Prenatal vitamins at the end of pregnancy?

[Phoebe]

I have been taking my prenatal vitamins (very mild, vegetarian kind) religiously throughout my whole pregnancy. I believe that eating right is a better solution but I admit I don't always do that so I like to have my bases covered.
I'm due in 4 days and last week one of my male coworkers saw me taking my vitamin after lunch and he asked me "you're still taking those??". I said yes and I intend to continue through breast feeding as well. This is on my midwife's reccomendation and I do not intend to change my ways but I'm curious if any of you have heard of this and what is the logic behind it.

This coworker seems to know everything there is to know about pregnancy and it really bugs so I'd like to be able to respond.

Thanks,
Amy

[ebethmom]

I'd like to hear his reasoning as to why you SHOULDN'T take prenatals all the way through pregnancy and breastfeeding. That makes no sense to me!

Your body is still providing all of the nutrients for your baby. I don't have anything scientific to offer. But I've never heard anyone advise a pregnant woman to stop taking prenatals.

[Evergreen]

I took them all the way through also, and for the first 2 motnhs of breastfeeding (then I got lazy). They made me feel more energized and I could tell when I had forgotten.

The only thing I can think of why she might say that (besides misinformation) is the possibility of kidney stones. But with a mild food-based vitamin this doesn't seem like a big possibility at all.

[hjohnson]

My ob recommended that I continue taking them after I had my son for breastfeeding.

[KKmama]

Goodness... when I don't get enough calcium/magnesium, I get leg cramps at night. In order for me to not get the leg cramps, I have to both take my prenates and eat sensibly. If I skip the prenates, I can tell (because I wake up in pain). There's a lot of useful stuff in good prenatal vitamins!

Someone else probably knows more about this than I do, but at the end, aren't babies really putting weight on their bodies and in their brains? There's a need for good fats and proteins, but also minerals and vitamins.