10 Best Postnatal Vitamins for Breastfeeding Moms

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Getting essential nutrients from the diet is very important when you are breastfeeding. If you are missing any, consider one of these best postnatal vitamins for breastfeeding moms not only to stay healthy but to boost your milk supply for the baby.

When you try eating a well-balanced diet while breastfeeding, it is always not possible because of an obvious reason i.e caring for a newborn.

Even experts confirm that eating a well-balanced diet or special diet (vegan or vegetarian) may not be enough for nursing moms to get the nutrition they need when they are recovering after giving birth.

Postnatal vitamins provide unique nutritional needs of breastfeeding mothers and babies that are not necessarily addressed by a typical prenatal vitamin if you opt to continue with the same prenatal vitamin used throughout your pregnancy.

If you are looking for postnatal supplements, read on!! We have got great suggestions for you. And if you make it to the end of the 10 best postnatal vitamins list, look for protein powder suggestions to lose weight while breastfeeding and still keeping your milk supply.

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• How to gain weight while Breastfeeding

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10 Best Postnatal Vitamins for Breastfeeding moms

2. MegaFood Prenatal & Postnatal Vitamins

Megafood vitamins are a great choice if you want to save yourself from the hassle of changing your vitamins after giving birth. They are good for prenatal as well as postnatal use.

These vitamins are made from extracts from real organic vegetables and fruits and is safe to use as it has been tested for the presence of more than 125 herbicides and pesticides.

This product is designed by an award-winning physician to meet the specific needs of women during conception, pregnancy, and postpartum.

The fact that it is both prenatal and postnatal, your baby can get used to it and you don’t have to worry about the digestive issue once the baby is here.

It contains folic acid, Vitamin D, Vitamin B6, and choline supporting the health and growth of the baby. These vitamins don’t contain herbs or calcium, and magnesium.

Recommended dose: Two tablets at any time of the day. It can be consumed on empty stomach.

PROS

• Non-GMO, Free from gluten, dairy, soy and glyphosate residue
• Vegetarian
• All-natural ingredients
• Prenatal and postnatal vitamins
• Available in different size

CONS

• Do not contain calcium, so you need to take calcium supplement at another time of day to restore loss of calcium.

3. Mama Bird Postnatal Multi + 100% Natural Vitamins

Designed by doctor mom, this postnatal multivitamin is great to help nourish you and your baby. Mama bird Postnatal vitamins contain more than 25 vitamins in addition to methyl folate and methylcobalamin, a natural form of folic acid and B12 respectively.

This 100 % natural postnatal vitamin is packed with all the nutrients you need in a once-daily convenient tablet to boost your energy and support lactation.

The manufacturers take pride in calling it neuro-nutritional Vitamins to support your brain health including mood, sleep, energy, focus, and memory.

Recommended Dose: one tablet a day with or without food

PROS

• Non-GMO, Gluten, soy, dairy, yeast free
• No artificial colors or preservative
• 100% natural
• Vegetarian product
• Supports lactation
• Improves mood, sleep, focus and memory

CONS

• Some moms complained about strong earthy smell

4. Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Postnatal Vitamins

You can’t go wrong with this official postnatal vitamin of the American Pregnancy Association. This lemon flavor postnatal vitamin is rich in Omega-3 to improve mood swings and postpartum depression, two very common challenges after giving birth to a baby. It also supports your nursing baby’s neurological development.

This supplement is made from fresh, wild-caught, omega-rich fish. The manufacturer follows the ethical practice in producing this supplement and guarantees the safety and effectiveness of these postnatal vitamins.

Recommended Dose: Two soft gels daily with food.

PROS

• Non-GMO, Gluten, soy and dairy-free
• No artificial colors or preservatives
• Omega-3 rich
• Lemon flavor
• No fish after-taste
• Improve mood and postpartum depression

CONS

• Little overpriced

5. NATURELO Post Natal Multivitamin

Designed specifically for breastfeeding mothers, Naturelo postnatal Vitamins are great for providing you the energy you need as a breastfeeding mother.

This supplement contains essential Vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin D3, Vitamin B6, B12, Vitamin A, Iodine in addition to fenugreek, blesses thistle proven to boost milk supply in breastfeeding mothers.

