What vitamins are needed during breastfeeding?

During pregnancy and lactation, the female body experiences heavy stress. Over time, his internal resources are depleted. Fetal formation and breast milk synthesis take up most of the incoming minerals and vitamins. If there are not enough elements, they are removed from the woman’s own tissues. As a result of a deficiency of vital compounds, her nervous system, visual apparatus, bones, teeth, skin and hair suffer. With poor nutrition, the situation worsens even more. Vitamin and mineral complexes help prevent and compensate for damage to health.

Consequences of hypovitaminosis for nursing mothers

In the first months of breastfeeding, the lack of vitamins in the diet is especially noticeable. After all, a young mother has to give up many foods. Honey, fish, most fruits, spices and some vegetables cause allergies or colic in the baby. Therefore, there are often situations when a woman limits herself to cereals and low-fat chicken, trying to reduce the risk of unwanted reactions in the child. The consequences of such nutrition are not long in coming:

• deficiency of B vitamins affects intestinal function, skin and hair condition;
• due to a lack of calcium, tooth enamel suffers, causing caries;
• lack of iron leads to the development of anemia, apathy and physical weakness;
• deficiency of vitamin D and ascorbic acid is manifested by decreased immunity.

Nursing mothers, whose diet is limited due to fear for the health of their infants, have a lack of almost all necessary substances. And those that enter the body with food pass into plasma and milk. The result is obvious: after a while, women's health rapidly deteriorates. Lactation due to stress and a poor diet may also decrease untimely. In the future, it is necessary to treat the consequences of restrictions in both mothers and babies. And some disorders, for example, in the functioning of the musculoskeletal system and the endocrine system, cannot always be corrected.

Many doctors recommend eliminating menu restrictions while breastfeeding. Arguing that not all allergens penetrate into milk. However, in practice, this approach often causes rejection among children. Changes in the smell and taste of milk can trigger early weaning. The solution is to use special preparations containing a range of essential nutrients. For every woman it is important to choose the one that is right for her.

Why does the body need hemoglobin?

Hemoglobin provides oxygen transport. In the capillaries of the lungs, a maximum of four oxygen molecules bind to one oxygen molecule and form oxyhemoglobin. Then, in the blood stream, red blood cells deliver this ligament to organs and tissues. Here, the oxygen necessary for oxidative processes is freed from bonding with hemoglobin.

Iron is necessary for the normal functioning of the human immune system. A lack of this microelement can lead to problems with potency in men and disrupt the menstrual cycle in women. Low hemoglobin levels can also warn of other serious diseases.

Signs of iron deficiency in the body may include loss of energy, depression, hair loss and dry skin, drowsiness and irritability. However, to determine true anemia and replenish iron deficiency, it is necessary to conduct a detailed blood test.

At risk are vegetarians and fans of strict diets, teenagers during hormonal changes in the body, and child athletes who do not take additional vitamin and mineral complexes. If pregnant women do not take special multivitamins, they are also at risk of developing anemia.

The doctor reminds you that you should not buy drugs to replenish hemoglobin and ferritin reserves at the pharmacy yourself. They are prescribed only by doctors. In addition, the effect of the drugs begins only after six months and therefore the course of treatment cannot be interrupted.

What minerals and vitamins are required first?

Ideally, it is useful to start taking preventive medications at the stage of pregnancy planning. A course of folic acid, calcium, vitamins A, E and D helps create the necessary depot for the formation of the skeleton and neural tube of the fetus without the risk of their excessive removal from the female body.

During pregnancy and after childbirth, it is necessary to replenish the necessary vitamins in a comprehensive manner. Approximately the daily requirement for them is:

• B1 (thiamine): 1.4 mg;
• B2 (riboflavin): 2.1 mg;
• B6 (pyridoxine): 2.1 mg;
• B12 (cyanocobalamin): 2.7 mg;
• A (retinol): 2.7 mg;
• D3 (cholecalciferol): 12.4 mg;
• E (tocopherol): 15 mg;
• vitamin PP: 26 mg;
• C (ascorbic acid): 100 mg.

