Vitamin D: yes or no?

pamiva1 · May 2013

Who is giving their LO polyvisol or another supplement of vitamin d? I recall we did this 5 years ago with my daughter but our current pedi has not recommended it yet for my 5 month old. A quick search online yeilds recommendations both ways. Is it necessary or not? My daughter is EBF and has not yet started solids.

Cellis · May 2013

I'm curious about this as well. My pedi did recommend it (iron also), actually she told me I need to be giving it to DS not so much a recommendation, but I wonder if getting some daily sun and taking a supplement myself will work just as well. DS is EBF also.

baloneydisc · May 2013

DD is/was EBF and my ped recommended vitamin D drops around 2mo. At 9mo we switched to Poly-Vi-Sol with Iron and that's still what we're using (she's 16mo).

rockyrollgirl · May 2013

I believe it is recommended for babies that are EBF starting at 2 months old to prevent ricketts. Babies skin is thin and should be covered in sunscreen which prevents absorption of Vitamin D from the sun. My pedi had said nothing about it, but I am giving it to my LO anyway. I take Vitamin D myself. I would just ask your pedi about it and then make a decision.

brachysira · May 2013

Vitamin D is super important for all kinds of biological processes. I wouldn't risk it. We have the kind that is just one drop. You want to keep your baby in the shade, so I wouldn't think sun would do it.

sschwege · May 2013

brachysira:
Vitamin D is super important for all kinds of biological processes. I wouldn't risk it. We have the kind that is just one drop. You want to keep your baby in the shade, so I wouldn't think sun would do it.

Agreed!

Wild_flower25 · May 2013

yes, but only when I remember.

I've heard both ways so it's not something I'm strict about.

Cellis · May 2013

I wonder what people did before they were able to give their babies supplemental vitamins.

sbevmc09 · May 2013

Are you confident in your vitamin D levels? If so, it's unnecessary. If you don't have enough of it yourself, vitamin D is pretty important so I would lean towards the supplement. I think getting it naturally is the best way though.

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saturdaynightdoubletree · May 2013

Definitely not necessary, especially if you're getting outside daily with LO. I've only given my kids vitamins while they are in daycare to really boost their immune systems. They all eat very well though, so I suppose it depends.

st.augbride · May 2013

We have since shortly after we brought dd home--recommended by all peds we've seen.

momofmanyinthemitten · May 2013

We use the Animal Parade vit D drops. You only need a tiny drop each day and it doesn't taste or smell horribly.

Stones07 · May 2013

My Pedi recommended it as my DD is also EBF. We have been giving it to her since her 1 month check up.

Cellis · May 2013

LalaMama81:
mj0011:
Cellis:
I wonder what people did before they were able to give their babies supplemental vitamins.
I think people brought their babies out in the sun more. I'd rather keep his skin safe and give him the supplement
It is not bad anyone, even babies, to be in the sun for 10 minutes. That's all you need for vit d. It is much better than a supplement. You don't need to he slathered head to toe in sunscreen every time you go out. Our pedi nice recommended it and we go outside a ton, so there is so reason. Lots of good info at kellymom. https://kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/vitamind/

Thanks!

lynz797 · May 2013

We have given our LO liquid vit d from day one i put a drop on my breast before she feeds. You cannot over do vit d esp because we all live in North America.. I went to a mediacl conference and basically said even if you ran around naked all summer in the sun you still would not get enough Vit D. Women in north america have the highest incidence of MS and other auto immune diseases and cancers which have a link to very low levels of Vit D. My Midwife and OB GYN have said from day one to supplement her regardlessof my diet and you cannot get it naturally as an infant because we have to cover them up in the sun.

Here is a good article, pls read through fully

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-d/

sbevmc09 · May 2013

I disagree with the above. For the average person it's entirely possible to maintain proper vitamin D stores as long as you have proper sun exposure and a proper diet. The best way to obtain vitamin D is making it naturally through sun exposure. Getting it through a supplement isn't quite the same thing. It's certainly better than being deficient, but they have yet to conclude what it is about vitamin D that's so beneficial. Some theorize that it's actually something about the process of making it that's important vs. just ingesting it via a supplement. Just like anything else it's better absorbed/utilized by your body when obtained naturally than in supplement form.

Best practice would be to make sure as a nursing mom you have adequate vitamin D stores. If you are deficient then IMO it's very important to go with a supplement. The reason why they recommend it across the board is it's better to "over do" it than not have enough and many North Americans are vitamin D deficient.

ForeverEverAfter · May 2013

I was told its unnecessary if the Mom has great levels and both Mom and baby get sunlight. In foggy, rainy Newfoundland they estimate 80 of adults are deficient, so all BF babies here are supposed to have 400IU a day. I use Jamison, one drop, no colour or flavour.

EPQueen · May 2013

It is recommended that EBF babies receive Vit D supplements 400 IUs daily. Even if mom has adequate Vit D stores, only small amounts are transferred into the breast milk.
It is not necessary to supplement Vit D for formula fed babies because there are vitamin supplements Vit D included already in the formula.

https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/recommendations/vitamin_D.htm

LimaD · May 2013

Our pedi recommended it around 2 months, and then at the 4 month appointment mentioned getting the one with iron in it also. I wasn't doing a good job at remembering to give it to her so I asked if I could take a vitamin D supplement myself (DD is EBF) and she said that unfortunately that wouldn't be enough. So...I'd give her the drops. Might as well, and it's not like it breaks the bank

ericalee27 · May 2013

Wild_flower25:
yes, but only when I remember.
nbsp;
I've heard both ways so it's not something I'm strict about.

Same here

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