Postnatal vitamins play a huge part in the postpartum period, especially for those that breastfeed (or pump or both). Most women do not get the nutrients that their healing body requires. So lets discuss what vitamins we need in order to take care of ourselves.
Did you know, it is JUST as important (if not more, argued by some) to take postnatal vitamins as it is with prenatals? Postnatal vitamins serve many purposes. They aid with recovery post birth and they help with not only your nutrition but also baby’s, for the breastfeeding mom.
With so many different vitamins and supplements on the shelves, it is extremely overwhelming. It seems like there are vitamins for every letter in the alphabet, and all brands “claim” to have what you need.
So lets dive in. Lets discuss what you need in order to stay hot (and healthy).
This post is all about the best postnatal vitamins to keep your postpartum body in top shape.
Need a fast fix to your tired mom eyes? I got you girl <3
The 5 Top Postnatal Vitamins
1. prenatal vs postnatal vitamins
I remember being in the hospital, post-birth, when I saw an ad pop up on my phone. I was scrolling through my IG account, and of course my algorithm was super on top of my life and was suggesting postnatal vitamins. When my doctor checked up on me in the hospital during my stay, I had asked him if a vitamin labeled “postnatal” was necessary. He informed me that prenatal and postnatal vitamins are essentially the same. It is basically just a marketing trick to get moms to buy something new (SHOCKING). I took his advice and continued taking my same, trusty prenatal.
Nature Made Prenatal with Folic Acid + DHA has been the prenatal I have been taking from the beginning. Nature Made brand is the #1 pharmacist recommended brand for vitamins and supplements (ok say less) AND it’s super inexpensive (ok, ok say less). When looking for a pre/postnatal vitamin, the key is to find one with both folic acid and DHA (for babes brain growth and many more developmental benefits). This vitamin supports BOTH prenatal and postnatal needs. I personally love it because I suck at taking pills and these are in a soft-gel form so they are super easy to swallow. This product is gluten free and yes all ingredients are made in the United States! Also, no fishy after taste with these vitamins (which tends to be hard to come by).
So where can you get your hands on the Nature Made Prenatal? I personally get mine from Amazon. Places like Target, Walmart and CVS also sell these vitamins! At a majority of these sellers, you will be able to get 110 soft-gels for under $20- which is incredibly cheap compared to other brands. So trustworthy brand + cheap + all essential nutrients for me and baby?! Couldn’t ask for more!
People pleaser and always feeling drained? I have self care ideas that you can start TODAY <3
2. calcium
One thing I didn’t know when I started my breastfeeding journey was how important it is to take calcium. Breastfeeding can be a real killer to your bone density. Studies have shown that exclusively breastfeeding moms lose 3 to 5 percent of their bone mass. Why does this happen? Well your body is producing the absolute best liquid gold for your sweet baby and in order to do that, it must take some of your calcium reserves.
So hot moms lets prioritize ourselves. Our bodies are automatically adjusting to baby’s needs, so now it is your cue to prioritize yourself. So what are the next steps? Good news is that once you are in the weaning phase, calcium stores start to slowly build back up. However that “weaning phase” can mean 1+ years for some, SO lets take initiative and keep our bones strong and healthy for the years to come. Experts recommend taking at least 1000 mg of calcium daily.
Many calcium vitamins also add in some extra vitamin D3, which is also very beneficial towards bone health and the postpartum period! The one I have been taking is Nature’s Bounty Calcium 1200 mg (plus 1000 IU vitamin D3). Nature’s Bounty has over 50 years of scientific research on their products which makes me extremely confident that I am taking a calcium that is actually going to benefit me. Calcium vitamins are also known to be legit horse pills, but these ones come in the nice soft-gels to ensure an easy swallow. Because Nature’s Bounty is a trustworthy brand that goes way back, you can again find these vitamins just about anywhere for an affordable price!
3. magnesium
Just like calcium, magnesium is another vitamin that slowly depletes, (in the breastfeeding mom) to take care of baby’s needs first. Experts say that most individuals do not consume enough magnesium. If you are already on the lower end AND breastfeeding, you could be looking at serious health issues later in life. So how about we lean in on the proactive side and take care of our bodies?