It is recommended that nursing mothers choose medications that contain the daily norms of zinc, calcium, iodine, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and copper. Otherwise, a deficiency of macro and microelements will interfere with the absorption of vitamins, and the body will not receive the energy it needs.

What vitamins does a nursing mother need?

A vitamin diet for breastfeeding includes good nutrition and vitamin and mineral supplements. Pediatrician Ekaterina Andreevna Yakovleva named the vitamins that are needed during breastfeeding and advised what a nursing mother can eat. But for many moms, the question is not so much what to eat, but when to shop and cook, and how to choose the right “women’s” vitamins. Let's try to find solutions.

— Ekaterina Andreevna, what vitamins should a nursing mother take after giving birth? Or are vitamin and mineral supplements not too necessary and a balanced diet is sufficient?

— A woman’s nutritional needs during pregnancy and after childbirth are significantly greater than during any other period of her life. The consumption of protein and all vitamins and minerals increases, but calcium, phosphorus, iron, iodine and vitamin D are needed the most. Therefore, every mother is recommended to eat certain foods and take vitamins in order to avoid their deficiency, maintain or increase lactation, and meet her own needs and the needs of the baby.

— Are vitamins for nursing mothers more often recommended to be taken in complexes or as separate preparations?

— Multicomplexes do not always make sense: everything depends on the nutrition of the nursing mother. If the mother can afford a varied, nutritious diet all year round, which contains a large amount of fruits and vegetables, dairy and plant products with calcium (milk, cottage cheese, greens, broccoli, nuts), fatty fish two to three times a week, meat every day , then multivitamins are not so urgently needed.

In reality, few women can financially and technically afford such food. During pregnancy, many people work - then there is no opportunity to constantly cook and expand their diet, and when a child is born, many mothers do not even have time to drink tea, much less eat according to all the rules. Then mineral complexes come to the rescue.

But even if a woman eats well, it is impossible to cover the need for some vitamins through food. Such vitamins have to be taken additionally, at least in separate preparations.

For example,

— What simple foods will be useful when breastfeeding?

— The diet of a nursing mother should be varied and complete, fully comply with calorie standards, which during breastfeeding increases by an average of 500 kcal and increases to 2500 kcal: this is quite a lot without taking into account sweet foods.

List of nutrients and simplest foods that meet the criteria for proper nutrition for a nursing mother:

• calcium, protein - dairy and fermented milk products;
• fiber - fruits and vegetables (cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, green vegetables, cabbage, broccoli, salads, spinach);
• protein and fats - meat, legumes, fish or seafood (if a woman does not eat meat, then she should eat fish daily);
• complex carbohydrates - grains, cereals (buckwheat, oatmeal, quinoa, amaranth).

— Are vitamins always prescribed for mothers during breastfeeding by a doctor?

— Before starting to take vitamins, it is better to discuss this issue with your doctor. Vitamin complexes sometimes contain additives that may be prohibited for pregnant and breastfeeding women or may cause allergies.

If a woman understands that her diet is inadequate and she cannot correct it, then she should not wait for the manifestation of vitamin deficiency and it is better to start taking vitamins during the period of preparation for pregnancy, continuing to use them after it.

— Can vitamin deficiency be determined by a woman’s well-being?

— Manifestations of vitamin deficiency can be different depending on what vitamins and minerals the body lacks, but everything will result in the mother’s poor health. She will be weak, always dissatisfied, and will feel unwell for no apparent reason: “It seems like she ate, but she still feels bad.” In such a situation, the problem must be looked for precisely in vitamin deficiency.

• Brittle nails and hair are the most common symptoms of a lack of vitamins in the body. Hair loss after childbirth already increases, but usually stops after 3-4 months. If the loss takes on a pathological form, then it is worth talking about vitamin deficiency.
• Depression, bad mood, drowsiness, reluctance to do anything, irritability, weakness, visual impairment are also common symptoms of vitamin deficiency in a nursing mother.

— How do vitamin complexes for lactation (vitamins for breastfeeding for mothers) differ from conventional medications for adults?

