The 4 Best Postnatal Vitamins For Vegan Moms In 2026

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If you’re like many new mothers, every part of you is reminding you how much time, effort, and energy went into bringing a child into the world.

Even though your body did a fantastic job of producing another human, it used up a lot of your nutrient reserves in the process.

Replenishing your body through a healthy diet and supplementation should be a part of your postpartum self-care plan.

However, not all postnatal vitamin supplements are vegan, so we’re bringing you our list of the top 4 vegan postnatal vitamins, so feel free to continue reading.

The 4 Best Vegan Postnatal Vitamins

Ritual Postnatal Vitamins

Ritual is a subscription-based supplement company that offers a variety of multivitamins and protein powders made from simple, high-quality ingredients.

Their postnatal formula comes with 15 traceable ingredients, and it includes 6 of the most crucial nutrients for a woman now going through postpartum and lactation.

Among the more crucial nutrients, you have DHA, iron, iodine, choline, folate, vitamin D, vitamin b12, and many other nutrients important for your health.

I personally have chosen this postnatal formula because the brand takes into consideration its target audience, in other words, you will find ingredients such as vitamin D, vitamin B12, and DHA, which are dosed quite generously so that both vegan and vegetarian moms can go about their lives without worries.

Additionally, if you’re like most vegans and care about the impact your products have had on the environment and on all the individuals involved in its conception, then I believe Ritual’s traceability aspect is great because it shows the brand is making an effort to set itself apart from others in a path towards becoming more ethical.

Maryruth Prenatal & Postnatal Vitamins

Mary Ruth is a widely popular brand among the vegan community, and most of its products are generally comprised of organic, plant-based ingredients.

It is the only product on this list that is both prenatal and postnatal, as it contains key nutrients that are meant to help women throughout all the stages from conception to lactation.

Also, unlike the other products on this list, it’s also the only one that is available in liquid form, which is way easier to swallow when compared to a capsule or tablet.

Although it does contain a wider variety of nutrients than your regular postnatal formula, it’s still missing some key nutrients such as iron and DHA.

These are 2 of the 6 key nutrients we’ve covered in the later sections of this article, so I’d say that Mary Ruth’s pre + postnatal formula is lacking, at least in comparison to Ritual’s postnatal which contains all the 6 key nutrients.

Naturelo Postnatal Vitamins

Naturelo is effectively a vegan brand that seeks to obtain its nutrients from actual plants as opposed to obtaining them via synthetic processes or animals.

Its postnatal formula is quite complete in the sense that it contains a wide variety of nutrients and the majority of them are dosed quite generously.

Naturelo also offers some of the same key nutrients as the previous formulas, including iron, iodine, choline, vitamin D3, and vitamin B12.

However, you won’t be able to find DHA, which is a nutrient that thus far we’ve only found in Ritual’s postnatal formula— the only brand that seems to account for the slight difficulty in obtaining DHA in a vegan diet.

Another aspect that I don’t appreciate in Naturelo’s postnatal formula is that you need to take 3 capsules a day, spread out between three separate meals, so it requires a lot more work than the average postnatal. Also, the capsules have a very pungent smell, which is not very alluring.

Still, Naturelo is still a strong alternative, particularly if you take into account the really affordable price.

Pink Stork Postnatal Vitamins

Pink Stork is not a particularly popular brand but akin to Ritual, they have included DHA in their formula, which is one of the rarer but crucial nutrients in a great postnatal formula.

Additionally, Pink Stork is a woman-owned company, where 80% of the employees are women, and they are, in this case, responsible for developing a product for women— so I thought it would be a great addition to this list.

This product is among the most popular postnatal supplements on Amazon, and with good reason, as most nutrients are dosed generously, including iron, folate, and DHA. The only exception would be vitamin D, which only contains 12% of the RDA (recommended daily allowance).

Compared to Ritual’s postnatal formula, Pink Stork lacks a few key essential nutrients like choline and iodine, which are quite important for postpartum but have been completely overlooked in this formula.

With that being said, it’s still a great-tasting and smelling alternative that you should take into consideration, particularly if you’re a vegan woman that is keen on supporting woman-owned businesses.

Why Are Postnatal Vitamins Important?

