Vitamin D Supplements

jemullins13

So I'm needing some feedback and hopefully reassurance...LO is almost 10 weeks olds, was 3 weeks early...and I've just been reading about Vit D supplementation. Seems like every day I'm reading about something else that sends me into an anxiety attack but that's a whole other post. Anyway, my pediatrician has said nothing about Vit D to me...LO is EBF...we live in southwest VA so sunlight is pretty good. We don't go out much but LO loves laying on his changing table looking out the window in the mornings and afternoons. My diet is pretty diverse, and I took my prenatal vitamins all through pregnancy, although it's been kind of sporadic since then. So my question, is this an absolute thing I need to be doing, giving LO the supplements, or am I OK? And is it bad that he's almost 10 weeks and hasn't had any?? Any reassurance would be wonderful. Like I said, I feel like every time I turn around I find out I've been doing something wrong.

Mack2342

My pediatrician didn't mention it until one month check up. My son gets some sunshine but probably not everyday. I'm giving him the vitamins but I'm assuming it's not super important since it wasn't mentioned until later. I feel like you, I'm learning all the time and feel like I'm doing everything I need to

tracij12

My pedi mentioned it at our 2 week check. She said it isn't something they push heavily in the first few months because the priority is absolutely solidifying feeding and it can be difficult/stressful to add one more thing to the mix.

I did buy some and have been giving to her a few times a week but some days it just doesn't happen.

With DD1 I pumped and gave 1 bottle a day so it was easy to mix in with that. With this one I am EBF and not pumping until closer to returning to work so it's not quite as easy. And I didn't realize there were different concentrations so I bought the one that you have to give quite a bit. My pedi said there is a concentration that requires much less that is good for moms that are exclusively feeding from the breast b/c you can dab it in your nipple and let them nurse it off that way. I forget the different dosages, but that sounds way more do-able!

Sully3302

We have been giving it since 2 weeks, sometimes we forget too. I am also told to continue taking my prenatals.

NurseRieger

Some pediatricians want you to start right away and some want you to start as late as 8 weeks. It's only because breastmilk hasn't caught up with evolution and humans living indoors and not getting enough sun exposure. I use the brand Sundrops, you only need to buy 1 bottle because you only need 1 drop. Easiest way is to put drop on nipple and baby will get it when nursing.

shaina925

My pedi told me fairly soon, I think at the 2 week.  She reccomended D-Vit-Sol.  I am usually good about remembering every day, he actually loves the taste of them, but on occasion I will forget for a day. 

PlainJane8350

We got them, but I admitted to the nurse today that I never give them to her. She didn't seem concerned. If you want to give them to your baby, the rx is the same as the OTC. They just offer It as a rx, too, in case your insurance will cover it.

delujm0

We were told to start at our 4 day appointment because i'm EBF.  We were told that DD could also get her vitamin D from "10 before 10" which is 10 minutes of sunlight before 10am (so that the rays aren't especially strong), but there's not really any guarantee that would be enough.  Vitamin D isn't dangerous if you slightly "overdose" - baby will just pee out any excess.  So even when we do have her out in the sun a bit, she still gets her drop every day.

 

We sometimes forget on weekends because DH is the "morning guy" during the week so he mixes it in with her first bottle of the day.  On weekends i typically nurse all day and forget about it sometimes.  While i was home on maternity leave, we used the kind that you shoot into the mouth so we didn't have to worry about putting it on my nipple or in a bottle or anything.  LO gets Zantac every morning too, so we just gave them both at once.  Now that she bottle feeds at least 5 days a week we have the drop kind.