Fit Healthy Momma Rating: 9.5/10
Ritual's Essential Postnatal Vitamin is a legit postnatal vitamin, made with high-quality, clinically-tested ingredients, providing the new nutrient demands on a new mother for six months postpartum and throughout lactation.
15% OFF Coupon: FITHEALTHY-AMB
There is a lot of information out there regarding the importance of taking a prenatal vitamin before you get pregnant and then throughout your pregnancy. These supplements are designed to increase your fertility while reducing the risk of giving birth to a baby with health complications. However, there is still a very important need for specific nutrients once you’ve given birth.
Recovering from nine months of pregnancy and childbirth is a big undertaking. Your body has gone through a lot. If you’re going to be nursing, you’ll need to ensure that your body is getting proper nutrition for your benefit as well as for the benefit of your baby.
I want to take a look at Ritual’s postnatal vitamins. This is a very reputable brand, and there are a lot of benefits of switching from your prenatal vitamin over to their postnatal version once the baby has arrived.
The Importance of Key Nutrients for Moms Postpartum
If you’ve just given birth, adequate nutrition will help support the healing and recovery process. Your diet is going to directly impact your baby if you’re breastfeeding, which is another reason to pay close attention to the nutrients you’re consuming each day. There are some very specific nutrients that are ideal during the postpartum phase. There are five key nutrients that should be in a postnatal supplement you’re taking. This includes:
Iron- You lose a lot of iron during childbirth and when you’re nursing. Iron is incredibly important for proper development of your baby, as well as for your thyroid health.
Vitamin B12- Our bodies need B12 in order to produce enough red blood cells. Without proper red blood cell production, our energy will feel depleted. Babies that are deficient in vitamin B12 may experience failure to thrive, developmental delays or abnormal brain growth.
DHA- Adequate levels of DHA improves brain and vision development in babies. For women, it can improve your mental focus. “Mom-brain” is a real thing that women often experience as they navigate life with a newborn.
Choline- Also important for brain development, choline needs increase during pregnancy and during postpartum recovery.
Vitamin D- Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that aids in the function of our brain, immune system and nervous system.
Quick Summary of Ritual Postnatal Multivitamins Review
Product: | Essential Postnatal Multivitamins |
Brand: | Ritual |
Key Ingredients: | Omega-3 DHA, Folate, Iron, Zinc, Choline, Biotin, Iodine, Vitamins A, C, D3, B12 and more. |
Website: | |
Best for: | New moms with a new nutrient demand for 6 months postpartum, and throughout lactation. |
Price: | $39 per bottle |
Free Shipping: | Yes, always with Ritual |
Avg. User Rating: | 4.5/5 |
FHM Rating: | 9.5/10 (Excellent) |
Introducing Ritual Essential for Women Postnatal Multivitamin
If you don’t feel confident that you’re getting enough nutrients from the food that you’re eating, turning to a high-quality supplement is important. A lot of women are looking to lose weight during the postpartum phase, which can also prevent proper nutrient consumption. Ritual’s Essential for Women Postnatal Vitamin is designed to meet the nutritional demands of a mother for six months after giving birth and throughout the entire process of lactation.
Pros
- Very differently designed compared to a prenatal vitamin.
- Addresses the unique nutritional demands of the postpartum and lactation phases
- Beneficial for mom and baby
- Free of additives and unnatural ingredients
- Affordably priced
Cons
- Delayed release design that’s beneficial for ongoing nutritional support, but I sometimes find delayed release products can interfere with sleep.
Claimed Benefits
Ritual’s Essential Postnatal Vitamin offers a wide variety of benefits aside from just filling in nutritional gaps that exist after you’ve had a baby. Let’s take a look at some of what this product can offer you.
Could Help Support Normal Immune Function
This product contains vitamins A, C, D3 and zinc, all of which help to support normal immune function in the body. There is a great demand placed on a woman’s body when nursing that can affect how efficiently certain systems function.
May Help Support Brain Health
Ritual has included choline, omega-3 DHA (sourced from microalgae) and vitamin B12 to help support brain health in mom, but also with the brain development of baby.
Could Help Support Fatty Acid Content of Breast Milk in Lactating Women
There are 350 milligrams of omega-3 DHA in each serving of Ritual’s postnatal vitamin that can support the fatty acid content in breast milk.
May Help Support Nutrient Requirements during Lactation
Women have a much higher nutritional requirement during lactation. This product has been formulated with USP-grade iodine along with biotin and choline to support nutritional needs.
Ingredients Analysis
Paying close attention to the ingredients that are included in a multivitamin product designed for use during the postnatal time period will ensure that you and your baby are receiving the nutrients you need, but also protect both of you from unnecessary additives and ingredients.
Folate Folic Acid (1,000 mcg DFE per serving)
Methylated folate has been added to this product in the form of 5-MTHF, which is the active form of folic acid. This is an optimal form of folic acid in women who have gene variations which make it difficult for the body to complete the folic acid to folate conversion. This is as much as one-third of the population.
Folic acid is very important prior to conception and during pregnancy as a way to prevent neural tube defects, but it’s important after pregnancy and during lactation as it promotes the development of new and healthy cells.
Omega-3 DHA (350mg per serving)
Ritual uses a vegan-certified form of DHA that comes from microalgae. It’s much more beneficial for the environment than traditional fish oil. It’s also easily absorbed by the body. Omega-3 DHA supports heart health in mom and brain development in baby during lactation.
