5 Reasons You Should Keep Taking Prenatal Vitamins After Birth
Pregnancy and postpartum are among the most nutritionally demanding phases of a woman’s life. In fact, the term 'prenatal' is a bit of a misnomer when it comes to nutrition and health in your childbearing years. Because it isn’t just the weeks you are pregnant that influence the health of you and your baby. The months leading up to conception and the months following delivery are crucial to maintaining and optimizing your own health as well as for establishing a healthy foundation for your little one for years to come.
Prenatal vitamins are designed to support mothers while the baby is developing, providing essential nutrients needed for fetal growth. However, postpartum recovery and breastfeeding also place high nutritional demands on the body.
While some supplements are specifically formulated as postnatal vitamins, many comprehensive prenatal vitamins contain the full spectrum of nutrients needed for postpartum healing, recovery, and lactation support.
So if you’re wondering whether you should still continue your prenatal supplement routine after pregnancy, our recommendation is a resounding, yes! Here’s why:
1. Your Postpartum Nutrient Levels After Birth are Still High
The postpartum period requires essential nutrients for healing from labor and delivery, hormone regulation, and replenishing blood loss (lochia). Three key nutrients that remain crucial after birth include:
- Iron: Supports recovery from postpartum blood loss, prevents anemia, and helps maintain energy levels. Your provider will likely check levels at your 6 week postpartum visit, but this may be too late as you lose blood for 4-8 weeks after labor and delivery.
- Vitamin B12: Vital for red blood cell formation and neurological function, especially important for energy and mood regulation.
- Choline: Supports brain health and cognitive development in both mother and baby, particularly for breastfeeding mothers.
2. If breastfeeding, your baby is relying on the nutrients in your milk
Breastfeeding mothers should continue taking prenatal vitamins for the duration of lactation to ensure their baby receives essential nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids (DHA), choline, vitamin D, and iodine, which are crucial for brain and immune system development. Additionally, some nutrients—such as vitamin D—are often insufficient in breast milk unless supplemented. While prenatal vitamins do not directly increase milk production, they ensure that the milk produced is nutritionally dense and beneficial for infant growth.
3. Your Diet and Sleep Patterns May Have Changed
The days, weeks and months after having a baby can be physically and mentally taxing. While you’re adjusting to life with a newborn, your sleep patterns may be disturbed and your eating habits will likely change. Poor sleep and inadequate diet may put mothers at higher risk for nutritional deficiencies.
A comprehensive Prenatal Multi with Omega-3 can help fill in nutrient needs that aren’t sufficiently met by food. Supplementing your diet with additional magnesium, zinc and Omega-3 DHA can support your postpartum recovery as you adjust to your new addition.
4. You May Have Postpartum Vitamin Deficiencies to Address
Depending on a number of factors (health prior to pregnancy, family and personal medical history, etc.), you may have certain nutritional deficiencies. Adopting or continuing a comprehensive prenatal supplement routine can help address deficiencies.
Nutrient deficiencies can contribute to or exacerbate existing imbalances in hormones and autoimmune conditions. Low levels of iron, vitamins D & B12 and choline can make recovery feel like an uphill battle.
5. Regular multivitamins and Most 'Postnatal Vitamins' Don’t Cover all Your Needs
You may also wonder if you should just switch back to a regular multivitamin or invest in a postnatal vitamin. But the reality is, many postnatal vitamins tend to be a marketing technique, and are not actually substantially different from prenatal formulations. The reality is, your needs during pregnancy and postpartum are far more alike than they are different, so choosing a comprehensive prenatal vitamin will help more optimally meet your needs for both phases.
It’s important to choose a high-quality prenatal vitamin that meets all nutritional needs. However, taking both prenatal and postnatal vitamins together is not recommended, as it may lead to excessive intake of certain nutrients, such as iron and fat-soluble vitamins, which can be harmful in high doses.
What Our Experts Recommend: Prenatal vs Postnatal Vitamins
Prenatal vitamins are typically more comprehensive than postnatal vitamins, providing a higher level of key nutrients required for postpartum recovery and breastfeeding.
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When to switch to postnatal vitamins? If a mother chooses a high-quality prenatal, there may be no need to switch. However, if a mother is no longer breastfeeding, a postnatal or regular multivitamin may be sufficient.
- How long should you take postnatal vitamins? Our team of perinatal practitioners recommend continuing your prenatal supplement routine for at least 6 months, or two months after you wean, whichever is longer.
If you are planning another pregnancy, we suggest you continue supplementing with a prenatal through to that pregnancy as it is never too soon to prepare your body to conceive!
