Is it ok to take vitamin supplements while breastfeeding?

[winnybella]

DP just came back from London with skin, hair and nail vitamins he got in Boots (not Boots brand as he couldn't find it, so he got Perfectil made by Vitabiotics ?).

It's got lots of vitamins and minerals so iron, magnesium,iodine, copper etc ect.

It says on the packet to consult with health professional if pg or bf, but I'm in France and my gp doesn't seem to know much about bf tbh.

Anyone know? DD is 20 mo, so breastfeeds usually only twice a day. My hair is terrible, I need to do something, but don't want to harm DD, obv.

TIA

These are classified as food supplements in the UK. None of what you mention is not in food anyway - can't think of any reason why it would not be totally safe for you and your baby.

Give your HV a call and ask - she will reasssure you, I feel sure.

Oops, sorry, no HVs in France!
I think it's a question of using common sense, though - especially as your baby is a toddler and presumably getting all sorts of food direct :)

its fine unless something v weird in there - to reassure yourself look at pregnacare bf supplements you'll see all the same "ingredients" in slighly different proportions. i have taken multivit every day since i started my diet, ds still feeding 3x a day would prefer to take than not to IYSWIM

Thank you, that's what I thought, but wasn't sure.
I think I read somewhere too much iron is not good for the baby- the supplement has 86% of daily allowance- but then we don't absorb all the iron we eat, anyway, right?

as your baby is over 6 months the concern about iron is that BM is lower in iron than formula... so for an older baby this would not be a concern. my DN was anaemic at 15 months (only drink was BM)

Right, so it should be ok. The doctor at the last check up wanted to prescribe iron for her, but when I told her what she eats she said it wasn't necessary. Of course, now she stopped eating a lot and became a fussy little madam. She eats a lot of eggs and meat, but won't touch beans or lentils. Hmm.