This product is vegan-friendly and second on the list for MTHFR mother friendliness.

Taking these plant-based postnatal vitamins ensures your well-being and provides gentle nourishment for the baby’s brain, heart, and bone development.

Recommended dose: Three capsules a day

PROS

• Non-GMO, Gluten, soy, gelatin and dairy free
• No artificial colors and preservatives
• Vegan formula
• Supports lactation
• Supports baby’ brain and bones development

CONS

• Few moms complained about upset stomach

7. Pink Stork Total Postnatal + DHA

This women-owned and women-run brand is perfect to support your needs even after giving birth to your baby. This product is supported by doctors for nursing women in order to revive their energy after going through delivery.

Pink Stork postnatal Vitamins contains all essential nutrient like B-Vitamins, folate, Iron and contain vegetarian DHA from algae.

The manufacturer offers a satisfaction guarantee. If you are not happy with the product, let them know and they will make things right for you.

Recommended Dose: Two tablets per day

PROS

• Non-GMO, Gluten and dairy free
• Vegetarian source of DHA
• Vanilla flavored, No after-taste
• No artificial colors or preservatives
• Boost your energy level postpartum
• Lactation support

CONS

• Some moms complained about making them nauseous

8. Pink Stork Recovery Bundle

9. Milkies Nursing Postnatal Breastfeeding Multivitamin

If you are looking for a Postnatal Vitamin recommended by lactation expert, Milkies Nursing Postnatal breastfeeding multivitamins are for you!

Nursing Postnatal Vitamins contain all essential vitamins and minerals, including a 700% daily value of Vitamin D and a 200 % daily value of B-Vitamins and biotin just in the right amount to keep mom and baby healthy.

However, it does not contain the herbal blend. This nursing multivitamin is intended for nursing moms looking for only nutritional support and has no concern about the amount of breast milk they are producing.

This supplement is another one in this list that is recommended by the American Pregnancy Association.

If you are vegan or vegetarian, consider these postnatal vitamins as it is rich in Vitamin B12.

Recommended dose: Two capsules a day

PROS

• Non-GMO, Gluten, dairy and corn free
• No artificial colours or preservatives
• Vegetarian product
• Supports health of mom and baby
• Good source of Vitamin B12 for vegan and vegetarian

CONS

• Off putting smell and slight after-taste
• Do not contain herbal blend to support lactation

10. Mama’s Select Post-Natal Plus Vitamin

This supplement will ensure well being of you and your baby in addition to supporting lactation. Mama’s Select Postnatal Plus is the perfect postnatal multivitamin and mineral formula with adequate levels of Vitamin D, Vitamin B6, Thiamine, and Iron to support the health of two of you and guard against deficiencies in addition to a wide selection of herbs to support lactation.

The unique thing about this postnatal Vitamins is that they offer MethylFolate as well as Methylated B vitamins that are great for MTHFR mothers.

This methylated formula is not only great to boost your energy level and mood, but also relieves the stresses of caring for a newborn.

Recommended Dose: 1 capsule a day

PROS

• Non-GMO, Gluten and dairy free
• Vegetarian product
• Support lactation
• Supplement for MTHFR mothers
• Improve mood swing and postpartum depression
• Boosts energy level

CONS

• Few moms complained about upset stomach

What are the Benefits of Postnatal Vitamin for Breastfeeding Moms and Babies?

Here are the benefits of postnatal vitamins for breastfeeding moms and their babies.

• Source of essential nutrient: Postnatal vitamins contains essential vitamins and minerals to meet the unique nutritional requirement of breastfeeding women. It is optimized specifically for nursing women.

It may not be always possible to eat a healthy balanced diet so taking supplements balances any missed nutrient in your diet. If you are vegan or vegetarian, taking vitamins B12 is most important because the diet lacks B12.

The same goes with Vitamin D. Research suggests most women have a low level of Vitamin D. In this case it becomes essential to take supplements for yourself and the health of your baby.

