Do You Need to Take Prenatal Vitamins When You are Nursing?

• It is a good idea to take prenatal vitamins during the first 2 to 3 months of breastfeeding. I was told to keep taking prenatal vitamins with my youngest, but not with my oldest.
• With my oldest I took a Woman's One a Day vitamin. You should continue to take of woman's vitamin after you are done taking prenatal vitamins.
  
• This makes sure you're getting essential vitamins and minerals. Most women can get all necessary vitamins and minerals if they are eating a well-balanced diet.
  
• But that can be hard to do when you're taking care of a baby, a home, perhaps another kid and career as well.
• Iron is the main mineral women lack. Women who give birth lose quite a lot during delivery and loose blood every month when they menstruate.
  
• Also, you need a lot of calcium a day when nursing. You need about what you'd get in three 8-ounce glasses of milk. It can be hard to get that much calcium from food.
  
• Even prenatal supplements contain only about 200 mg of calcium, so you still need to drink your milk, calcium-fortified orange juice, and eat dairy products such as yogurt, cottage cheese and cheese.