More than anything, congrats on the new baby! Now onto our topic: Postpartum Care. The joy and excitement that come with having a child can be immeasurable, but all that eagerness can also lead you to forget about taking care of yourself.
Thankfully, prenatal and postnatal vitamins can help make up for some of the nutrients we lose to stress, fatigue, or uneven sleep. Without being complacent, of course! At the end of the day, your body needs more than supplements to recover and maintain optimal health.
Now that we’re more or less aligned, let’s check out the best postnatal vitamins that will provide you with the essential nutrients needed for your postpartum period.
What are the Best Vitamins to Take Postpartum?
While prenatal vitamins are designed to help you meet the increased nutritional demand during pregnancy, postnatal supplements are more focused on aiding your recovery and optimizing your health during the breastfeeding and postpartum period.
They typically contain Vitamin B6 to help in the production of antibodies, Vitamin D for healthy bone development, and Omega-3 fatty acids to aid the baby’s brain development. They also carry nutrients that will help keep your energy levels and speed up your postpartum healing process.
Best Liquid Postnatal Vitamin: Mary Ruth’s Organics Prenatal & Postnatal Multivitamin Liposomal
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Servings per Container: 30
- Third-Party Tested: Yes
- Key Nutrients: Vitamin D3, B12, folate, zinc, and iodine
Why We Love It: If a liquid multivitamin is more to your liking, this is the difference-maker you’re looking for. Not only that, Mary Ruth’s Liposomal has nutrients that support fetal development and the mineral complex necessary for breastfeeding women.
You can take it as your prenatal or postnatal vitamins—or both. Once you get used to its flavor, you’re more or less covered for the duration of your pregnancy. It’s easy to take, and it’s organic, making it relatively free of common allergens.
Best Gummy Postnatal Vitamin: Pink Stork Total Postnatal Gummies
- Serving Size: 2 gummies
- Servings per Container: 30
- Third-Party Tested: Yes
- Key Nutrients: Vitamin A, C, D, E, B6, B12, folate, and choline
Why We Love It: Gummy vitamins are fun… and often yummy! It’ll be like taking a treat now and then, except these gummies are loaded with B Complex vitamins, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Biotin, and more! In addition, Pink Stork Total Postnatal Gummies also help in managing hormonal imbalance and breast milk production.
Best Vegetarian Postnatal Vitamin: MegaFood Baby & Me 2 Postnatal Multi
- Serving Size: 2 tablets
- Servings per Container: 30
- Third-Party Tested: Yes
- Key Nutrients: Iron, vitamin B12, choline, and vitamin D3
Why We Love It: MegaFood Baby & Me 2 Postnatal Multi is made with real food ingredients, which means it’s free of common allergens and GMOs. If you have a sensitive stomach, then this is one of the best choices available to you so you can continue taking postnatal vitamins even on an empty stomach.
Best Postnatal Vitamin: Nature Made Postnatal Multi + DHA
- Serving Size: 1 soft gel + 1 tablet
- Servings per Container: 30
- Third-Party Tested: Yes
- Key Nutrients: DHA, iron, calcium, and vitamin D
Why We Love It: Nature Made Postnatal Multi + DHA provides plenty of essential nutrients for you and your little one. Just take note that ingredients include soybean as well as common allergens like gelatin and beeswax. Otherwise, each pill offers the best value for money! The added DHA also helps support breastfed infants’ brain and eye health [1].
Best Vegan Postnatal Vitamin: Ritual Essential for Women Postnatal
- Serving Size: 2 capsules
- Servings per Container: 60
- Third-Party Tested: Yes
- Key Nutrients: Vitamin D3, folate, choline, and omega-3 DHA (from algae)
Why We Love It: Ritual Essential for postpartum women is 100% vegan. Ritual’s ingredients are all verified and traceable, so you never have to worry about quality and purity. It also has DHA, which is known to support fetal brain development. Ritual Essentials offers prenatal supplements and postnatal vitamins for holistic pregnancy care coverage.
Best Affordable Postnatal Vitamin: One A Day Postnatal Complete Multivitamin
- Serving Size: 1 tablet
- Servings per Container: 60
- Third-Party Tested: Yes
- Key Nutrients: Calcium, vitamin D, iron, and DHA
Why We Love It: One A Day Postnatal Complete Multivitamin is our top pick among the ranks of budget-friendly supplements for postpartum recovery. It’s an affordable kit that will make it easier for anyone to start taking postnatal vitamins.
Best Postnatal Vitamin for Breastfeeding Moms: Naturelo Postnatal Vitamin
- Serving Size: 3 capsules
- Servings per Container: 30
- Third-Party Tested: Yes
- Key Nutrients: Vitamin D3, B12, folate, choline, and iron
Why We Love It: Naturelo Postnatal Vitamin is widely regarded as the best supplement for breastfeeding moms. Naturelo boasts vitamins and nutrients that support milk production and is proudly made from plant-based ingredients. We also love it because it’s gentle to the stomach and has essential minerals and nutrients that cater to overall health.
Which Multivitamin is Best After Delivery?
Most doctors encourage new mothers to continue taking their multivitamins throughout the breastfeeding period or at least six months after delivery. They may even advise you to keep up your intake of prenatal multivitamins, especially if yours provides essential vitamins and iron supplementation.
Vitamin B6 can help manage nausea during pregnancy and also have a positive impact on reducing the risk of PPD [2] (postpartum depression).
When it comes to postpartum supplements, consider brands that already include DHA, which provides excellent breastfeeding support. But don’t forget that your intake also has to meet your specific needs. If you’re a vegan, check out plant-based options like Ritual or MegaFood. And if you’re on a budget, One A Day might just be your best bet.
What Vitamins Should a Breastfeeding Mom Take?
Nursing women should focus on getting enough:
- Vitamin D: Supports bone health for you and your baby.
- DHA: An omega-3 fatty acid that’s crucial for a baby’s brain development.
- Iron: Helps replenish your iron stores after delivery.
- Choline: Can improve brain health and milk supply.
- Calcium: Strengthen your bones and aid in your recovery.
Breastfed babies tend to receive better immunity against illnesses. On top of that, moms also enjoy important health benefits, including a lower risk of ovarian and breast cancer. It’s also reported that breastfeeding mothers are less likely to develop PPD, especially during the first four months after giving birth.
Summary on the Best Postnatal Vitamins for Moms
Postnatal vitamins are essential for receiving proper postpartum care.
During this period, your body needs an increased supply of multivitamins to promote faster healing and recovery, and also has specific nutrients for breastfeeding support.
Certain nutrients and vitamins will also help improve your emotional well-being, which contributes to your long-term health. Being a mother is a lifelong journey, so there should be no reason to set aside your vitality and energy at this important juncture. Taking care of yourself for your growing family is also a selfless act.
References:
[1] Bernardi, J. R. et al. Fetal and Neonatal Levels of Omega-3: Effects on Neurodevelopment, Nutrition, and Growth. The Scientific World Journal. Epub 2012 Oct 17. PMID: 23125553; PMCID: PMC3483668.
[2] Maryam K. et al. Can Vitamin B6 Help to Prevent Postpartum Depression? A Randomized Controlled Trial. International Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2021 Oct 19;12:136. doi: 10.4103/ijpvm.IJPVM_240_19. PMID: 34912512; PMCID: PMC8631136.
[3] Hamdam A. and Tamim H. The Relationship Between Postpartum Depression and Breastfeeding. The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine. 2012;43(3):243-59. doi: 10.2190/PM.43.3.d. PMID: 22978082.
