Prenatal vitamin needs in postpartum
Don’t chuck those prenatal vitamins after baby is born just yet!
Prenatal vitamins contain folic acid/folate, iron, calcium, vitamin D, choline, omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins and vitamin C, just to name a few of the major ones.
Once you are postpartum and your hormones and bleeding are all over the place, your prenatal vitamins can assist to fill in those nutrient gaps. Not to mention the wild marathon and/or major abdominal surgery your body just endured!
We recommend you keep taking your prenatal vitamins going until at least your postpartum bleeding has fully stopped.
Here are FOUR reasons why:
1- Iron boost- Your body’s iron stores are already depleted, so giving yourself an extra nudge towards a more iron-rich body will help in your healing process
2- Nutrition struggles- nourishing yourself in those early postpartum days can feel near impossible. Taking your prenatal vitamin should not replace eating nourishing foods, but is meant to meet you closer to what your body can utilize to keep you going throughout the day (and night)
3- Breastfeeding- the extra you take in nutrient wise, the extra baby will take in! We even suggest taking a prenatal (or postnatal) as long as you are breastfeeding. Vitamin D in prenatal vitamins is not meant to replace the extra vitamin D breastfed babies are recommended to have. Talk with your pediatrician about what they suggest babys vitamin D needs are.
4- Economical- babies aren't cheap, so use up the prenatal vitamins you already have, then reevaluate.
Other things to consider:
- Postnatal vitamins are another option if you are done with/ready to part with your prenatal vitamin, but still have postpartum/breastfeeding nutrients needs.
- On the flip side, taking prenatal vitamins a few months before you are trying to conceive is another great idea. As your body is making its eggs around 3 months ahead of time, laying the healthiest foundation is beneficial if it's something you are planning for.
Hang on to your prenatals just a little longer than you may have been planning to. As your body heals from babys birth, make sure you're continuing to make you and a priority.
Your postpartum nurses Meg and Carly here to prepare you for postpartum and beyond. We want to make sure you have the education you need to care for your own healing body after birth, not just your baby.
Postpartum prep courses occurring virtually and regularly intended to be taken during pregnancy are now open for registration. Our return to work support group is pay what you can and supports that tough back to work transition. Then join us in our online community for the growth, support and empowerment to continue <3
