13 Essential Postnatal Vitamins for Breastfeeding Moms

Breastfeeding is the natural way for your baby to receive all the vital nutrients required for healthy growth, brain development, and a strong immune system. Breast milk is uniquely formulated with antibodies that provide your baby with protection against infections, helping to boost his immunity during those early, formative months. While breast milk is incredibly nutrient-rich, doctors often recommend postpartum vitamins while breastfeeding and other supplements to support a mother’s health during this period. Consuming these vitamin tablets can help replenish essential nutrients that may be depleted during pregnancy and breastfeeding, ensuring that both mother and baby remain well-nourished and healthy throughout this crucial phase.

What Are Postnatal Vitamins?

Postnatal vitamins are supplements for supporting the health of new mothers after birth by helping them replenish essential nutrients, aiding them in their recovery. Most postnatal vitamins contain a combination of vitamins and minerals – A, C, D, E, and K, B vitamins, iron, calcium, and magnesium, boosting energy and promoting bone health and general well-being. Many postnatal vitamins contain DHA and omega-3 fatty acids, which are helpful in brain development and are especially important if you plan to breastfeed. They also contain a supply of vitamin D, which helps maintain immunity while still pregnant and promotes infant development via breast milk. So generally, it is recommended to continue on postnatal vitamins while breastfeeding to ensure you have appropriate reserves for yourself as well as your child.

Why Are Postnatal Vitamins Important While You’re Breastfeeding?

Your breast milk may be missing some essential vitamins and minerals like Vitamin B and Vitamin D. Both are essential for the mother and the child. According to the American Pregnancy Association, a number of diseases can be mitigated by ensuring these vitamins are present in an optimal quantity (1).

What Essential Vitamins Do Breastfeeding Babies Need?

Here are the nutritional requirements of a breastfeeding baby (2).

Benefits of Postnatal Vitamins

Nursing postnatal vitamins offer several benefits to the mother and the baby. Some of them are (3):

1. Vitamin K

In the nomenclature of vitamins, the letter ‘K’ for this particular vitamin comes from its German name, which literally translated to “vitamin for coagulation”. This comes from its property to help with blood clotting and helping a wound recover. Apart from supporting the circulation in the body, vitamin K provides a boost to the health of the bones and their density.

2. Biotin

Also known as Vitamin H, this is one of the core nutrients in the helping the growth of the body to proceed normally. The presence of the vitamin supports the function of metabolizing fats, amino acids, and other carbohydrates present in the body. The beautiful skin of a baby stays healthy due to this vitamin, as it also takes care of other skin conditions, too. It tends to keep the skin, nails, and hair all healthy at the same time.

3. Vitamin E

Supporting the healthy growth of the muscles and ensuring good and coordinated movement is essential for a developing baby. Vitamin E helps quite a lot in this regard. On the other side, it works towards improving the immunity of the body, especially amongst the cells, and boosts the production of red blood cells. These work in combination to protect the body from external infections.

4. Vitamin D

The most important of them all, Vitamin D3 is produced within the body by the skin in the presence of sun’s rays. Vitamin D2 is synthesised from yeast and is also present in the supplementary drops for the kid. These together are used by the liver to generate the final vitamin D constituent.

Its direct impact is on the strengthening and development of bones, in order to make them stronger by boosting their mineralization, made possible by the supported absorption of minerals such as magnesium and calcium.

The secondary impact it has is on the immunity. Vitamin D not only helps fight external infections but also prevents autoimmunity from triggering in certain diseases.

Although the human body can produce vitamin D by itself and is present in breast milk as well, the quantity is insufficient for continued benefits. This necessitates the consumption of Vitamin D supplements or even food items like milk or cereals that are fortified with Vitamin D.

5. Vitamin C

Many people recommend taking food items rich in Vitamin C or such supplements when recovering from an injury. This is because Vitamin C helps support the reparation of various cells in the body and brings about speedy healing of any wounds. This is further complemented by providing a boost to the leukocyte production. Leukocytes are essentially white blood cells that are the body’s inbuilt army. These protect the body from external pathogens, especially the ones that could attack the wound.

Another important benefit that Vitamin C brings is the growth of skin and hair, too. All of the growth-promoting properties are a result of it supporting the formation of the collagen protein essential for the same.

6. Folic Acid

Also known as Vitamin B9, this is usually known for helping support the development of red blood cells and absorbing iron for the body. However, its important functions go way deeper.

Folic acid plays a vital role in the brain development of a baby and provides the necessary support it needs to expand its functioning. This is the crux of being able to perceive and process information in the early stages. Another key role is in building DNA and RNA within the body, to help the body grow at a faster rate.

7. Vitamin B6

Sleep is an essential component of the baby’s growth since most of the bodily processes of repairing and cell generation take place in deep sleep. Vitamin B6 helps regulate sleep cycles by streamlining the production of the hormone melatonin.