Following delivery, it’s crucial to maintain a healthy diet because pregnancy depletes your body of key nutrients, including folate, vitamin D, iron, fatty acids, selenium, and calcium. ^[1][2]

In addition, the daily recommended intake of many nutrients is higher if you are breastfeeding than it was during pregnancy. ^[3]

Breastfeeding mothers are more likely to experience nutritional deficiencies as a result of this increased nutrient requirement.

During lactation, choline, iodine, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, and D all contribute to the production of milk. ^[4]

Having a healthy diet supports your baby’s body and mental development. Furthermore, you must maintain a healthy nutrient intake to feel your best and have the energy necessary to care for both yourself and your newborn.

A healthcare provider may advise you to take supplements after birth to make sure your nutrient stores are fully replaced, regardless of whether you decide to breastfeed, even if a nutrient-dense, well-rounded diet can help you achieve your nutritional demands.

What’s The Difference Between Prenatal and Postnatal Vitamins?

It’s actually quite easy to tell the difference between prenatal and postnatal vitamins. In essence, prenatal vitamins are meant to be taken before and during pregnancy, whereas postnatal vitamins are meant to be taken for six months following childbirth (or longer if you are breastfeeding).

It is advised to take prenatal vitamins during the entire pregnancy and, if possible, for the three months before conception. Getting enough macro- and micronutrients is crucial at all stages of life, but it’s especially crucial during pregnancy.

The food you eat every day should, in theory, satisfy all of your nutritional demands, but this isn’t always the case, especially if you’re sick or feeling nauseous.

It’s simple to believe that you don’t need to take vitamins after giving birth, but the opposite is true! One of the most physically, intellectually, and emotionally taxing times in life is the postpartum period.

It is normal for new moms to lack the necessary nutrients to nourish both their own bodies and those of their babies because the majority of nutrient stores are lost during childbirth (particularly through breast milk while breastfeeding).

Postpartum depletion is a condition that can cause mood swings, fatigue, hair loss, and brain fog. And several postnatal supplements are created to treat this. While some versions of postnatal vitamins may have elements that are comparable to those in prenatal, many are specially designed with various combinations for your postpartum needs.

Important Nutrients For Breastfeeding Moms

Your nutritional requirements during breastfeeding are significantly higher than they were during pregnancy. It’s crucial to maintain adding vitamins, minerals, and other necessary elements to your diet throughout the duration of your breastfeeding journey for this reason. ^[5]

The following nutrients are some of the most crucial for breastfeeding mothers:

Iron

New mothers can be iron deficient, especially if they had anemia during pregnancy.

Your iron levels will be monitored by your doctor after birth. Your doctor will recommend an iron supplement if you are deficient or become deficient after childbirth or while breastfeeding.

Iron bisglycinate is a well-absorbed type of iron that is less prone to cause gastrointestinal side effects such as constipation than other forms of iron. ^[6]

The daily iron intake recommended for lactating women aged 19-50 is 9 mg per day. This is around half the dosage suggested for non-lactating menstrual women.

Many of the supplements on the list contain no or very little iron. When your period returns, or if your iron levels are low, you’ll want to find a product with enough iron to keep your stores at optimal levels.

To decide how much iron you should take, consult with a healthcare expert.

In addition to taking supplements, eating iron-rich foods such as lentils, chickpeas, beans, and cashew nuts can help you naturally raise your iron levels.

Iodine

You’ll need this mineral to keep your thyroid in tip-top shape and to help your baby’s brain and nervous system develop.

Iodized salt and foods made from whole grains contain some iodine. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends that breastfeeding women get a total of 290 mcg of iodine daily.

The American Thyroid Association recommended that breastfeeding mothers take a daily iodine supplement containing 150 mcg. Iodine intakes greater than 500-1,100 mcg per day, on the other hand, should be avoided. ^[7]

Keep in mind that many prenatal and postnatal supplements lack iodine. According to the American Thyroid Association, 40% of prenatal vitamins are iodine-free. ^[8]

If your prenatal or postnatal vitamin lacks iodine and you don’t eat iodine-rich foods on a regular basis, you may need to take a separate iodine supplement to maintain appropriate levels.

Ask your doctor for dose instructions, since too much iodine can be dangerous to both you and your baby.

