Expert Q&A: Do You Really Need a Postnatal Vitamin?

Most OB/GYNs recommend that pregnant patients take a prenatal multivitamin, but what about a postnatal one? Like so many other aspects of maternity care, mom-focused guidelines tend to dry up once the baby is born. To find out which, if any, supplements are worth prioritizing postpartum, we interviewed Adeline Grier-Welch, MS, MPH, RDN, Senior Scientist at Ritual.

At Origin, we love speaking directly to scientists at women’s health companies because they tend to be 1. fluent in the latest research and 2. willing to cut through the marketing copy and clearly explain what we do and don’t know, given the health research gender gap.

This interview did not disappoint. See below for some genuinely helpful insight into the nutrients that can support through pregnancy and especially in postpartum. 

Can you tell me about your scientific background and why you decided to work at Ritual? 

Sure! I'm a registered dietitian, and my education has primarily focused on public health and nutrition, with a special focus on maternal and child health. I’ve always been interested in maternal and child health because I think those are key life stages where nutrition can really make a difference in future population health. 

Over half of US women — and I believe this number will continue to increase in the future — have taken at least one dietary supplement in the past month. The sheer volume of that use means dietary supplements can and do impact public health. Having rigorous quality standards and ensuring that a company leads with science when it comes to dietary supplement formulation, as well as transparency in regard to ingredients and sourcing, is really important.

I decided to work at Ritual because Ritual lives that ethos of transparency and safety and is really working to set a standard in the industry. In 2022, we set a goal to clinically study all of our existing products by 2030. I'm deeply involved in our clinical research program, which is really exciting for me as both a scientist and a registered dietitian. Not only do we adhere to quality standards in a commitment to product safety, but we are investing in generating scientific data on our finished products in a commitment to product efficacy. 

Most docs recommend prenatal vitamins, but few mention postnatal vitamins. Do we really need them?

After birth, the focus of medical visits tends to shift from mom to baby, so mom’s health often takes a back seat. This is problematic for a number of reasons, especially when considering nutrition.

The postnatal period when a woman is lactating is one of the most, if not the most, nutritionally demanding periods of a woman’s life. In fact, lactation increases the demand for more than half of the essential vitamins compared to pregnancy and other life stages.

It really takes a lot of energy to create breast milk, and you see that reflected in the increased calorie and fluid recommendations during lactation.

With the focus on feeding baby, mom's nutrition can really suffer. Given that, how long do you recommend taking a postnatal vitamin?

At Ritual, we believe in a food-first approach meaning that we encourage folks to get most of their nutrition from their diet. But as you mentioned, that's not always feasible, and national dietary intake data reveal nutrient gaps among women in the U.S. Ritual multivitamins are formulated to help fill those dietary gaps and provide key nutrients tailored to different life stages, like during lactation.**

Our Essential Postnatal multivitamin is specifically formulated with these nutrient gaps and lactation needs in mind, but we know that not all women are able to or choose to breastfeed. So our recommendation is that women take Essential Postnatal for up to six months after birth or as long as they continue to breastfeed.*

Do we know if there are any links between nutrition and quantity of milk produced or quality of milk?  

We have some understanding of nutrition and the link with milk composition and quality. Maternal intake of certain nutrients and fatty acids — for example, choline or omega-3 DHA — can impact the levels of these components in breast milk. Additionally, a mother’s overall dietary habits can influence breast milk composition so adequate nutrition is incredibly important during lactation for both mom and baby.

That said, there is no “perfect” diet and most well-nourished moms can trust that their breast milk is providing their baby with what they need.

And what about research on how nutrition is impacting postnatal mood and maternal mental health?

Diet quality has been associated with postpartum mental health. There is some evidence, for example, that supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids supports maternal mood after delivery, but the evidence is mixed. Also, supplementing with specific probiotic strains during pregnancy and into the postpartum period shows some impact as well.

However, limited research exists in this area, and developing a better understanding of the role of nutrition in maternal mental health is key to determining which nutrients may have the biggest impact. It all ties back to how we prioritize funding for research, and unfortunately, maternal mental health, and women’s health in general, isn’t given the attention I believe it deserves.

When you think about recent research on maternal nutrition, what is most interesting from your perspective?

I’m always interested in research that deepens our understanding of nutrition during pregnancy and its effects on offspring. One good example of this is choline. It wasn’t until the late 1990s that choline was officially recognized as an essential nutrient, meaning that we must consume it in our diets because our bodies don't make enough of it. And it wasn't really until the 2000s that we began to uncover just how important choline is for the developing human brain in utero. 

A key clinical trial that helped expand this understanding of choline during pregnancy was conducted at Cornell University, where researchers tested the impact of choline supplementation during the third trimester of pregnancy on offspring cognitive health. Researchers found that women who consumed nearly twice the recommended amount of choline had children with improved cognitive performance, and this benefit persisted for years. That study really highlights how much there is to learn regarding nutrition during pregnancy and lactation.

Studies like this make us question, are the current choline recommendations in pregnancy enough to support optimal cognitive outcomes in children? The answer may be no, but we need more research.

Last thing: I’m curious if Ritual has guidance around which supplements are ideal to take together. 

For that question, I’ll put my dietitian hat on. The best supplements for you will vary based on your individual needs, life stage, and health priorities. Most folks start with a multivitamin, but there are so many different types of multivitamins available, so it can be confusing for consumers. I often advise seeking out multivitamins that include nutrients folks don’t tend to get enough of in their diet, such as vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, vitamin K2, and magnesium. Ritual offers life stage-specific multivitamins, so choosing the one that is the best fit is pretty simple.*

Many people, especially those who want to support their gut health, have a positive experience with probiotics. So a multivitamin and a high-quality probiotic (or even better pre-, pro-, and postbiotic) is a good foundational combination. And then there is a huge range of other products that are more targeted to specific needs like stress, sleep, or beauty, so it’s really about a person’s specific health priorities. 

If I were working with someone who says, ‘I've heard a lot about dietary supplements, I want to know where to start’, rather than imposing my own opinions, I would ask about their health priorities and current lifestyle. And from there, direct them to products or companies that conduct third-party testing on their products and contain clinically-studied ingredients and dosages. 

The best approach is to consult with a trusted healthcare provider to determine your specific needs and priorities.

Editor's note: Standardized nutrition research is often reliant on assigned sex at birth. 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.

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**These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.