You’ve probably heard about folate and iron during pregnancy, but there is another nutrient that plays an equally important role for both you and your baby. It’s called choline, and most moms are not getting enough.
Choline supports your baby’s brain development, helps your body recover after birth, and even plays a role in mood regulation. Yet, many prenatal and postnatal vitamins leave it out entirely or include only a small amount.
Let's take a closer look at why choline matters, where to find it, and how to make sure you are getting enough during pregnancy and postpartum.
What Is Choline and Why Is It Essential for Moms?
Choline is a water-soluble nutrient that works closely with other vitamins like folate and B12 to support brain, nervous system, and cell health. Your body can make a small amount on its own, but not nearly enough to meet your needs during pregnancy or postpartum.
The demand for choline increases significantly when you are growing a baby and later when you are recovering from birth. Without enough, both you and your baby may miss out on important developmental and recovery benefits.
How Choline Supports Baby’s Brain Development During Pregnancy
Your baby’s brain grows at an incredible pace during pregnancy. Choline is one of the building blocks that helps form brain cells and connections. It works alongside folate to support healthy neural tube development, which is essential for your baby’s spinal cord and brain formation.
Choline also plays a role in creating the placenta, which supports your baby’s growth and helps pregnancy progress smoothly. Research suggests that getting enough choline during pregnancy may benefit your child’s memory, learning, and focus well into the future.
Many prenatals provide little or no choline, which is why checking your supplement label matters. Mama Expecting delivers 300 mg per serving, one of the highest amounts available in a prenatal vitamin.
Choline’s Role in Postpartum Recovery and Mental Clarity
After birth, your body begins the challenging work of healing, producing milk, and adjusting hormonally. Choline helps with tissue repair, supports the production of neurotransmitters for mood balance, and can aid in mental clarity, which many moms notice as “mom brain.”
If you are breastfeeding, choline is also passed through breast milk to your baby, continuing to support their brain development in the first year of life. Unfortunately, many postnatal vitamins skip it entirely. That is why Mama Support includes 150 mg of choline, giving you steady support for both recovery and feeding.
Food Sources of Choline for Pregnancy and Postpartum
While supplements can help fill gaps, food sources remain an important way to meet your choline needs. Some of the richest sources include:
- Eggs (especially yolks)
- Chicken and turkey
- Salmon and other fatty fish
- Beef and pork
- Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli
- Shiitake mushrooms
If you follow a plant-based diet, you may need to pay extra attention to your choline intake, as most high sources are animal-based.
How to Know if You Are Getting Enough
Signs of low choline intake can be subtle. Fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and mood changes can be linked to many things, but choline deficiency is one possible factor. Blood testing is available but not common during standard prenatal care, so most moms focus on getting enough through diet and supplementation.
Current guidelines recommend 450 mg per day during pregnancy and 550 mg per day while breastfeeding. Tracking your intake for a week can help you see if you are consistently meeting those amounts.
Supporting Your Body with Rest and Nutrition
Meeting your choline needs is only one piece of the postpartum recovery puzzle. Pairing the right nutrition with intentional rest, hydration, and gentle movement can make a meaningful difference in how you feel.
Everydae’s Mama Expecting and Mama Support formulas were created to provide reliable amounts of choline along with other essential nutrients for pregnancy and postpartum. Whether you are preparing for birth or healing afterward, giving your body what it needs can help you feel more steady, clear, and supported.
Choline as an Everyday Essential for Moms
Choline is more than just another nutrient on a label. It supports your baby’s brain and nervous system, helps your body heal, and plays a role in mood and focus during a time of major change.
By making choline a daily priority through food, supplements, or both, you are supporting both your baby’s long-term development and your own well-being.
If you are looking for extra nutritional support during pregnancy or postpartum, explore Mama Expecting and Mama Support to see how they can help fill common nutrient gaps so you can focus on what matters most.