Vitamin D

For breastfeeding mothers, the NIH advises 600 IU (15 mcg) of vitamin D per day, however, there’s also evidence suggesting that 600 IU is not sufficient enough to ensure your baby gets enough vitamin D and that your vitamin D levels are within a healthy range.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that newborns who are exclusively breastfed or receive less than 1 liter of formula daily receive 400 IU of vitamin D daily from day one until their first birthday. ^[9]

Recent research also reveals that by increasing their vitamin D consumption to at least 6,000 IU per day, mothers can maintain optimal vitamin D levels in both themselves and their breastfed newborns.

A 2015 study found that moms who supplemented with 6,400 IU of vitamin D per day produced adequate vitamin D through breast milk to maintain optimal vitamin D levels in their newborns. ^[10]

Another 2019 study found that 6,000 IU of vitamin D supplementation per day was also sufficient to maintain optimal vitamin D levels in breastfed infants. ^[11]

Moms who are unable or unwilling to breastfeed frequently require far more vitamin D than is currently advised or included in most prenatal and postnatal vitamins. Request that your doctor check your vitamin D levels, and then supplement with vitamin D3 as needed.

Vitamin B12

B12 supplements are strongly recommended for vegans, including new mothers. This is natural given that vitamin B12 is not available through plant foods (save rare exceptions), so taking a supplement is important. ^[12]

Inadequate vitamin B12 intake can decrease the nutrient content of your breast milk and limit the amount of vitamin B12 your infant consumes. This is why it is vital to get an adequate B12 intake through a vitamin B12 supplement. ^[13]

B12 deficiency also occurs in people who take certain medications or have certain health conditions, such as gastrointestinal disorders. Not only those following a vegan diet.

Blood tests might be ordered by your doctor to test your B12 levels. If you are deficient in B12, your doctor may offer oral B12 supplements or B12 injections.

Choline

Many mothers do not obtain enough of this nutrient, which is essential for a baby’s brain growth and function.

Choline is a substance related to B vitamins that are necessary for mood, memory, muscle function, and other functions. To meet their demands, breastfeeding mothers should consume a total of 550 mg of choline every day.

In addition to ensuring that your postnatal supplement contains at least some choline, you can also include more choline-rich foods in your vegan diet, namely peanuts, tofu, quinoa, cooked dried beans, cruciferous vegetables, soy milk, and others.

Both vegans and vegetarians may have a higher risk for choline inadequacy, so it may be important to supplement this nutrient. ^[14]

However, it’s better to seek your doctor’s advice before considering taking any additional supplements or making changes to your diet.

DHA & EPA

DHA and EPA are omega-3 polyunsaturated fats that are required for your baby’s brain, eyes, and nervous system development.

Vegetarians and vegans have been shown in many studies to have lower blood levels of EPA and DHA than meat eaters, but traditionally, vegans have been encouraged to raise EPA and DHA levels by increasing ALA and decreasing the short-chain, omega-6 fatty acid linoleic acid (LA) that can interfere with omega-3 conversion.

Unfortunately, there are no long-term studies looking at the EPA and DHA levels in vegetarians and vegans who follow the recommendations to increase ALA and limit LA. However, research on omnivores shows that 3–4 g of ALA per day can increase DHA levels, especially over the course of many months. ^[15]

There are many vegan DHA supplements made from seaweed, and some include EPA, but it’s debatable whether vegans need to supplement with DHA. It’s more clear that vegans meeting ALA requirements shouldn’t need to supplement with EPA, but I’m not sure how that would be during pregnancy or postpartum.

The thing to do is to contact your doctor so that he/she can advise you on the best course of action.

Bottom Line

Making sure you’re healthy is the first step in raising a healthy child. Your kid will receive the nourishment they require to flourish if you are operating at your peak capacity.

Select a postnatal supplement that contains a variety of vitamins, minerals, and other crucial elements, including DHA, choline, iron, zinc, folate, vitamin B12, and vitamin D.

Keep in mind that you might need to take additional supplements depending on what’s in your postnatal vitamin, so carefully read the list of ingredients on your bottle.

Choose a high-quality brand of postnatal supplement, no matter what. You’ll gain in terms of enjoyment and health.

Finally, make sure that you’re getting medical advice from a health professional.

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Medical Disclaimer: The content on this website is meant to be informative, but it should not be taken as medical advice. The content of our articles is not intended for use in the diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. It’s always best to speak with your doctor or a certified medical professional before making any changes to your lifestyle, diet, exercise routine, or trying a new supplement.

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