• Help boost your milk supply: Many postnatal vitamins contains galactagogues such as fenugreek, oats, fennel seed in addition to essential vitamins and minerals. Anecdotally, these supplement help boost your milk supply. Although there isn’t much scientific evidence of its effectiveness in boosting milk supply, but many moms swear by these supplements.

Also, water-soluble vitamins supplement taken by the mother can pass onto the baby via breast milk making it more nutritious for your baby.

Related Post: Health Benefits of Ginger for Breastfeeding mothers

• Provides you energy: Studies have shown that typical diet of a healthy breastfeeding mom contains 1800-2200 (or more) calories per day. As a breastfeeding mother you need to consume enough calories in order to keep you energized and make enough milk for your baby.

When you are caring for your baby, chances are your diet is taking a backseat to your baby and her needs. Taking postnatal supplements ensures you are getting enough energy to keep up with your routine.

Related Post: 8 Beverages to keep Breastfeeding Moms Hydrated other than Water

• Help you control hormonal changes: Postpartum hormonal changes can cause some unusual changes in women’s body including hair loss. Taking postnatal vitamins containing iron and biotin can help combat it because getting enough nutrient can make your hair look healthier, shinier, and thicker.

Also, hormonal changes can make you feel overwhelmed and anxious about this new change in your life. But as a breastfeeding mother, whenever you feel down or overwhelmed, read these inspirational breastfeeding quotes and funny breastfeeding quotes to motivate you to keep going!

Who should consider taking Postnatal Vitamins?

• Mothers who gets 2200 calories per day or less may need extra calcium, zinc, magnesium, thiamine, Vitamin B, Vitamin E, folic acid.
• Mothers who are vegetarian or vegan or at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency need to get adequate amount of B12 from supplement.
• Mothers with little exposure to sunlight need to get adequate amount of vitamin D from the supplement.
• Mothers who smoke may benefit from additional amount of iodine from the supplement.

How to Choose a Postnatal Vitamin for Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding success depends on how prepared you are for breastfeeding, a good nursing pillow for your comfort, a healthy diet, and postnatal vitamins. Here are the most important considerations when choosing the best postnatal vitamin for breastfeeding.

Ingredients

It is important to choose a supplement that contains essential nutrients to support your health and the need of your baby (more on it below).

You want supplements that have no chemicals and no GMO as whatever you eat your baby’s going to get it through breastmilk. Your best choice would be shopping for natural and organic postnatal vitamins.

Effectiveness

The purpose of taking supplements is to provide you with essential nutrients that you are missing in your diet. So, ensure you are reading a label before making a purchasing decision.

There are many postnatal vitamins that contain herbs to help with your milk supply. If your purpose of taking postnatal vitamins is to boost your milk supply in addition to getting essential vitamins, make sure you are choosing the right supplement to serve your purpose.

Safety

Unlike prescription medication, dietary supplements are not strictly regulated by FDA. The manufactures and distributors of dietary supplements are responsible for making sure their products are safe before they go to the marker. For peace of mind, purchase supplements from a well-established company in the market.

Effect on your Baby

Before making a purchasing decision, look for information on what effect it has on a baby’s digestive system. Some postnatal vitamins may help reduce gassiness, or fussiness in babies while others have no effect or opposite effect.

Related Read

• Baby drinks milk too fast and chokes : Here is what you need to do
• Newborn won’t wake up to eat : Should you wake them to feed?

Flavor and Price

If you are sensitive to taste, consider flavor before purchasing. Also, the price of supplements also matters. Sometimes, you go for a cheaper ones, but you need to consume a lot to get the recommended dose of essential nutrients.

What are the important Nutrients to look for in a Postnatal Vitamin for Nursing?

When shopping for the best postnatal vitamin look for the following important nutrients among others.

Vitamin D

To provide recommended dose of vitamin D 400 IU/day to your baby, look for a postnatal vitamin that contains 6,400 IU of vitamin D.

Vitamin D is very essential for a baby’s growth and development and breast milk contains a very low level of vitamin D to meet the baby’s daily requirement of vitamin D. Most women do not get enough amount of vitamin D from their diet or sun exposure. As a result, breast milk is really low in vitamin D required for a baby.

While postnatal vitamins offer great benefits to nursing mothers, not all nursing moms need to take it. Always check with your doctor before adding vitamins to your diet when you are breastfeeding.

