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can prenatal vitamins cause constipation in breastfed baby

by Timmothy Sanford DVM Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago

It is highly unlikely that your prenatal vitamin will cause constipation in an exclusively breastfed baby. It is important to consult your child's pediatrician or speak to your primary care doctor if this is a concern that you have.Feb 23, 2021

What are the adverse effects of prenatal vitamins?

  • Constipation.
  • Upset stomach or throwing up.
  • Change in color of stool to green.
  • Diarrhea.
  • Belly pain.

Can prenatals be harmful?

Prenatal vitamins are designed specifically for the needs of pregnant women. They are full of only the essential vitamins and minerals needed to support the pregnancy and healthy growth of the baby without providing too much or too little of those vitamins and minerals, which can be harmful.

What are the side effects of prenatal?

  • Cramps and body aches
  • Tender and swollen breasts
  • Slight spotting or vaginal bleeding
  • Nausea throughout the day (also known as morning sickness)
  • Headaches
  • Mood swings
  • Food aversions or cravings
  • Faintness and dizziness

Can low B12 cause constipation?

Vitamin B-12 deficiency can cause constipation. If your constipation is caused by low levels of B-12, increasing your daily intake of this nutrient may help ease your symptoms. You may prefer to eat more foods rich in this vitamin rather than take a supplement. In this manner, can vitamins cause constipation?

Can you take prenatal vitamins while breastfeeding?

Since prenatal vitamins provide higher amounts of folate, it's a good idea to continue taking them throughout lactation. If desired, a regular multivitamin can be taken plus an additional folate supplement.

Can prenatal vitamins cause gas in breastfed baby?

If you are taking a prenatal vitamin that is made with WHOLE FOODS, your vitamin might be causing your baby discomfort. The ingredients in the vitamins are highly concentrated amounts of foods that are highly bothersome to a sensitive stomach.

What causes breastfed babies to be constipated?

A baby may develop harder stools and constipation after starting solid foods. Certain foods, such as rice cereal and dairy milk, may cause constipation in babies younger than 1 year. Other possible causes of constipation in breastfed babies include: Not having enough liquids.

How long should you take prenatal vitamins after birth if breastfeeding?

In many cases, healthcare professionals recommend continuing to take a prenatal or postnatal vitamin after your baby is born, for as long as you're breastfeeding ( 30 ).

Can iron supplement cause constipation in breastfed baby?

Note: Additional iron intake by the mother will not increase iron levels in breastmilk, even if the mother is anemic. Iron supplements taken by mom may produce constipation in baby.

What supplements to avoid while breastfeeding?

Supplements and herbs to avoid when breastfeeding:Aloe latex.Ashwagandha.Berberine/goldenseal (berberine is a compound found in goldenseal)Bilberry.Black cohosh.Butterbur — Contains compounds that may cause liver damage (Chojkier, J Hepatol 2003)Dong quai (Angelica sinensis) (National Library of Medicine 2018)More items...•

What helps a breastfed baby with constipation?

lie your baby down and gently move their legs like they're riding a bicycle – this can help get things moving. If your baby is happy lying down, give them a gentle tummy massage. if your baby is bottle-fed, try giving them extra water between some feeds.

Can mother's diet make baby constipated?

Occasionally babies will react to something in their mother's breastmilk, and this may sometimes cause diarrhea or constipation. Certain foods in mom's diet can also affect the stool color, but this is normal!

Why is my breastfed baby not pooping as much?

If your baby is only being breastfed they may not poop every day. This is because their body can use up almost all the components of breast milk for nutrition and there is very little left that needs to be eliminated. After the first 6 weeks or so they can go even a week or two without a poop.

What is the best vitamins for breastfeeding mom?

Healthline's picks of the best postnatal vitamins for breastfeeding momsFullWell Prenatal Multivitamin.MegaFood Baby & Me 2 Postnatal Multi.Mama Bird Postnatal Multi+Ritual Essential Postnatal Multivitamin.Perelel Mom Multi Support Pack.Needed Prenatal Multi.Majka Green Vanilla Nourishing Lactation Protein Powder.More items...•

What is the best vitamin to take while breastfeeding?

Which vitamins and supplements are safe to take while breastfeeding?Biotin. Biotin, or vitamin B7, is an essential nutrient that plays a key role in metabolic function and is found in foods like beef, salmon and eggs. ... Collagen. ... Echinacea. ... Elderberry. ... Magnesium. ... Melatonin. ... Turmeric. ... Vitamin B12.More items...•

Should I continue taking prenatal vitamins after giving birth?

Best Postpartum Vitamins After Giving Birth. We highly recommend you continue taking a prenatal vitamin after giving birth for as long as you have post-delivery bleeding, or continue during the length of time you breastfeed. This is especially necessary if you're planning on having another kid.