It also plays a key role in neural development, since it contains pyridoxine that brings about an enhanced development of the brain and spinal cord. In order to make sure that the reflexes of the child are up to the mark, this vitamin should be included in the diet. It helps build neurotransmitters within the body, assisting the neurons to transmit electric signals amongst each other.

8. Vitamin B5

Most people that undergo surgery are prescribed vitamin B5 supplements, purely due to their ability to help speed up the healing process of the wounds. They contain pantothenic acid which not only supports the health of internal body organs but increases the vitality of red blood corpuscles.

This is one of those vitamins that help the digestive system absorb other vitamins successfully, making it the support system of them all.

9. Vitamin B3

If your body is suffering from any kind of disease or infection, as well as inflammation, Vitamin B3 is your go-to supplement. The presence of niacin helps improve the health of the adrenal gland, which keeps any stress-related hormones within the body in check. This keeps the nervous system healthy biologically and maintains stable mental health, too.

10. Vitamin B2

All doctors tend to recommend Vitamin B2 supplements at the first signs of anaemia. Riboflavin, another name for this vitamin, is the element that helps absorb iron within the body, as well as boost the development of red blood cells. This ends up reducing any signs of anaemia as it brings back the haemoglobin levels in the child’s body to normalcy.

Protection of the cell structure is key in successfully carrying haemoglobin with iron to the body. This is supported by the antioxidant nature of the vitamin that reduces the damages sustained by a cell and keeps its health intact.

11. Vitamin B12

Going back to the building blocks of the body, cobalamin or vitamin B12 affect the very genetic nature of the child. These are important in making sure your child grows in the right manner. DNA and RNA are proteins after all, and these need elemental support, too. Vitamin B12 goes one step ahead and brings about the growth of new nerve cells. These help in enhancing the cognitive growth of the child and make him smart.

12. Vitamin B1

This entire family of B-complex vitamins are collectively responsible for developing the neurons necessary for brain development and the sustained enhancement of memory and cognition, and Vitamin B1 is no exception. Termed as thiamine, it helps in generating ATP, or adenosine triphosphate, which is the very source of energy for bodily cells. This helps in stimulating the metabolic processes that are necessary for the body to turn to an optimal state.

13. Vitamin A

One of the most versatile vitamins of all time, its primary function is associated with the development of sight, especially in the perception of colour and building up the capacity to see at night. Furthermore, it helps build up the basic blocks of the immune system and directly affect the tissue development of skin and hair as well, going for an all-around healthy growth of the child.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about postnatal vitamins.

1. Can I take prenatal vitamins when I’m breastfeeding?

Consuming prenatal vitamins isn’t harmful. These vitamins help your body cope with the demands of the baby’s growth. These may be useful in providing certain vitamin supplements in the early stages post-delivery. Such prenatal vitamins are useful only until the first month or so after the delivery since the mother’s body starts changing after that. 

2. Should I take vitamins for my hair, skin and nails while breastfeeding?

Your child gets nutrients from the foods you eat when you’re breastfeeding. Many multivitamins made for the skin and hair contain biotin compounds. When your baby ingests these vitamins, it may have an adverse on her health. Therefore, such supplements are best avoided.

3. Is taking postnatal vitamins a must?

Postnatal supplements aren’t necessary if you adhere to the diet advised by your nutritionist.

This was all about breastfeeding and vitamins.  A postpartum diet is different from a pregnancy diet since each stage of your baby’s development requires demands of specific growth. The best vitamins for breastfeeding moms end up being the best ones for the baby too. These together should form the diet structure of the mother and help the baby grow in a natural way as far as possible.

References/Resources:

1. Postnatal Vitamins While Breastfeeding; American Pregnancy Association; https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/breastfeeding/postnatal-vitamins-while-breastfeeding/

2. Pregnant or Breastfeeding? Nutrients You Need; Nemours Kids Health; https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/moms-nutrients.html

3. Postnatal Vitamins While Breastfeeding; Infant Risk Center; Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center; https://www.infantrisk.com/content/postnatal-vitamins-while-breastfeeding

4. Vitamins for children; NHS; https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/weaning-and-feeding/vitamins-for-children/

5. Vitamins Postpartum: 5 Things to Think About; Penn Medicine; Lancaster General Health; https://www.lancastergeneralhealth.org/health-hub-home/motherhood/fourth-trimester/vitamins-postpartum-5-things-to-think-about

6. Vitamin D and Breastfeeding; CDC; https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding-special-circumstances/hcp/diet-micronutrients/vitamin-d.html

7. B Vitamins; The Nutrition Source; Harvard T.H. Chan; https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/vitamins/vitamin-b/

Also Read:

Foods to Eat After Delivery
Supplementing Breastfeeding with Formula
Can You Take Vitamin C While Breastfeeding?
Breastfeeding Supplements to Increase Milk Supply

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