Postnatal vitamins

We’re all familiar with the standard advice to take a prenatal vitamin during pregnancy. But here’s something you might not know: while these vitamins are essential for supporting the growing fetus, they don’t always prevent the mother’s nutrient stores from becoming depleted as the pregnancy progresses, during delivery and in the postpartum period.

After delivery, the mother’s nutrient stores can still be at risk, especially since she may be recovering from blood loss during childbirth and is now caring for a larger baby with greater demands. This can make it challenging to get all the necessary nutrients from nutritious meals, as convenience foods—often low in nutrients—may become a significant part of the diet. Many women mistakenly believe that once the baby is born, they can pay less attention to their diet. However, according to the National Institute of Health, lactating women actually require more of certain nutrients than pregnant women, including choline, zinc, iodine, vitamin A, vitamin B12, vitamin C, selenium, vitamin B6, vitamin E, and copper, among others. While many OB/GYNs and midwives recommend continuing prenatal vitamins for at least the first six weeks postpartum or as long as breastfeeding, these vitamins alone may not fully meet a new mother's nutritional needs during the postpartum period - enter the postnatal vitamin.

Recommended amounts sourced from National Institutes of Health.

Taking a postnatal vitamin during the postpartum period offers a range of vital benefits, including:

Improved hormone balance:

• All of the body's endocrine (hormone) glands need key micronutrients—such as magnesium, vitamin D, zinc, and vitamin B6—to produce hormones and support their crucial functions. In the postpartum period, when hormone levels like estrogen and progesterone drop significantly, ensuring that your endocrine system has the essential nutrients it needs becomes even more critical. Rebalancing these hormone levels relies on having a solid foundation of vital nutrients and this holds true regardless of whether or not you are breastfeeding.

• The thyroid can become inflamed during the postpartum period. This can lead to transient hyperthyroidism (too many thyroid hormones produced), often followed by hypothyroidism (too few thyroid hormones produced) which can be transient or it may persist past the first year postpartum. Symptoms of hypothyroidism include: extreme fatigue, constipation, memory impairment, weakness, muscle cramps, weight gain and/or feeling unusually cold. Nutrients such as iodine and selenium can support thyroid health and help it recover from postpartum thyroiditis though if you suspect you may be experiencing thyroid dysfunction you should seek an evaluation from your care provider to assess if medications may also be warranted.

Improved mood and stress tolerance:

• A recent meta-analysis by Moya et al. (2022) found that women with iron deficiency or anemia in the postpartum period (which affects up to 50-80% of women worldwide) are 1.66 times more likely to experience depressive symptoms compared to those without anemia.

• Omega-3s are known for their anti-inflammatory properties and their positive effects on mood regulation.

• Magnesium, often referred to as the “relaxation molecule,” helps calm the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, which can be thrown into chaos during chronic stress. This calming effect is especially important as magnesium is depleted both during pregnancy and lactation, contributing to the risk of postpartum depression.

• Zinc is crucial for its role in the serotonergic system, which has antidepressant effects and enhances mood stabilization. A lack of this essential mineral can further exacerbate mood disorders.

Improved energy, immunity and metabolism:

• Glucose is a primary source of energy for the body's biological functions, and its metabolism is intricately interwoven with levels of nutrients such as iron, zinc, copper, and manganese.

• B-complex vitamins, including thiamin, riboflavin, folate, biotin, and vitamins B6 and B12, work alongside various enzymes to help convert protein, fats, and carbohydrates into usable energy.

• Vitamins A, C, D, and E are essential for a robust immune system. They help your body’s defenses stay sharp and ready to fight off infections. By supporting various immune functions, these vitamins play a crucial role in keeping you healthy,

As you can see, ensuring you get the right nutrients can profoundly impact your overall health and well-being. You don’t have to accept fatigue, mood disturbances, frequent illnesses, or symptoms of hormone imbalance—such as low libido, weight gain, insomnia, irritability, brain fog, night sweats, and hot flashes—as your "new normal" during the postpartum period. By supporting your body’s recovery with essential nutrients, you can enhance both your short-term health and long-term well-being, helping you thrive in this transformative phase of your life.

A final word: when in doubt, get it checked out. For example, if you start getting more sleep at night but still feel excessively exhausted and suspect nutrient deficiencies or hormonal imbalances might be the cause, consult your healthcare provider or seek an evaluation from a registered dietitian or nutritionist. They can perform comprehensive tests to identify the root cause of your symptoms and develop a personalized plan to help you feel your best.

Sources:

• Improved energy, immunity and metabolism:

  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11062600/#:~:text=In%20general%2C%20guidelines%20recommend%20oral,stable%2C%20asymptomatic%20or%20mildly%20symptomatic

  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10608713/#:~:text=Glucose%20is%20considered%20to%20be,zinc%2C%20copper%2C%20and%20manganese.

  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5707683/#:~:text=Reasons%20include%20reduced%20intake%20combined,function%20and%20resistance%20to%20infections.

  • https://www.infantrisk.com/content/postnatal-vitamins-while-breastfeeding

• Improved mood and stress tolerance:

  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3430492/#:~:text=In%20pregnancy%2C%20the%20fetus%20and%20placenta%20absorb,to%20deplete%20maternal%20magnesium%20as%20well%20(31).

  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8862508/

  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16963806/

  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16542786/

  • https://www.womenshealthnetwork.com/hormonal-imbalance/best-supplements-and-vitamins-to-balance-hormones/#:~:text=How%20does%20Vitamin%20D%20help%20to%20regulate,levels%20helps%20bring%20estrogen%20back%20into%20balance.

• Improved hormone balance:

  • https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15294-postpartum-thyroiditis

  • https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/postpartum-thyroiditis#:~:text=Postpartum%20thyroiditis%20happens%20when%20a%20p's%20thyroid%20becomes%20inflamed%20after,how%20severe%20your%20symptoms%20are.

Table footnotes:

*The measure of mcg DFE is used because your body absorbs more folic acid from fortified foods and dietary supplements than folate found naturally in foods. Compared to folate found naturally in foods, you actually need less folic acid to get recommended amounts. For example, 240 mcg of folic acid and 400 mcg of folate are both equal to 400 mcg DFE.

**Average daily recommended amounts of preformed vitamin A and provitamin A carotenoids are listed below in micrograms (mcg) of retinol activity equivalents (RAE).

***Vitamin C: If you smoke, add 35 mg to the above values to calculate your total daily recommended amount.

Note: make sure to talk to your registered dietitian and doctor before starting any vitamins or supplements or stopping your prenatal vitamin during the fourth trimester.