“They are different in composition and quantity of minerals and vitamins they contain, since the norms of vitamins and minerals for a nursing mother are different. Vitamin complexes designed for the breastfeeding period contain more calcium, phosphorus, vitamin C and vitamin D, as they are aimed at replenishing the increased intake of nutrients during this important period for women and children. In addition, such drugs are subject to stricter technological control. When producing them, they try to avoid dangerous additives, dyes and flavor enhancers that can be found in regular vitamins.

— What vitamins can a mother take while breastfeeding so as not to harm the newborn?

— There are no vitamins that would be harmful during breastfeeding. But it is worth recalling a possible overdose of vitamins, which is just as dangerous as their deficiency. Therefore, if a woman suspects she has severe vitamin deficiency, there is no need to drink five capsules with vitamins a day: it is necessary to follow the daily dosage.

An exhaustive list of essential vitamins, macro- and microelements after childbirth: vitamin A, B vitamins - B1, B2, B6, B12, PP, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin D, as well as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, iodine.

To understand what and how much is missing, you need to see a doctor and undergo medical tests. Blood from a vein is used to determine the level of vitamins and minerals in the body. Based on the results, an individual preventive or therapeutic dosage is selected. For example, to monitor iron levels, a simple blood test is sufficient, but if certain signs appear, you can with a high degree of confidence suspect iron deficiency anemia and increase your iron intake by taking additional medications intended for pregnant and lactating women.

— Is an allergy to vitamins in a baby different from a food allergy?

— You can only understand what the allergy started to by using an exclusion method, for example, using a time frame. If a mother took a multivitamin on Friday and the child began to have a reaction on Saturday, we can assume an allergy to vitamins. To make sure of this, you need to stop the drug and continue to monitor the reaction:

During pregnancy and breastfeeding, a woman's intake of minerals and vitamins increases significantly. The condition can be compensated in two ways - by expanding and optimizing the diet or by taking a course of specialized vitamin complexes for pregnant and lactating women. It is recommended to drink iron, iodine and vitamin D in the form of separate preparations, even with a full diet. The most important thing is to choose vitamins that are neutral in composition, without flavoring additives or fragrances that can cause allergies in a child, as well as follow the dosage and consult a doctor before going to the pharmacy.

Pediatrician Ekaterina Andreevna Yakovleva

*The ideal food for an infant is mother's milk. WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months. MAMAKO® supports this recommendation. Before introducing new foods into your baby’s diet, consult a specialist.

When should you take vitamin complexes?

If a young mother eats well, has enough milk, remains in good health and has normal blood counts, there is no need for special medications. Indications for taking vitamin-mineral complexes:

• absence or insufficient amount of animal protein sources in the diet: pork, beef, cottage cheese, eggs, fish;
• poor appetite, aversion to certain foods;
• loss of physical strength, apathy, low mood;
• insomnia or forced sleep deficit;
• deterioration of the condition of hair, skin, nails, teeth;
• swelling;
• long-term excess weight;
• frequent headaches, joint pains;
• susceptibility to viral and bacterial infections;
• chronic diseases of the digestive system, diabetes.

In the spring and winter seasons, when there is not enough sunlight, little fresh herbs and fruits, the need for minerals and vitamins increases. Women who are forced to limit their diet due to allergies in their children must take pharmaceutical complexes of elements.

COMPLIVIT "MOM" FOR PREGNANT AND NURSING WOMEN (tablets)

Using my own example, I was convinced of the effectiveness of the Complivit “Mama” multivitamins, so I decided to share my positive experience.
Let me start by saying that I, of course, did not take any medications during pregnancy, including vitamins, without a doctor’s recommendation. In the second trimester, the doctor prescribed me Elevit Pronatal (by the way, I am more than satisfied with them, although the amount of vitamins and minerals in each capsule is very large, which was a little alarming). But in the third trimester, suddenly the doctor prescribed Complivit “Mama” multivitamins, which are cheaper (180 rubles for 30 pieces versus 800 rubles for 30 pieces of Elevita), and the dosage in them is lower, which, in my opinion, did not affect on the result.

Manufacturer: UfaVITA (Russia) Price: 180 rubles Quantity: 30 pcs/pack >Shelf life: 2 years

Appearance

The container jar itself is standard for the Complivit series vitamins. The new jar is protected with a special film.