Choline

Choline is a B-vitamin-like nutrient important for a baby’s growth and brain development. It is one of the most important nutrients during breastfeeding.

According to Marie Caudill, a professor at Columbia University and an expert on the impact of choline on maternal and infant health advises that pregnant and lactating women should eat two eggs with yolks a day to help boost choline level or take a supplement containing choline 350 mg/day.

Choose a lactation supplement that provides you daily recommended dose of choline.

Iodine

Iodine is very essential for normal thyroid function. Normal thyroid hormone levels are critical for brain development in children. The majority of breastfeeding mother is not getting enough iodine from their diet when they need it most.

The American Thyroid Association recommends taking iodine supplements while breastfeeding.

Choose postnatal vitamins that contain recommended 290 mcg of iodine per day.

DHA Omega-3

Taking DHA during breastfeeding is important as it helps the development of the brain, eye, and nervous system in infants. The amount of DHA you get in your diet is related to DHA in your breast milk, so it is essential to consume enough DHA while nursing.

Also, evidence suggests that mothers eating a typical American diet do not get a large enough amount of Omega-3 fatty acids. While it is always a good idea to get a DHA from a natural source if can’t choose a postnatal vitamin that contains a daily recommended dose of 200mg of DHA a day.

When Should I take Postnatal Vitamin for Breastfeeding?

You should switch to postnatal vitamins after giving birth to your baby. Prenatal vitamins that you have used throughout your pregnancy do not contain certain essential nutrients that you need postpartum and for the need of your baby.

You should consider consuming postnatal vitamins for as long as you breastfeed your baby.

Can you Take Fat Burner Vitamins while Breastfeeding?

Postnatal fat burner vitamins are diet pills that are not recommended while breastfeeding. The fat burner vitamins contain various stimulant ingredients like caffeine and appetite suppressants, which may affect your milk supply. Other common ingredients in fat burners include ephedra or herb ma haung, which the FDA has banned.

If you are looking to lose weight while breastfeeding, I highly recommend trying Milk Dust protein powder. It is a plant-based supplement specially designed to lose weight while breastfeeding without losing your milk supply.

Milk Dust protein powder contains vitamins and minerals needed explicitly by breastfeeding mothers AND added galactagogues to boost your milk supply.

It is the only clean protein powder specifically designed for breastfeeding mothers to lose weight and not milk supply. You can grab it here if you would like to try it.  

Related Post: Is it Safe to take Elderberry while Breastfeeding?

Should I take prenatal or postnatal vitamins after having a baby?

Prenatal vitamins offer nutrients including folate, Vitamin D3, and Iron to support a healthy pregnancy and development of a baby.

Once you have a baby, your body needs nutrients like Iron, Vitamin B6, Vitamin D3, fatty acid DHA, fermented choline, methyl folate, calcium, and Vitamin B12 as some of these are not included in the prenatal formula.

In addition to all essential nutrients, some brands of postnatal vitamins also contain herbs to improve your milk supply.

Can you take Postnatal vitamins if you are not Breastfeeding?

You may not need to take postnatal vitamins if you are not breastfeeding. Eating a well-balanced diet and continuing prenatal vitamins will help you build up iron stores that were depleted during delivery.

That being said, check with your doctor for the duration of taking prenatal vitamins if you are not breastfeeding. As taking too much folic acid may have an adverse effect of masking a vitamin B deficiency or too much iron may cause diarrhea, nausea, or constipation.

You may opt for switching to multivitamins at this stage.

Which Postnatal Vitamins Increase Milk Supply?

Postnatal vitamins containing herbs such as fenugreek, fennel, blessed thistle, milk thistle, brewer’s yeast, moringa may help increase your milk supply.

Fenugreek is a widely known galactagogue used to increase milk supply. Few studies show the effectiveness of fenugreek in boosting your milk supply. In one study, the volume of pumped milk from mothers who consumed fenugreek tea doubled compared to that of other mothers that did not take fenugreek tea.

However, you need to be careful including postnatal vitamins containing fenugreek into your diet, because it does pass into breast milk and may cause your breastmilk, urine, and sweat to smell like maple syrup.

