Choosing vitamins for breastfeeding women

Vitamins after childbirth for breastfeeding: you need support!

During pregnancy, a woman has already put a lot of resources of her body to form a new life. After childbirth, this process continues when the mother breastfeeds the baby. She gives up the available reserves to provide the child with everything she needs: that’s how the female body works, it takes care of the baby’s needs first. Women were able to breastfeed even in difficult circumstances, such as war or hardship. But what does it cost the mother herself? First of all, possible problems with health and well-being due to a lack of vital elements – vitamins and minerals. If they are lacking, it is necessary to make up for it. Let’s find out which vitamins are most important after childbirth and how to replenish them.

What vitamins breastfeeding mothers lack after childbirth?

Those that were most actively used during pregnancy, as well as constantly in the lactation process. Not all in sufficient quantities can be obtained with food, because, unfortunately, breastfeeding mothers do not always eat a proper and balanced diet.

So, what vitamins are especially needed after childbirth when breastfeeding?

1. Vitamin A affects the condition of the skin, as well as visual acuity.
2. Vitamin C – without it the immune system weakens.
3. B vitamins, especially folic acid (B9) are associated with the functioning of the nervous system, as well as heart and blood vessels.
4. Vitamin D helps assimilate calcium, a huge proportion of which in women goes to milk.

In addition to vitamins, micronutrients are essential:

• iron – provides oxygen to tissues and organs, on this depends the general well-being, strength, endurance;
• Calcium – affects the condition of teeth, nails, bones, this element is constantly consumed for the formation of milk;
• Iodine – allows the thyroid to function properly, which affects metabolism;
• phosphorus – affects intracellular energy metabolism, contributes to the health of the heart and kidneys;
• Magnesium – needed to help the heart function.

Folic acid after giving birth to a nursing mom

Vitamin B9, aka the well-known “folca”, is indispensable for a nursing mother and baby. It is involved in many processes, from the nervous system to the prevention of anemia, so devastating at any age. B9 deficiency will have a strong impact on a woman’s health, which may manifest itself as irritability, nervous breakdowns and never-ending fatigue. And most importantly, it will not be able to get enough folic acid in the milk – and for infants it is essential, it’s a guarantee of normal child development.

If a nursing mother is not eating enough fresh herbs and bread from wholemeal flour (not like or not in season), if there are signs of folic acid deficiency, be sure to make up for its deficiency in vitamin complexes. The dosage should prescribe a doctor.

How to choose a vitamin complex after childbirth for nursing?

“What vitamins to take after giving birth to a nursing mother?” – almost everyone who has recently given birth wonders, as if it is an absolute necessity. The correct answer can only be one: “Those that are missing.” But more often doctors prescribe multivitamins after childbirth on breastfeeding: they will not hurt, and the patient is somewhat reassured. However, and can help little – in them the dose of each component is far from therapeutic, and with a shortage of prophylactic will be little.

You need to figure out exactly what substances are missing, and make up for this particular deficit. Ideally, the analysis of the level of a particular vitamin in the body. Self-medication and self-prescription of vitamins is not worth it. A pharmacist-nutritionist works on the recovery course after childbirth. She can advise.

Mom can suspect vitamin deficiency by a number of obvious signs:

• Increased fatigue – not to be confused with natural, related to the change of regime and care for the baby;
• Increased hair loss – do not take into account changes in hormonal background (about 3 months after childbirth “extra” hair, preserved during pregnancy, falls out, and this is normal);
• brittle and flaky nails;
• dry skin;
• Cracks in the corners of the lips;
• The appearance of problems with teeth and gums.

Each of the signs may indicate a lack of different elements, so an expert can help you understand in more detail. Ask your doctor or a professional consultant on our website. You can also read about vitamins for non-breastfeeding mothers.