Do Baby Vitamins (With Iron) Really Stain Their Teeth?

We used Polyvisol with dd with no problems. She needed it because she was anemic (very common in the first year). Yes, she was breastfed.

Any kind of supplements with iron added can stain a child's teeth. Since you little one is trying finger food, you might try a blue-green algae supplement, like Chlorella or Spirulina, in the small bite size pieces. They actually have a bit of a nutty flavor and are full of vitamins and minerals. If buying Chlorella, look for a "broken cell wall" supplement - they are easier to digest. Both of these algae clean out the digestive tract and remove any heavy metal deposits that you baby may have been born with. They are also very good for parents and older siblings.

I have "heard" of it staining your teeth, do you put it in juice ? Seems to be the best way instead of directly.
It is a great vitamin...but I think it is possible for it to stain. It did not however do it to my children, but I did always give it in applesauce, juice, things like that.

J.,
Yes, iron supplements can stain baby's teeth, but supplements shouldn't be necessary -- The best "multi-vitamin" or "prenatal" you can take is not a vitamin supplement at all, but a whole-food one like Juice Plus. They have gummies and chewables for kids, too. If you're still breastfeeding (good for you!!), besides eating foods high in iron (see http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T043100.asp for a great list), you can be drinking teas made of red raspberry, nettle and yellow dock to increase your own iron and enrich your milk.

As for vitamin D, you can take a good vitamin A&D supplement yourself, as the best way for baby to get enough is to get it in the milk, which is the best nutrition for babies, even solid-starting toddlers. Make sure both of you are getting plenty of sunlight, which is how vitamin D is produced in the body -- see these paragraphs I copied from the Midwife Archives for good information on these topics:

"As the study shows, if a breastfeeding woman is deficient in vitamin D, then her breast milk and breastfeeding baby will be too. Hollis and Wagner announced their lab has determined that lactating mothers need at least 3,600 IU a day of cholecalciferol (the natural form of vitamin D) to maintain their own and their infant’s vitamin D levels. 2,000 IU was inadequate. Only when Hollis and Wagner gave lactating mothers 3,600 IU of cholecalciferol did the mother have enough vitamin D to maintain their own and their infant’s blood levels. . . .
"Foods such as dairy products- milk, cheese-, eggs, fatty saltwater fish (such as halibut and tuna), oatmeal, sweet potatoes, vegetable oils and dandelion greens. Herbs high in vitamin D are nettle, alfalfa, horsetail and parsley. Although, I do not recommend taking parsley at all while nursing unless you wish to decrease your breast milk production. Another very simple way of implementing vitamin D into your system is just a few minutes of sunlight a day. When the skin is exposed to the sun's ultraviolet rays, a cholesterol compound in the skin is transformed into a precursor of vitamin D."

And check out this excellent link for more on vitamin D and breast milk:
http://www.cure-guide.com/Natural_Health_Newsletter/Vitam...

I gave both my girls Poly-vi-sol and never had trouble with discoloration of their teeth. Never heard of this before, either. I think you're ok - I've known a lot of kids who took poly-vi-sol with no trouble.

I haven't had staining problems, but had advise on the Vitamin D supplement. Early morning sunshine! It's gentle, natural and free. =)

this is probably a good question for your doctor. the mayo clinic advises taking liquid iron with fruit juice to prevent stains.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/drug-information/DR602285

I'm trying to figure out why your pediatrician recommended vitamin supplements at all. Does your son have some special dietary needs? I have 16 month old twins and two older girls. I have NEVER been told by any doctor, pediatrician, nurse or lactation consultant to give my nursing children vitamins. I did need to boost one of twins calorie intake due to issues at birth, but you can do that (and add iron) by simply adding a scoop of formula into whatever he's eating.

J.,
I would look into the right vitamins that would not allow a child to have too much iron and still be digestable. I have a friend who sells juice plus vitamins that are just natural food phytonutrients-- a digestable natural supplement that your baby can't overdose on! It is in a form that is easily assimilated because the body sees it as food. If you want her email address I can be contacted at ____@____.com

I don't know if vitamins with iron really stain teeth, but I do know that breastfed babies don't usually need an iron supplement. My baby (breastfed) totally refused to eat baby cereal. He never ate it at all. My doctor said, and I did some research on it, that because the iron in breastmilk is extremely well absorbed by babies, the iron they are getting from your milk is all they need. The iron in cereal and supplements is not as well absorbed and doesn't give baby as much iron as breastmilk.