Just like medication, herbs can also have side effects, so it is best to talk to your doctor before taking postnatal vitamins containing fenugreek. If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before taking herbal supplements.  

Which Herbal Supplements to avoid while Breastfeeding?

Herbal supplements are not regulated by the FDA, so it is best to talk to your doctor before including anything in your diet.

Postnatal vitamins containing parsley, sage, and mint should be avoided while you are breastfeeding. Although these herbs are okay to use in culinary amounts, a larger amount of them should be avoided while breastfeeding.

When should I stop taking Postnatal Vitamins?

You should consider taking postnatal vitamins for as long as you are breastfeeding. During nursing, your body needs all the essential vitamins and minerals to make nutritious breast milk for your baby.

Is it safe to take a Multivitamin while Breastfeeding?

It is safe to take a multivitamin while breastfeeding. However, each mother and baby are different in their need of vitamins. According to The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, if a breastfeeding mother is eating a well-balanced diet and getting an adequate amount of vitamins from the diet, her breast milk contains adequate nutrients for her baby.

That being said, if you are a vegan, vegetarian, or not eating a well-balanced diet, you need to consider taking a multivitamin to make up for nutrients you are missing from your diet.

Related Read

• How much water should Breastfeeding mom drink?
• Can you Take Hair, Skin, and Nails Vitamins While Breastfeeding?
• Can you Take Emergen-C while Breastfeeding?

Final Thoughts

The best postnatal vitamins for breastfeeding moms should be efficient in providing you with the nutrients you need along with supporting the health of your baby and you.

The above top 10 list of postnatal vitamins should help you decide what is best for your and your baby’s need.

If you are looking for a postnatal vitamin containing fish oil, lemon-flavored Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Postnatal Vitamins are the best choice. It provides you with all the nutrients you need to support the health of both of you in addition to improving mood swings and postpartum depression.

If you are a vegan or vegetarian and not worried about boosting your milk supply, consider herbless Milkies Nursing Postnatal breastfeeding multivitamins. It contains a 700% daily value of Vitamin D and a 200 % daily value of B-Vitamins and biotin just in the right amount to keep mom and baby healthy.

Pink Stork postnatal Vitamins is another excellent choice as it contains all essential nutrients and contain vegetarian DHA from algae.

If you are looking to boost your milk supply in addition to all essential nutrients for you and your baby, consider Actif organic postnatal vitamins. Many mothers have highly recommended this product for its effectiveness in boosting their milk supply.

Whatever you pick from this list, make sure to check with your doctor before adding postnatal vitamins to your diet when you are breastfeeding to make sure you are doing best for yourself and your baby.

Good luck mama!!

How About You?

Which brand of postnatal vitamins have you used when breastfeeding? Do you know any great postnatal vitamins for breastfeeding mothers? Please leave your comment below.

References:

• https://americanpregnancy.org/breastfeeding/postnatal-vitamins-while-breastfeeding/
• Hamosh M, Dewey, Garza C, et al: Nutrition During Lactation. Institute of Medicine, Washington, DC, National Academy Press, 1991:p 6, 12, 101-102.
• https://kellymom.com/ages/tandem/mom-vitamins/
• Hollis BW, Wagner CL, Howard CR, et al. Maternal Versus Infant Vitamin D Supplementation During Lactation: A Randomized Controlled Trial [published correction appears in Pediatrics. 2019 Jul;144(1):]. Pediatrics. 2015;136(4):625‐634. doi:10.1542/peds.2015-1669
• https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/the-nutrient-you-didnt-know-you-were-missing/2016/12/08/e4b1f922-b64f-11e6-b8df-600bd9d38a02_story.html
• https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iodine-Consumer/
• http://www.thyroid.org/crn-releases-science-based-guidelines-on-iodine-in-multivitaminmineral-supplements-for-pregnancy-and-lactation/
• Turkyılmaz C, Onal E, Hirfanoglu IM, et al. The effect of galactagogue herbal tea on breast milk production and short-term catch-up of birth weight in the first week of life. J Altern Complement Med. 2011;17(2):139-142. doi:10.1089/acm.2010.0090

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