Levels of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, and folic acid in breast milk are fine even if your diet is poor. If supplements are needed, they are for your benefit, not for the baby. In most cases, it's OK to take mineral supplements such as iron, calcium, and copper. These factors are not known to affect breast milk levels.
Water-soluble supplements, such as vitamin C, are known to increase breast milk levels. With any supplement, it's very important to talk to your doctor to ensure that your breast milk is optimal for your baby's development. As long as you maintain a diet that meets your daily needs for vitamin B-12, calcium, and zinc, your baby will also get all the benefits of a healthy diet. Many first-time mothers wonder if they need to take certain supplements or vitamins while breastfeeding to make sure their baby is healthy.
Some moms take vitamin D to make sure their babies get enough of this essential nutrient for healthy bones. Now babies can get all their vitamin D from their breast milk, without the need for drops, with TheraNatal Lactation Complete, from THERALOGIX, from our sponsor. Regular multivitamin and mineral supplements are also usually fine, although you should always consult your doctor before taking any type of supplement. The only supplements that are often recommended (and only given to your child if recommended by your doctor) are iron and vitamin D.
If you follow a reasonably balanced diet, vitamin supplements are not considered necessary for nursing mothers. In fact, many doctors recommend that mothers continue to take their prenatal vitamins even after delivery to ensure that both mother and baby get all the nutrients they need. Because prenatal vitamins contain folate, which prevents anemia, it's a good idea to keep taking them after delivery for additional health benefits for you and your baby. Mothers who consume 2200 calories per day may need more calcium, zinc, magnesium, thiamine (vitamin B), vitamin B-6 & vitamin E.
Many mothers choose to take a daily supplement of 10 micrograms of vitamin D to ensure they are getting enough nutrients in their own diet, since babies get vitamin D from breast milk and sun exposure is minimal. If the mother doesn't get adequate amounts of certain nutrients (such as vitamin B6, vitamin B12, or iodine), nutrient levels in milk may decrease. Babies who lack this vitamin could develop rickets, so it's important to see your pediatrician to make sure your little one is absorbing all the vitamin D he needs. Vitamin B levels in breast milk are related to a mother's intake, but in the United States, it is very rare for a mother to suffer a deficiency severe enough to affect her breastfed baby.
Mothers who consume 1800 calories a day may need more calcium, zinc, magnesium, thiamine, vitamin B6, vitamin E, folic acid, riboflavin (vitamin B), phosphorus, and iron. Pediatricians often recommend that mothers continue to take a prenatal vitamin supplement every day to ensure the right nutritional balance for both mother and baby.