What is magnesium’s role in the body? Magnesium plays many parts in our body, such as bone health, heart health, inflammation and brain function. Wait brain function? Yes you read that correctly, magnesium actually plays a huge role in brain health and our mood. Magnesium is essential for nerve transmission and has actually been shown to reduce symptoms associated with mental health disorders. Studies have shown that individuals with low levels of magnesium are more fatigue, anxious and depressed. I don’t know about you, but I’m like sign me up for absolutely anything that can help my mood.
Recommended amount of magnesium for the breastfeeding woman is around 320-360 mg a day.
4. cranberry tablets
After giving birth, I wanted to learn more about my vaginal health and do whatever I could to take care of it. After listening to my most faaaavorite podcast queen, Alex Cooper on Call Her Daddy, I heard an ad about the AZO Cranberry tablets. I had heard of them before but never took my vaginal health super serious until now (which we should all take seriously, no matter what season of life you are in). So what did I do? I spent my Thursday morning researching the benefits of cranberry and vaginal health (lets count how many times I can say vaginal health in this section, lol jk please don’t).
Stress, sex and diet can throw off our PH, but actually just about anything can. So what does this all mean? PH is on a scale from 0 to 14. 0 meaning the most acidic, 7 meaning neutral, and 14 meaning the most basic. Vaginal PH levels are more on the acidic side, but become LESS acidic over time. Your vagina contains fluid, which contains acid, to prevent dryness and protect against germs.
So like I said, many things can cause a disrupt in our PH, and many of those things are not preventable. You aren’t not going to use lube because it could cause a disrupt in our PH, right? Lube is ESSENTIAL in the sex world of the breastfeeding woman. Symptoms you should look out for are: odors, discharge (change of color and/or consistency), itching, and burning. These are just a few of the many symptoms that can happen with an unbalanced PH.
We don’t want to be feeling gross down there, so we need to be taking care of our vagina. If your baby started coughing and had a fever, you would be concerned and call the doctor. So do yourself a favor, take the time, and take care of your body.
Lets discuss the AZO Cranberry for Urinary Tract Health. These come in either gummy or tablet form and aid in, you guessed it, urinary tract health. These cranberries contain antioxidants, which help keep bacteria away. They help cleanse and protect your urinary health. These AZO Cranberry’s take the power of the cranberry, make it into their own little gummy or tablet, without the added sugar.
Ready to take charge of your vaginal health and add these to your postpartum routine? Perfect 🙂
5. probiotic
I feel like there is a lot of talk about probiotics and people may or may not take them, but most don’t actually know why they are beneficial. Also not to forget to mention, that many brands do not actually live up their hype. So lets discuss the what’s and why’s of probiotics, and their importance in the postpartum season.
Our gut contains both good and bad bacteria. Diet and lifestyle choices can affect the amount of good bacteria in our body. Common cases such as inactivity and poor sleep would be a couple examples (which is unfortunately very common postpartum). Having a gut that contains too much bad bacteria can lead to a wide range of issues to food intolerances, bloating, gas and even migraines.
You want to know what else contains bacteria? Yes you guessed it, our vagina. So, like stated before our (*again*) vaginal health can be helped out by a probiotic. When searching for a probiotic, it is important to look for the strain Lactobacillus. Lactobacillus strains have been shown to target bacteria that affects our vagina and urinary tract.
When looking for a probiotic, it was really important for me to find one that was specific to women’s health. I am also lactose intolerant, so finding one that was dairy free was a must. After some trial and error, I finally found the probiotic that has worked the best for me. RenewLife Probiotics is the #1 women’s probiotic and are specific to women’s health offering care to our lovely vaginas. They are made with clinically tested strains that are shown to balance healthy PH levels. RenewLife is made in the US, using only the highest quality ingredients. And yes, they are dairy free, so I have zero nauseousness when taking these probiotics!
Links to your new fav women specific probiotic:
Disclaimer: The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. Always consult your doctor. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding please consult your doctor before use of any of these products.
We have a lot going on during our postpartum months, and that is exactly why it is so important to take initiative and care for our bodies properly. I hope this post was able to lighten any and all confusion as to what vitamins are vital for the postpartum, breastfeeding mom. Thanks for reading! xxx