Wait… I’m Supposed to Keep Doing This After Birth?!
Postpartum recovery is no joke, and here’s why we’re still taking this one thing months later.
We’re the Balanced Beyars, three sisters in different seasons of womanhood and motherhood, sharing what’s working for us right now.
Each week, you’ll hear from just one of us, offering a real-life tip pulled straight from our current phase, whether that’s postpartum survival, pregnancy must-haves, cycle support, or mom life hacks. One sister, one tip, every week—simple and to the point.
Carly - 3.3 Months Postpartum
“I’ll never forget when I found out it’s recommended to keep taking your prenatal after giving birth. I was like… wait, what? Isn’t that just for pregnancy?
If you’re postpartum…especially if you’re breastfeeding like me… our body is still in full-on rebuild mode!! And it’s not just about getting your strength back, it’s also about replenishing everything you lost (and continue losing): iron, B vitamins, magnesium, vitamin D, trace minerals, and more.
Think about it. Our nutrient demands are still sky-high and our hormones are recalibrating. Our body is recovering from blood loss, growing tissue, feeding another human, and trying to make you feel semi-normal again.
…it DOES make sense to keep supplementing with a prenatal for extra nutrient support!!
It made me start asking deeper questions like…
How long does it actually take to replenish our nutrient reserves after birth?
What happens when we give all our nutrients to a baby but forget to restock our own?
What nutrients do I really need for postpartum healing?
🤯 It can take 6 to 18 months (or longer) to truly restore what pregnancy, labor, and breastfeeding drain…especially if you’ve had back-to-back babies, blood loss, or a tough recovery.
😵💫 When we don’t actively replenish… we feel it with fatigue, hair loss, brain fog, low milk supply, mood dips and straight up hormone chaos. These aren’t just random symptoms that are a right of passage after you have a baby… they’re signs your body’s waving a red flag: “I need more support.”
🥩 So what nutrients actually matter most?
Iron – for rebuilding blood and energy (especially if you lost a lot during delivery)
Vitamin D – for mood, hormones, and immune support
Magnesium – for nervous system calm, sleep, digestion, and energy
B vitamins (especially methylated folate) – for cellular repair and hormone regulation
Iodine + selenium – for thyroid health (critical postpartum!)
Zinc + trace minerals – for tissue repair and immune function
Choline + DHA – for brain health (yours and baby’s, especially while breastfeeding)
And that’s why it actually does make sense to keep taking a prenatal.💊
It’s one of the simplest ways to make sure you’re hitting those key nutrients…especially on the days when real food feels like a stretch.
The prenatal I personally love and take is WeNatal. It’s been the easiest YES for me postpartum because it includes iron, iodine, and vitamin D, which are commonly depleted after pregnancy and birth. It’s just 3 pills a day and no weird aftertaste. AND it has methylated B vitamins and folate, which are easier to absorb (especially important if you have MTHFR mutations, which I and many other women do).
*Important to note: I will only take a prenatal that has folate…not folic acid. I avoid prenatals with synthetic folic acid because it’s harder for the body to process…especially if you have the MTHFR gene variant. When it’s not converted properly, it can build up in the body instead of being used, which may cause problems over time.
If you’re curious or ready to try Wenatal, they offer a Free Magnesium gift with every purchase when you shop through our link. (I swear their magnesium helps me sleep deeper, calms my nervous system when I’m overwhelmed, supports digestion because constipation is so real postpartum).
We also really love Needed’s Prenatal (code BalancedBeyars) for the postpartum period. It’s so comprehensive and includes all the nutrients in the most bioavailable forms so your body can use them properly!!!
BEFORE I GOOO…let me be clear: I do not rely on a prenatal alone for nourishment.
I’m putting a huge focus right now on deeply nourishing meals, things like stews, soups, bone broth, slow-cooked meats, high-quality steak, and other bioavailable sources of protein and minerals (both homemade AND shout out to this meal prep service that I invested in for 4 weeks *code BALANCEDBEYARS)
I truly believe food is the foundation of postpartum healing. Your prenatal isn’t a replacement for that. It’s a supplement, a daily layer of support that helps fill in the gaps when life gets messy (and trust me, it does).
It’s for the days I don’t get the chance to eat enough, or when my toddler finishes my lunch before I do. It’s there to ensure that my body is still getting the nutrients it needs while I’m giving so much of myself to everyone else.
I’m not here to say you have to take a prenatal. You know your body best.
But I am here to say that you deserve to be replenished. Not just as a mom, but as a woman who went through a massive transformation.
It’s a little boost that makes a big difference. And no matter what your cyclical, prenatal, pregnancy, or post-birth journey looks like, just remember that you’re not behind or doing it wrong. You’re doing your damn best and your body deserves support for the long haul, not just the first six weeks!!!!! ”
That’s all for now, but we’ll be back before you know it with more real talk, gentle reminders, and the kind of wisdom that only comes from being in it.
Whether you’re in your flow, counting down to baby, or in the thick of toddler life, we’re so grateful you’re part of this space. You’re not alone, and you’re always welcome here.
xoxo,
Alaina, Carly & Julie
BALANCED BEYARS HEALTH