Vitamin A & Breast Health: Why This Nutrient Deserves More Attention
When it comes to nutrition during pregnancy, postpartum, and breastfeeding, there’s one nutrient that often flies under the radar—vitamin A. It doesn’t get the same buzz as folate or iron, but it plays a vital role in maternal and infant health, especially when it comes to breast development, lactation, and milk quality.
While I was checking out the science on liver and organ meats (some of the most vitamin A-rich foods you can eat), I rediscovered a fascinating review article that dove deep into the role of vitamin A in breast health across the female life cycle. It reminded me just how much there is to learn—and how much of it we aren’t talking about.
So, let’s change that.
Breast Health Starts Before Birth
Vitamin A is crucial for proper breast tissue development and function. In fact, our breasts rely on it throughout every major stage of life:
In utero
Childhood
Puberty
Pregnancy
Breastfeeding
Weaning
Menopause
As the research says, “retinoid signaling regulates almost all developmental stages of the mammary tissue.” Retinoids, in case you’re wondering, are the active forms of vitamin A. This isn’t just about appearance or cosmetic health—this is deep, biological stuff.
What Happens During Breastfeeding?
During lactation, your body redirects vitamin A from fat stores and the liver straight to your breasts. That’s because vitamin A is essential not only for breast tissue changes that support milk production but also for ensuring that your milk contains enough of this critical nutrient for your baby.
Here’s a striking fact: you need about 60% more vitamin A while breastfeeding than you do during pregnancy, even by conservative estimates. That’s because your baby, who only got a limited supply of vitamin A in the womb, depends entirely on your breast milk to build their stores.
In fact, your baby will receive 60 times more vitamin A in the first six months of life than they did during all of pregnancy.
This nutrient supports their:
Lung development
Immune function
Resistance to infection
If your intake is low, your milk will be low in vitamin A too—and unfortunately, that’s the case for many women today.
Cravings, Weaning & Rebuilding the Body
After birth, and again during weaning, your breasts go through intense physical changes. During weaning in particular, the breast tissue breaks down and rebuilds in a process known as involution—and vitamin A is deeply involved in this remodeling.
Interestingly, I’ve noticed (anecdotally) that I craved vitamin A-rich foods like liver both right after giving birth and again during weaning. Coincidence? Maybe. But it could also be your body’s way of signaling what it needs to heal and restore.
It’s worth remembering that liver was highly valued in many traditional cultures for women’s health—especially around fertility, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. I suspect the vitamin A content is a big part of that wisdom.
Want to Learn More?
Vitamin A is one of the most misunderstood nutrients out there—and I’m still learning more every day. If you need a deep dive, grab a copy of Understanding Nutrients which contains multiple pages solely on vitamin A and which foods to consume to ensure you are getting enough.
Until then, I’ll keep sharing little gems like this on the blog and over on social.
Key Takeaways
Vitamin A supports breast development from fetal life through menopause.
During breastfeeding, you need ~60% more vitamin A than during pregnancy.
Your baby relies on breast milk to build their vitamin A stores after birth.
Involution (the breast’s weaning phase) requires vitamin A to remodel tissue.
Many women don’t get enough vitamin A from food, which affects both mom and baby.
If you're navigating pregnancy, postpartum, or weaning, this is your gentle reminder: nutrients matter—especially the quiet, underrated ones like vitamin A. And if you’re not sure where to start with food sources, we’ve got a full guide on nourishing your body at every stage of motherhood in Understanding Nutrients.