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Folate, Breastfeeding & Recovery: What Moms Should Know By: Ana Hansen Marx

by Brianne Taggart

If you’re pregnant now, or you were recently, then you might have heard about folate before you even saw the two lines.


“Take your folic acid.”

“It prevents neural tube defects.”

“Start before you conceive.”

These are true.

But what we don’t talk about enough is that folate doesn’t stop mattering once the baby is born.

Let’s find out why.


What is folate?

Folate is one of the B-vitamins – vitamin B9 to be exact – that helps the body. It can make new cells, repair DNA, support growth, and maintains health brain function. The body needs adequate folate to function.


Pregnancy

In pregnancy, neural tube development, brain and spinal cord formation, and growth are all supported by folate. Neural tube development occurs early in the first trimester–often before many women even know that they’re pregnant! 

… And then more

Once the baby is born, your body still needs the support.

  • Tissue is healing.

  • Your blood volume needs to recover. 

  • Your hormones shift.


In addition, folate transferred into breast milk supports your breastfeeding baby’s:

  • Growth

  • Cell development

  • Brain development

Folate intake can drop lower than ideal during the busy postpartum season.


Sources of Folate

It can be simple. Consistent inclusion matters.

A few folate-rich foods include:

  • Spinach and dark leafy greens

  • Lentils

  • Black beans

  • Chickpeas

  • Asparagus

  • Avocado

  • Broccoli

  • Citrus fruits


Consider spinach mixed into eggs. Or lentils in a soup. Maybe some avocado on toast.

It can be simple and possible

Postpartum culture often focuses entirely on the baby.

But your recovery matters.

Your energy matters.

Your mental clarity matters.

Folate isn’t just about preventing a defect months ago — it’s about supporting cell repair, red blood cell health, and ongoing growth during one of the most physically demanding seasons of your life.

You deserve continued nourishment.


RESOURCES

Konek SH, Becker PJ, eds. Samour & King’s Pediatric Nutrition in Clinical Care. 3rd ed. Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2021:94.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About folic acid. CDC. Reviewed April 9, 2024. Accessed February 20, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/folic-acid/about/index.html

Greenberg JA, Bell SJ, Guan Y, Yu YH. Folic acid supplementation and pregnancy: More than just neural tube defect prevention. Rev Obstet Gynecol. 2011;4(2):52-59. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3218540/

 

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