Your baby’s brain and body are growing and developing at a rapid speed and they are relying on your milk to thrive. Continuing to take your prenatal vitamins while breastfeeding elevates your nutritional status so your milk will continue to nourish your baby as they grow and develop by leaps and bounds during the next several months (and years).

Breastfeeding and milk production require a lot from the mom’s body. Food choices are super important for making sure you are getting adequate nutrition and keeping up with the demands of parenthood. Sometimes there are deficiencies in our current diet or from medications we took even years before. It can be hard to find time to cook healthy meals right after your baby is born as you adjust to a new normal. A high-quality prenatal vitamin supplement can fill in the gaps offering health benefits to you and your baby.

Ingredients in a high-quality prenatal vitamin contribute to healthy lactation. Many of the vitamins and minerals in prenatal vitamins support the body to make milk and improve the quality of your breast milk. (1) Vitamin and mineral supplements do not replace a diet that is full of nutritionally dense foods with little to no processed foods, but they help make sure your body has what it needs for you to support overall health and make breast milk.

Pregnancy can deplete some of your vitamin and mineral stores. Taking a prenatal supplement can help replete what was diminished. Now that you are breastfeeding, your body requires even more of some nutrients than it did during pregnancy, so it is recommended to continue taking your prenatal vitamins for the entire time you're nursing your baby. 

Vitamin B12 is important for brain growth and neurological development of the infant. (8) For mom, B12 can support mood and symptoms of postpartum depression. (9) It can help boost energy levels for mom and help your baby to get restful sleep. Biotin along with folate can help your skin, hair and nails grow.

Adequate levels of B vitamins for you impact the level of B vitamins in breast milk.(3) Your baby needs B vitamins for their nervous system, brain and healthy skin, hair and eyes. The level of B vitamins in breast milk is affected by diet. Taking a prenatal vitamin supplement while breastfeeding boosts your B vitamin levels which your baby will benefit from when they drink your milk.

Folate continues to be important for your baby after birth for healthy growth, their tissues and cells. This B vitamin is necessary to make DNA, keep skin, hair and nails healthy a nd support mucous membranes. Be cautious that folic acid is not the same as folate. Folic acid is synthetic whereas Folate is naturally occurring. L-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate is the biologically active form you want to look for, able to be used by the body for DNA synthesis and repair.

Folate is important for many brain functions and for your mood. Breastmilk levels of folate seem to stay constant, but mom’s can be depleted if you are not having enough which can lead to folate deficiency for the mom. This is an important reason to continue taking a high-quality prenatal vitamin supplement like Dynamic Duo Prenatal. (10)

Vitamin C helps with iron absorption in addition to supporting the immune system. It helps with healing the body.

This remains important after your baby is born for their brain and neurological development. (11) It may have a positive impact on mood and symptoms of postpartum depression. (12) When DHA is sourced from algae, it may be more well tolerated than if it is sourced from fish oil. 

Anemia can be common for new moms. Iron deficiency can make you feel tired and have low energy levels. Iron can be constipating for some people. Iron Glycinate is easier on the stomach and is a form of iron that is more easily absorbed by the body. Taking vitamin C increases iron absorption. (13)

Your baby needs calcium in your breast milk to develop strong bones and teeth. During breastfeeding, women can lose 3-5% of their bone mass due to the body’s need for calcium in milk production. (4) After you finish breastfeeding, the body works hard to replenish that calcium used. Having an adequate calcium intake keeps your bones healthy and able to replenish calcium lost. Calcium can decrease iron absorption so it is best to take it separate from iron. (7)

Your baby’s brain needs choline to function at its best. Choline helps the brain make connections and communicate with the body. It has been shown to influence lifelong mental health. (5) As your baby is exploring their world, choline supports their ability to understand, learn, and make connections as well as have strong memory and recall. Choline requirements for moms increase during pregnancy and lactation. Enough choline benefits your baby and helps keep your immune system and gut health strong. (6) Not all prenatal supplements contain choline so read the label.

Zinc contributes to healthy weight gain for the baby. It can keep both parent and baby healthy by boosting immune system function. Zinc supports healthy skin and assists the body’s natural repair process in maintaining clear, balanced skin. (14) Zinc is essential for our intestinal lining, making it strong and able to keep the good and bad bacteria in balance. The mom’s gut health impacts milk production and influences the baby’s gut health development. Zinc can interfere with the absorption of iron because they travel the same pathway in the intestines. (7) Take zinc and iron at different times of the day. Legendairy Milk’s Dynamic Duo Prenatal vitamin supplement has a morning vitamin to make sure you get adequate iron and is separated from magnesium and zinc, which is in the evening vitamin.

Your schedule is likely not the same as before you had your baby. You are waking more often to feed your baby several times during the night and are probably feeling worn out from the change in sleep. Magnesium can help with stress and be helpful for getting more restful sleep. Don’t forget to nap when your baby naps during those early days (or longer). Magnesium helps assist with swelling and inflammation from fluid retention. Enough magnesium may help constipation or promote healthy bowel movements, which can be extra helpful after giving birth.