Vitamin D (Vegan-certified D3 from Lichen)
A vegan-sourced vitamin D3 is provided in this postnatal vitamin. It is sourced from lichen instead of wool or fish liver. It’s an essential supplement if you’re living a vegan lifestyle and are lactating. Most vegans and vegetarians have very low levels of vitamin D in their bodies. Vitamin D benefits baby’s bones while they’re growing and developing during infancy, and it also prevents mom’s reserves from getting too low.
Iron
The iron in Ritual’s postnatal multivitamin is sourced from ferrous bisglycinate, which increases absorption and reduces stomach upset. It assists with red blood cell production as well as increases energy production due to a more balanced metabolism.
Magnesium for Better Sleep
Chelated magnesium has been included as it is absorbed very well by the body compared to other forms of magnesium. Magnesium works alongside vitamin D to support the normal contraction of muscles. Magnesium also helps to rebuild tissue, which is very important during recovery after childbirth.
USP-grade potassium Iodine
This USP-grade form of iodine from Potassium Iodide promotes energy yielding metabolic benefits. It is an essential nutrient for healthy thyroid function, and it also aids in proper brain development during the postnatal phase. Deficient levels of iodine can result in brain damage in your baby.
Biotin
USP-grade nature-identical biotin is included in this Ritual product. It is very pure, addressing significant and common biotin deficiencies during breastfeeding. It’s also a very important nutrient to supplement with during pregnancy. It helps to boost your immune system and promote healthy levels of energy in the body.
Choline
The choline in Ritual Essential Postnatal Vitamins is a nature-identical tartrate that addresses frequent deficiencies in women who are pregnant, recovering or nursing. It’s an incredibly important component in brain development.
Safety and Side Effects
Ritual has invested in clinical trials for their postnatal essential product for women with the help of Auburn University. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study found that vitamin D levels increased by 43 percent in people receiving the actual dose of vitamin dose. Omega-3 DHA levels increased by 41 percent.
Ritual is very focused on providing high quality products that are safe and effective. They utilize an evidence-based approach in their formulation process. Their belief is that clinical studies provide the most insight into what consumers need.
Many of the ingredients in this product have been carefully selected to provide beneficial results without causing uncomfortable side effects. With plant-based ingredients, you get the nutrients you’re looking for without the upset stomach.
Cost and Where to Buy
You can find Ritual’s Essential for Women Postnatal Multivitamin on their website (www.ritual.com) for $39 per bottle.
Honest Ritual Postnatal Vitamin Reviews and Average Rating
The Essential Prenatal Vitamin from Ritual has an average rating of 4.5 stars out of five stars on their website. Consumers are pleased with the amount of research that goes into the creation of Ritual’s products. It also has a very pleasant lemon flavor that is easy to tolerate. Another great feature of this product is that you can have it automatically shipped to your doorstep each month. When you’re a busy mom, this is a huge deal.
Alternatives Compared to Ritual’s Postnatal Vitamins
If Ritual’s postnatal vitamins don’t cut it for you, there are alternatives that may be more suitable for what you need. Let’s take a look at some of your options.
Best Nest Wellness Mama Bird Postnatal Multi+
These advanced postnatal vitamins from Best Nest are formulated with methylated vitamins for optimal absorption and postnatal support as you recover and nurse. A lot of research has gone into the creation of this product, and it is third-party tested for safety and purity purposes. This product aids in nutritional deficiencies, neurodevelopment of your baby, recovery and healthy immunity.
Perelel Health Mom Multi Support Pack
This product from Perelel Health not only contains all of the nutrients that you need during the postnatal phase, but you are also receiving ingredients that benefit your body and beauty routine. Collagen has been added for healthier skin, bones and joints. Omega DHA has been included for brain health. Core multivitamins are the basis of the product.
Mary Ruth’s Prenatal & Postnatal Multivitamin
Mary Ruth’s prenatal and postnatal product has been formulated with mom and baby in mind from the point of conception through the process of nursing. It’s a liquid multivitamin that you can easily consume as-is or add it to your morning smoothie. Easy to absorb, gentle on the stomach and free of major allergens, Mary Ruth’s Prenatal and Postnatal Multivitamin supports all the physical and mental changes you’re going through.
For more information on these products (and others), check out our best postnatal multivitamins for new moms.
The Bottom Line: Is It Worth It?
There’s no denying that there are specific nutritional needs that should be addressed during postpartum recovery and lactation. While nine months of pregnancy have very strict nutritional requirements, there are still many to consider after giving birth. Investing in a postnatal multivitamin hat has been scientifically formulated keeping in mind what you and your baby need is ideal. You’ll feel good knowing that you’re giving your body what it needs while focusing on the healthy growth of your baby.
Tips for Success from the Nutritionist
There are other things to keep in mind during the postnatal phase. Your body deserves to recover, heal and rest at this point. Here are some of my simple tips that will boost your overall health and wellness during postpartum.
Stay Hydrated
Hydration is incredibly important when your body is healing. It’s also very important when it comes to lactation. You need to be properly hydrated to start producing enough milk for the baby. When you’re dehydrated, your milk supply will drastically decrease. It can be challenging to build that supply back up.
Pay Attention to Your Nutrition
Supplementing with a postnatal multivitamin is important, but make sure that you’re eating properly as well. It’s easy to forget about a meal here and there when you’re a busy new mom, but you need to keep up with your caloric intake so the baby is getting enough calories and your body is functioning properly.
Accept Help
Giving birth and taking care of a newborn should make you feel like you’re a superhero. However, you need to rely on the people that are around you so you’re not burning yourself out. Let people bring you meals if they offer. Let a friend pick your kids up from school to save you the trip. Have your groceries delivered to the door so you don’t have to go to the store with a baby in tow. If someone is willing to take your baby for a walk so you can get a nap, let them do it so you can take care of yourself as well as your baby.