J.,

I am not an expert on baby vitamins, but I do know that it is said that Americans do not have vitamin deficiency, they have whole food deficiency. I also live in Tucson and do wellness education. Since surviving brain surgery, and dealing with children with Autism, Asthma and food allergies, it has become my passion to help others learn more about nutrition and hopefully avoid some of the more difficult issues in life.

If you would like to learn more about protecting your families health, what to eat, what not to eat, what to watch out for and how to get more fruits and veggies into your family, etc., feel free to write me.

All the best,

J.

Your pediatrician needs to become a bit more educated about breastfed babies. The babies that have to be concerned with Vit D issues are babies who are rarely or never exposed to sunlight. The body uses sunlight to synthesize Vit D. Here in AZ, we get enough accidental exposure to sunlight to never need to worry about it.

I would strongly recommend contacting La Leche League or a lactation counselor (like this place: http://www.mamaslatte.com/ml_index.asp) to discuss this so you can settle for yourself whether or not you agree with your pediatrician.

To check out the best vitamins for adults and children, get the book The Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements by Lyle MacWilliam and there's one comparing children's vit. too. It's like a consumer guide for vitamins with over 1500 which have been evaluated. You would be VERY surprised at the results. You can get these books on Amazon.com or check out my website at www.gdkmurphy.usana.com for more information. These were rated as #1 in the United States. Check out Dr. Christine Wood, M.D. Pediatrician...her website is www.kidseatgreat.com for more information for children. Hope this all helps you....

I don't know much about baby vitamins, but I used to add baby cereal to almost everything watery (like applesauce) for the extra boost of vitamins, but also to make it less messy. And I did this for a LONG time!

If stains occur remember, these are baby teeth and will be replaced. But, the true concern here is if giving him the vitamins directly may create occasional constipation. If he's eating finger foods, inject the vitamins directly in that food. OR, you could give him high iron processed foods:
# liver
# lean red meats, including beef, pork, lamb
# seafood, such as oysters, clams, tuna, salmon, and shrimp, etc.
# beans, including kidney, lima, navy, black, pinto, soy beans, and lentils
# iron fortified whole grains, including cereals, breads, rice, and pasta
# greens, including collard greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach, and turnip greens
# tofu
# vegetables, including broccoli, swiss chard, asparagus, parsley, watercress, brussel sprouts
# chicken and turkey
# blackstrap molasses
# nuts
# egg yolks
# dried fruits, such as raisins, prunes, dates and apples

They have perfect sized little food processors at Wal-Mart for $10. Mine has paid for itself many times over and I'm sure that my children got and my grandson is getting everything he needs. Children and liver (myth or fact) - well, when they are 9 months old, it is nothing more than the myth. They love the processed version and it's a great start on them eating healthy. At that age, they will eat just about anything you put in front of them that isn't infant cereal and it's a good way to try new things to determine just what they will eat at that time. Their tastes will alter with their growth but for now and again, you can feed them just about anything. I've never been big on vitamin supplements unless it's absolutely necessary and I can guarantee, I have very healty children without weight problems or issues.

Good luck J.!

Hi J.,

My Mom gave me too much flouride and yes, my teeth were stained. The front teeth. You should give her a call to get the specifics as she is a retired child birth instructor and a nurse. She also used to have daycare at home wAY back!

You can call me at ###-###-#### and I will pass on her number.

Not sure about the teeth staining, but I just want to echo what a few other mom's have already mentioned-
Help your baby get their vitamin D by taking them out into the sun. Early morning is best, less chance of getting burned for 10 or 15 minutes. The human body makes it's own vitamin D when it is exposed to the sun. Vitamin supplements cannot do for the body what sun can do. Try to make sure when you take your baby (and you) out in the sun that you have more than just your hands and head exposed, arms and legs provide more surface area for the sun to reach and your body with produce more in the time given. Of course if it's cold outside don't make your baby suffer or you suffer. I hope I explained this alright. Good luck!

Hi J.,
Our pediatrician doesn't recommend vitamins. We use a whole food supplement (it's not a vitamin). Our doctor recommends it because of the research. Our resource is Dr. Sears and we love his website www.askdrsears.com
S. Fritz