Quick answer

LactMed reviews the vitamins and minerals in a multivitamin one by one and finds the amounts in prenatal and multimineral products do not change milk iron or zinc, and that vitamin A above 3,000 mcg a day should be avoided. LactMed adds that infants still need their own vitamin D. Ask your doctor which product suits you.^1,2,3,4

Key facts

NIH lists breastfeeding women among the groups at greatest risk of falling short on one or more nutrients.⁵
LactMed says daily maternal vitamin A doses above 3,000 mcg should be avoided, and that higher doses have not been studied.¹
LactMed says iron from prenatal vitamins or multimineral supplements does not change milk iron, and zinc of 15 mg a day or less does not alter milk zinc.^2,3
LactMed says maternal vitamin D of 10 to 50 mcg a day does not give a breastfed infant enough, so infants still need their own supplement.⁴
LactMed says vitamin B12 at the low doses in B complex or prenatal vitamins raises milk levels only slightly.⁶

What does NIH say about multivitamins and nursing?

NIH says pregnant and breastfeeding women are among the groups with the greatest risk of deficient intakes of one or more nutrients. It also says consumers should consider an MVM designed for their age, sex and other factors, and that prenatal MVMs often provide vitamin A as beta-carotene.^5,7

What does LactMed say about each vitamin and mineral?

Vitamin A: maternal single doses up to 120,000 mcg or daily doses up to 1,500 mcg are not expected to harm the infant, higher doses have not been studied, and daily doses above 3,000 mcg should be avoided.¹
Vitamin B6: supplemental doses of 7.5 to 20 mg a day give milk levels that provide enough for an exclusively breastfed infant, and much higher doses have not been studied during nursing.⁸
Vitamin B12: doses of 1 to 10 mcg in B complex or prenatal vitamins raise milk levels only slightly, while 50 to 250 mcg a day is used when the mother is deficient.⁶
Vitamin C: doses up to 1,000 mg a day raise milk levels but not enough to be a concern for the infant, and amounts in prenatal vitamins do not change them.⁹
Vitamin E: vitamin E from prenatal multivitamins modestly raises milk vitamin E, and higher doses have not been studied.¹⁰
Iron and zinc: iron from prenatal or multimineral products does not change milk iron, and zinc of 15 mg a day or less does not change milk zinc.^2,3
Beta-carotene: excess maternal intake can cause a harmless, reversible yellowing of the infant's skin.¹¹

What about vitamin D for the baby?

LactMed says maternal vitamin D at 10 to 50 mcg a day, which is 400 to 2,000 IU, produces milk levels too low to deliver the daily requirement to an exclusively breastfed baby. Mothers taking vitamin D in that range should still give the infant a daily supplement of at least 10 mcg, to meet pediatric guidelines.⁴

NIH adds that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 400 IU a day of vitamin D for exclusively and partially breastfed infants from the first days of life, and that infants fed human milk may also need vitamin B12 if the mother's B12 status is low, for example on a vegan diet.⁵

Are prenatal vitamins the same as regular multivitamins?

Prenatal multis generally provide no vitamin A as retinol, and often give it as beta-carotene instead.^5,7

LactMed adds a general note for all dietary supplements: they may contain multiple ingredients, labeled and actual amounts often differ, and clinical results on one product may not apply to another. NIH likewise says no standard multivitamin formula exists. That covers liquids and any named brand, which the sources checked do not rule on.^5,11

Who should ask a doctor about a multivitamin while breastfeeding?

Anyone taking high-dose single vitamins or a high-potency product on top of a multi.⁵
Anyone on a vegan diet or who has low B12, since infants of such mothers are an at-risk group.⁶
Anyone whose baby needs iron or vitamin D, because LactMed says maternal supplements do not replace giving the infant these directly.^2,4
Anyone who smokes and takes products with large amounts of beta-carotene or vitamin A.⁵

Ask your doctor, and bring the label of every product you take.

Questions people ask

Is multivitamin safe during breastfeeding?

LactMed reviews each nutrient and says amounts in prenatal and multimineral products do not change milk iron or zinc. It says vitamin A above 3,000 mcg a day should be avoided. Ask your doctor.^1,2,3

Are vitamins safe while breastfeeding?

LactMed has separate entries for vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D and E, and for iron and zinc, with different notes for each. Ask your doctor which of your products apply.^1,6,8,9

Are B vitamins safe while breastfeeding?

LactMed says B6 at 7.5 to 20 mg a day gives milk levels that provide enough for the infant, and that B12 at 1 to 10 mcg in B complex or prenatal vitamins raises milk levels only slightly. Ask your doctor.^6,8

Are prenatal vitamins safe while breastfeeding?

LactMed says prenatal-level vitamin E modestly raises milk vitamin E, while iron and zinc do not change milk levels. NIH says prenatal multis generally leave out retinol. Ask your doctor.^2,3,5,10

Is a liquid multivitamin safe while breastfeeding?

The sources checked do not address liquids. LactMed says labeled and actual amounts often differ in supplements, so read the label and ask your doctor or pharmacist.¹¹

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Sources

This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.