So much of your energy and focus is put on them as it should be, but you have to remember to take care of yourself and show up for yourself.
If you show up well for yourself, you can show up well for them. That means taking care of your health and taking a vitamin is just one aspect of that. But being consistent is the most important thing that you can do for yourself. It’s not about being perfect. There are going to be some days when you are so exhausted you don’t remember what you did or when you did it, but as soon as you remember
Take care of yourself, get some rest, and that consistency over time is what’s going to allow you to have a better postpartum. I would love to know, share the comments, what is your favorite vitamin that has worked for you?
Leave a Reply