Including Healthy Fats In The Diet

The body needs all kinds of nutrients for keeping healthy. Including healthy fats in the diet in the form of coconut oil, raw milk, and butter, fish oil, pastured meats etc. can help greatly in dealing with the problem of constipation caused due to vitamin supplement intake.

Iron In Your Prenatal May Be Making You Sick

The most common reason prenatal vitamins make you sick is that it can cause you to get too much iron. Although iron is in most capsule prenatal vitamins, it is one of the most common ingredients that can make you sick during pregnancy. Women are very different when it comes to how much iron they need during pregnancy and when they need it.

Vitamin D And Parathyroid Hormone Levels Measurement

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and parathyroid hormone levels were measured in patients and healthy controls within 1 hour from blood draw. Overall subjects were enrolled in the interval time of the year with major sunlight exposition, when 25D values are usually higher.

Constipation During Pregnancy Basics

Pregnant women are at a higher risk for constipation for several reasons:

Can Prenatal Vitamins Cause Constipation

While prenatal vitamins do not directly cause constipation, some of their ingredients can contribute to it. Iron and calcium are common ingredients in prenatal vitamins that are known culprits of causing constipation because of how they are absorbed by our bodies.

Why Take Prenatal Vitamins

Pregnancy is a big ask for your bodyyou have to nourish not only yourself, but also your growing fetus. Even if you eat a healthy, balanced diet, you might not be getting all of the nutrition that you and your baby need. Thats where prenatal vitamins come in.

Increased Risk Of Prostate Cancer

While most prenatal vitamins include only vitamins and essential minerals, some include omega supplements as well. Omega 3 is derived from flax oil and has been shown to increase the risk of prostate cancer in men.

Why do babies have constipation?

That may be because babies use their abdominal muscles to help them pass stool. They also spend a lot of time on their backs, and without gravity to help them, they may have to work a little more to move their bowels. Better indications of constipation in a breastfed baby are: firm, tight, distended belly.

How to stop constipation while breastfeeding?

Here are some tips to prevent and treat constipation: Add more fiber to their diet if your baby’s started solid foods, Switch from rice cereal to barley, which has more fiber. When you start introducing fruits and vegetables, try high-fiber ones like pureed prunes and peas.

What to feed a baby with constipation?

This is usually introduced at about a year. Bananas. This fruit is another common culprit of constipation in babies. You can try feeding it to your baby pureed with some water or 100-percent fruit juice mixed in.

How to get a baby to eat fruits and vegetables?

When you start introducing fruits and vegetables, try high-fiber ones like pureed prunes and peas. Pump your baby’s legs back and forth as if they’re riding a bicycle. Also, put them on their tummies with some toys and encourage them to squirm and reach. Activity can encourage a bowel movement.

Why does my baby poop so much?

That’s because your baby’s digestive system is still immature and has to figure out how to digest all these new foods. On the flip side, your baby may now become constipated.

When do breastfed babies start to get constipated?

For the most part, breastfed babies don’t experience constipation until solid foods are introduced, around the time they’re 6 months old. Some foods that may be constipating include:

How to massage a baby's tummy?

Give your baby a tummy massage. With your hand just below the navel, gently massage your baby’s tummy in a circular motion for about a minute.

How to avoid side effects of prenatal vitamins?

Try these tips to avoid or reduce side effects from prenatal vitamins: Take your prenatal vitamin regularly and in the exact prescribed dosage. Avoid taking other multivitamins, vitamins, supplements, or herbal remedies while you’re taking prenatal vitamin s and especially when you’re pregnant.

Why are prenatal vitamins called prenatal supplements?

Prenatal vitamins are also called prenatal supplements because they contain vitamins along with minerals and other nutrients you and your growing baby need.

Why do we need prenatal vitamins?

Prenatal vitamins can help provide the building blocks — nutrients — your body needs to grow and develop a new little human, and keep you healthy. But even good, nourishing things can come with a few hiccups. You may not have been… well, regular, since you started taking prenatal vitamins.

Why is vitamin A important for babies?

Vitamin A is needed for healthy eyes. Too little of this vitamin is a leading cause of blindness in babies around the world. Prenatal vitamins can help fill nutritional food gaps and make sure you and your baby have all the vitamins and minerals you need for a healthy pregnancy and birth.

Why do prenatal vitamins include iron?

Digestive discomforts. Prenatal vitamins include iron because your body needs this mineral to make lots of red blood cells to carry oxygen to you and your baby. While iron gets your blood flowing, it can clog up the digestive pipes a bit.

How to wash down prenatal vitamins?

Drink a full glass of water to wash down a prenatal vitamin. Swallow the prenatal vitamin whole. Do not chew, cut, break, crush, or open a prenatal vitamin. If you’re getting a lot of side effects, like itching and stomach irritation, the fillers or additives in some prenatal vitamins might just not suit you. ...