The jar has no protection from small children, so we prudently hide it from small children.

All 30 capsules modestly huddle at the bottom of the jar (which is typical for all medicinal preparations - they are produced in small quantities and packaged in large packaging :))

The smell of the tablets is very specific (with severe toxicosis there may be complete rejection). Especially when there are many of them, it is not so felt on one. The tablet itself has a nice streamlined shape and small size, which is important for me, because I don’t like very large ones.

During pregnancy I encountered the following problems:

— hemoglobin was balancing on the verge of anemia; - the condition of the nails and hair, as well as the teeth, has deteriorated slightly - pain in the small pelvic bones when they naturally diverge, this is directly related to calcium - and immunity. All mothers know how important it is not to get sick during pregnancy, and what consequences any ARVI/flu can lead to.

All these problems were solved by Elevit (made in Germany) in the second trimester with a score of 5+. But Complivit “Mama” also successfully continued the work it had started! Especially in the calcium direction (especially visually this can be monitored by the nails: they are strong, growing at a high speed), but the iron level is also maintained in good condition, anemia has not yet been diagnosed.

Compound

This is not the first time I have come across Complivit; I regularly use it during the winter-spring period of total vitamin deficiency. It does a very good job of boosting immunity. I get sick much less often or not at all.

Composition of Complivita Mama

For expectant and nursing mothers, the manufacturer (in comparison with the usual complex for adults) increased vitamin E by 2 times, calcium pantothenate also by 2 times, the same with vitamin C and, what is most important for me, iron. In general, the composition differs from ordinary vitamin complexes; it is clear that the manufacturer took into account the needs of women in a special situation.

The manufacturer indicates (!) that it has taken into account compatibility (for example, calcium is poorly absorbed without vitamin D3) and incompatibility (iron and calcium interfere with each other’s absorption). How is this implemented? Still a mystery.

When the tablet was broken, the picture still did not become clear as to how truthful the manufacturer was. I believe that the issue could be resolved with shells that would dissolve at different times, but perhaps they have some kind of advanced technology of their own.

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In conclusion, I will summarize. In my case, the vitamin and mineral complex Complivit “Mama” coped with the visible problems. This is a very good result for such a budget complex!

Good luck to everyone and healthy children! Thank you for reading my review.

Treatment and medications for low hemoglobin

Of course, treatment of anemia always includes the prescription of medications. It is impossible to eliminate iron deficiency anemia without iron supplements, only with a diet that includes a lot of iron. The absorption of iron from food is limited, its maximum is 2.5 mg/day. From medicinal preparations, iron is absorbed 15-20 times more.

However, the food must be complete and contain a sufficient amount of well-absorbed iron and protein. It is better to take iron supplements together with ascorbic acid. The latter improves the absorption of iron in the intestines. Since food significantly reduces the absorption of inorganic iron, taking the tablets before meals is more effective.

There are a wide variety of iron supplements. Experience has shown that organic salts of ferric iron and iron compounds with various organic radicals are most easily absorbed by the body and do not cause side effects. Such drugs are safer, they have less risk of overdose and poisoning than coarser inorganic salts. The gums and teeth do not darken, there is no heaviness in the stomach, and quite rarely there is a need to discontinue the drug.

Iron supplements

Now there are many medicines on the market that can be taken orally: coated tablets, for example Sorbifer Durules, chewable tablets Maltofer and Ferrum Lek, Actiferrin drops, Ferrum Lek and Actiferrin syrups for children, Actiferrin and Maltofer drops for infants, there are also injectable forms : Ferrum Lek, at the moment they are used strictly under the control of blood tests.

During pregnancy, it is especially necessary to carefully monitor the hemoglobin level in the blood. For pregnant and lactating women, there are special forms: chewable tablets Maltofer Fol, long-acting tablets coated with Tardiferon, which contain not only iron salts, but also folic acid, which is necessary during pregnancy in higher doses. Depending on the age of the child, a drop form or syrup (Aktiferrin, Maltofer, Ferrum lek) is selected and treatment is carried out.