Prenatal vs. Postnatal Multivitamins: When to Make the Switch

Chances are you’re well aware that a prenatal multivitamin is essential to help support the nutrient changes that come with pregnancy. But what people might not realize is that the postpartum period is actually even more nutritionally demanding than pregnancy itself, especially for those who plan on breastfeeding. And that means that a different kind of multivitamin—a postnatal multivitamin, to be specific—can be an important addition to a new parent’s daily routine.*

But let’s get a little more specific about the difference between a prenatal multivitamin and a postnatal multivitamin—and when to consider switching over.

When to Start Taking a Prenatal Multivitamin

People should consider taking a prenatal multivitamin when they’re thinking, trying, or when it’s time to conceive. People’s nutrient needs change as soon as they become pregnant, which is why we like to stick to the “3 month rule”—that is, aiming to start taking a prenatal multivitamin 3 months ahead of time. Of course, that timing isn’t always easy to pin down. But if you’re thinking or trying, it might be time to consider making the switch.*

To put it simply, prenatal multivitamins are designed to lend nutrient support during pregnancy. Our Essential Prenatal Multivitamin, for example, is formulated to help fill nutrient gaps in a pregnant woman’s diet.*

What are some key examples of nutrient demands that change during pregnancy? Let’s start with folate, a B vitamin that helps support neural tube development. Our Essential Prenatal includes 1000 mcg (DFE) of folate because up to 30% of pregnant women are not getting enough folate from their diet. (6) Note: Many prenatal multivitamins will include folic acid, a synthetic form of folate. But since up to one-third of people have a genetic variation that makes it difficult to efficiently utilize folic acid, we prefer to use a bioidentical, bioavailable form of folate called 5-MTHF in Essential Prenatal.*

Choline is another example of an increased nutrient need during pregnancy as over 90% of pregnant women are not getting enough choline from their diet and this nutrient helps support baby’s brain development.* (6)

Iron, and omega-3 DHA, are other examples of essential nutrients women need more of to support the increased nutrient demands of pregnancy. The bottom line? Prenatal multivitamins are essential for anyone who is expecting.*

When to Stop Taking a Prenatal and Start Taking a Postnatal

Women should consider switching to a postnatal supplement as soon as they give birth, and continue taking one for six months postpartum (or longer, if they’re continuing to breastfeed). Baby’s arrival also ushers in a new (and often unparalleled) wave of nutritional demands, especially for lactating parents. Among the 29 essential micronutrients, lactation increases the demand for more than half of the essential micronutrients compared to pregnancy and other life stages. And our POV is that anyone who has recently birthed a child—whether they choose to breastfeed or not—deserves to feel supported in their body as they navigate those intense first months.*

A quality postnatal multivitamin specifically formulated for this life stage can help support the nutritional needs of new parents. There are 15 nutrients in particular women should consider looking for in a postnatal multivitamin after giving birth (all of which are included in our Essential Postnatal:*

1. Vitamin A
   
2. Vitamin D3
   
3. Vitamin C
   
4. Vitamin E
   
5. Folate
   
6. Vitamin B12
   
7. Magnesium
   
8. Zinc
   
9. Biotin
   
10. Choline
    
11. Iodine
    
12. Iron
    
13. Boron
    
14. Omega-3 DHA
    
15. Vitamin K2
    

Some of these nutrients are consistent with most women’s nutritional needs whether they’re expecting, lactating, or not—just in slightly higher levels. Others are to help support nutritional demands associated with postpartum. For example, Omega-3 DHA helps support omega-3 fatty acid content of breast milk in lactating women. Vitamin D is another example- according to the American Pregnancy Association, breastfed babies need an additional source of Vitamin D as breast milk alone may not provide an adequate amount. (5) A good postnatal multivitamin should help eliminate some of the guesswork around nutrition postpartum.*

We created Essential Postnatal specifically for the arrival of a mother’s new nutrient needs for six months postpartum, and throughout lactation. Featuring the aforementioned 15 key nutrients in obsessively-researched forms, just two (vegan) pills a day with vitamin d to help support bone health, folate and choline for brain health, omega-3 for fatty acid content of breast milk, and vitamin a and d for supporting normal immune function.*

Also, to help encourage healthy habits and make taking a multi more of a pleasure and less of a chore. We took into account common multivitamin-related grievances, like stomach upset and unpleasant taste—opting for delayed-release capsules designed to dissolve later (translation: you can take them on an empty stomach), and adding a food-grade minty or citrus tab to our bottles to help with odors and keep things fresh. The way we see it? No funky smell should get between you and your Ritual.*

A word on the minty and citrus tab: We added the tab to our bottles exclusively to enhance the experience, as multivitamins that contain omega-3 DHA can often have aromas reminiscent of the ocean due to the presence of fish oil, or in our case, omega-3 vegan algal oil.

Concerned about peppermint in your milk supply? Our commitment to Traceability—and the importance of providing safety assurance to our breastfeeding community—led us straight back to our roots: science. We hired an external consulting firm to investigate the relationship between the peppermint in our minty tab and how it relates to breast milk supply. This firm conducted a safety assessment of exposure to peppermint during both pregnancy and lactation, which confirmed our own rigorous research findings: that the levels of peppermint in our minty tab do not pose a safety risk. That said, talking to your doctor about any specific concerns is never a bad idea.*

Consider Macro Needs, too.

Prenatal and postnatal multivitamins are great options to support micronutrient (essential vitamins and minerals) needs for pregnancy and postpartum. But it's also important to consider macronutrients (protein, carbs, fat) as a part of a well-balanced diet. Exhibit A: People need more protein during pregnancy and lactation to help support the increased nutrient demands that occur during these life stages. In fact, the amount of protein deposited in maternal and fetal tissue increases over the course of pregnancy.* (1,2,3,4)

It's a big reason why we developed Essential Protein Pregnancy & Postpartum for this life stage specifically—and added choline for good measure.*

When to Stop Taking Postnatal Vitamins and When to Switch Back to a Regular Multivitamin

Once postpartum women hit the six month mark after birth and are no longer lactating, a regular multivitamin, like Essential for Women 18+, can help support nutrient needs. For those who are still breastfeeding, we suggest sticking with a postnatal multivitamin. Pretty simple, right?*

And as always, check with your healthcare provider if you have any specific questions about supporting postnatal nutrition during this important time. New parents—you got this.

†As a health company that adheres to standardized nutrition research—which is often reliant on assigned sex at birth—we face some unique challenges regarding our gender-specific messaging. Our decision to use gendered terms is, unfortunately, a result of these limitations in nutrition research. In cases where complying with the binary distinction is necessary for scientific accuracy purposes, we want to make it very clear that we recognize a person’s gender identity might differ from their assigned sex.

References:

1. Elango R, Ball RO. Protein and Amino Acid Requirements during Pregnancy. Adv Nutr. 2016 Jul 15;7(4):839S-44S

2. Hanson MA, et al. The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) recommendations on adolescent, preconception, and maternal nutrition: “Think Nutrition First” Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2015;131(Suppl 4):S213–53.

3. National Academy of Medicine: Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids (Macronutrients). 2005.

4. World Health Organization (WHO). Protein and Amino Acid Requirements in Human Nutrition. Report of a Joint WHO/FAO/UNU Expert Consultation. WHO Technical Report Series No 935. 2007.

5. Admin, A. P. A. “Postnatal Vitamins While Breastfeeding.” American Pregnancy Association, 11 Jan. 2022.

6. USDA, Agricultural Research Service. Usual Nutrient Intake from Food and Beverages, byPregnancy/Lactation Status, What We Eat in America, NHANES 2013-2016. 2020.