Why is folic acid important for pregnancy?

This is why taking a prenatal vitamin has you and your baby covered! For example, folic acid in a prenatal vitamin is needed to help your baby grow a healthy spinal cord and nervous system.

Why do babies get constipated?

A baby might be constipated if they are passing hard pebble-like stools or have a distended belly. As every baby poops on their own schedule, the frequency of bowel movements is not always an accurate indicator of constipation. In this article, we examine the possible causes of constipation in breastfed babies.

How to diagnose constipation in a baby?

frequently struggles passing stools. A doctor can diagnose constipation in babies by reviewing their medical history and performing a physical exam. Rarely, a doctor may order additional laboratory tests, such as a stomach X-ray, to diagnose or rule out other conditions.

How long does it take for a baby to bowel move?

Breastfed babies older than 6 weeks can go several days to a week between bowel movements. Babies often show signs of straining, such as crying or getting red in the face, while having a bowel movement. However, straining does not necessarily mean that a baby has constipation.

How long after birth can you give a baby breast milk?

Constipation in breastfed babies is uncommon. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that babies exclusively have breast milk until 6 months after birth. During this time, they advise not giving any additional foods or fluids to the baby unless a doctor recommends it.

How many babies in Japan have constipation?

A 2018 study examined the bowel habits of 83,019 newborn babies in Japan. According to the authors, most instances of constipation coincided with the transition from breastfeeding to infant formula, regardless of whether the woman gave birth vaginally or by cesarean delivery.

Why do babies have diaper rash?

Babies who have diaper rash may also withhold to avoid pain. Stress. Exposure to new environments, traveling, or weather changes may be stressful for a baby. Stress can affect their physical health and may result in a change in stool frequency and possibly constipation.

Why do you massage a baby's stomach?

Parents and caregivers can gently massage a baby’s stomach to help try to relieve constipation.

How to get through period of constipation?

Next, you’ll need to add foods that should make it easier to get through the period of constipation. Prunes are a classic food to consume to battle constipation, because they work. Prune juice, and apple juice also, pull water from the lining of the colon into the hard blockages to help move them through.

How long can a baby go without pooping?

It is actually fairly common for breastfed babies to go as long as 7-14 days without pooping. No joke. Breast milk is formulated to give the baby just about everything she needs, and not a lot of extra. This is why breast milk poops are so innocuous (compared to the poops of adults or older children). There just isn’t much “waste” in them to make them super gross and stinky.

Can you have constipation while breastfeeding?

If you were hoping that your constipation would go away after you gave birth, then it’s normal to be really frustrated that you’re still having problems. It’s normal to blame breastfeeding and to wonder if it is the cause of all of your problems.

Can breastfeeding cause constipation?

This can cause the baby to have fewer bowel movements during the day, which can concern parents. As long as the baby is wetting regularly, is happy, and is gaining weight, then there aren’t any problem and breastfeeding isn’t causing constipation.

Does breastfeeding cause diarrhea?

If anything, breastfeeding has been known to cause the opposite effect in mothers (loose stools or diarrhea). Nursing causes the release of oxytocin in mother, which causes the uterus to contract, which can then stimulate the colon to do what it does best.

Is breastfeeding causing baby to be constipated?

It’s also normal for mothers to worry about whether or not breastfeeding is causing constipation in their new baby. Mothers need to remember that bowel changes are normal as the child ages. Colostrum has laxative properties, but will disappear from the milk when the baby is around six weeks old.

Can breast milk be affected by iron supplements?

But the amount of iron in your breast milk won't be affected by your supplements. Breast milk naturally contains iron. And because babies also receive iron while in the womb, it's rare for breastfed babies to be iron-deficient during the first six months of life.

Can you take iron while pregnant?

During pregnancy, a woman's iron needs increase. Because it's important to get enough iron while you're pregnant, as well as when you're nursing, your doctor may suggest taking iron supplements. But the extra iron won't affect your baby, according to Howard Kurtz, M.D., an obstetrician-gynecologist and clinical instructor at Mount Sinai Medical ...

Can you take prenatal vitamins while breastfeeding?

Breastfeeding mothers need the same amount of iron as they do during pregnancy. Women are often advised to continue taking prenatal vitamins as long as they are breastfeeding, and these vitamins usually contain a large dose of iron. But the amount of iron in your breast milk won't be affected by your supplements.

Can iron supplements affect babies?

The iron in your supplement won't affect your baby, however. "Your developing baby is your body's priority during pregnancy, so your natural iron stores will go to your baby first," Dr. Kurtz explains. If your iron stores aren't enough for both you and your baby, however, you could develop anemia.

Can you take iron supplements with gestational diabetes?

Because many foods also contain iron, you should only take iron supplements under the supervision of your doctor. Advertisement.

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