PolyViSol Supplement Drops

My doctor recommended it too. My son was ok with taking them....just be careful not to get in on clothes. It does not come out! It's easier once they start solids...you can just mix it in with the food & they don't even know it's there.

I used to put it in his milk, or his baby food. Now that he is 2, he takes it very easily and loves it.

What you are smelling is the vitamin B. I give it to all of my kids. Keeps them healthy and they don't complain about the taste of it. They line up for it :)

Why not take the baby outside for a little sunlight, and avoid this Poly stuff completely. A few minutes a day, a few days a week is all one needs - without applying any sunscreen I should add.

And to another post... giving your baby flouride?? You know that flouride is poison right? That's why we don't swallow toothpaste! Personally, I'm an advocate for NOT having flouride/poison in my water, and just brushing my kids teeth regularly. I can't help but wonder if this 'flouride in water' trend will be reversed when studies link it to cancers, thyroid disease, and stupidity (yes, some say it lowers IQs).

I am very shocked a Dr would recommend vitamins for a child that young. My Dr doesn't even recommend it for my kids who are 4 and 7 as they are good eaters. He said supplements just are NOT necessary for majority of kids as kids get what they need out of the foods they eat most of the time. Unless a child is SUPER picky about eating well, I would say there is no need.
If your baby is being breast fed and or formula they should be getting all they need through that. Vitamin supplements should only be given if there is a deficency. I would think a normal healthy baby needs nothing additional. Too much iron is bad for babies and kids. Not to mention formulas nowadays are loaded with all they need and if you are breast feeding that baby is getting all they need.
The only time my Dr has recommended is if they got on eating strikes, like when they aren't getting what they need for over three days or were recovering from a stomach illness where they didn't eat for stretches, which rarely happens around here.
I would consult on WHY they think giving a baby extra vitamins is necessary. Is your daughter anemic?
Strong bones and teeth come from breast milk/formula only at that age.
I would reevaluate if it is necessary for sure.

My doctor advised the same, but then added that if I didn't want to give my daughter (now 6 months) all the extra stuff (including dye and who knows what else) that are in those vitamins, I could look for something called "Just D." The only vitamin that babies really need more of is vitamin D (for bones and teeth, yes) and you *can* get it separate, though I had to order off the Internet. I took the bottle in and had my doctor look at it to make sure it was right and ok to give to my little girl. I totally agree with you about the horrible smell and look of the PolyViSol stuff--ICK. I bought a couple bottles of the Just D vitamins from http://www.sunlightvitamins.com/
and she takes them with no problem whatsoever--probably because it's just pure vitamins--no additional junk mixed in :)

Hope that helps!

no, no, no - not good advice. My 14-month son recently began taking PolyVisol but due to a specific problem he was having. I cannot imagine having had to give this to him at 2MO with no obvious health concern. You didn't say whether you were breastfeeding or bottle feeding, but chances are your baby is getting everything she needs, unless she was premature or has not been healthy since birth. But giving a multi-vitamin to healthy baby that young is just excessive and it is awful,awful to administer. Use of the vitamin was encouraged by my doctor \, but only after blood tests revealed my son was low in iron, not anemic but low. We had a horrible experience administering it with a dropper, he inhaled it and I thought he would cough his lungs out. A 2 mo old is going to have an even harder time swallowing the 1ML. Since that awful, scary, heart-wrenching experience I've been giving it to him in 3 oz of apple juice. Your 2MO is not ready for juice. So forego this advice unless your doctor thinks, and blood tests prove that your baby is deficient in some vitamin. A good diet is the best thing for your baby, she will get all the vital nutrients from milk/high-quality formula and their first foods. Their teeth are already formed and their bones need calcium which is not what Poly-Visol gives them. So my advice is skip it, even though I am using it for my own child!

J., I used those with both of my boys (ages 3 1/2 and almost 2 now). Even though they smelled awful to me, my boys took them just fine! So it definitely wasn't torture. My first son was born very premmature, and I was happy to have a way to get more iron into him since he was born before he had a chance to have his iron stores while in the womb. I don't know if you need the iron one or not, you have to check on the bottle, as one PolyViSol has an iron supplement and one doesn't. With my 2nd son, I did the one that did not have iron. Anyways, I would start her on it, she might make some funny faces at first, but she will get used to it and be just fine with it. Good luck!

My baby's Dr. told me to giver her those drops too, but they taste terrible so I stopped. I breastfed my babies exclusivly and I think that they got everything that they needed from the breastmilk. When they got old enough I started giving my kids chewable vitamins with floride. HTye are really healthy children. If you are breastfeeding, I think that the drops are a waste of time and money, maybe babies on formula need them though, I don't know about that.

Hi J.,
Yes, Polyvisol does work great for stronger bones and teeth. It is a good product.

I have to laugh over what you said about the smell, just have her bottle ready when you give it to her.

It never bothered my boys to take it.
But yes, it is a good product.

Good luck,]
M.

i would try to put it in their bottle

I was told to use that with my son as well and did but not like I was supposed to. It was gross and he hated it. He would gag every time I gave it to him so I gave it to hime once every other day because I knew he needed it. Then when I went to formula I stopped giving it to him all together. I breastfed and that was why my pediatrician wanted me to use them because breast milk does not have everything in them that people say it has.

I have never heard of this product or this suggestion, and I have four HEALTHY kids. I wouldn't bother with it. Life with a newborn is busy enough without having to remember or worry about these drops.

And I want to say "Great for you and for your baby" that you are home with her! You will never regret it (although some days you may wonder "Why am I doing this?"). Just look in your child's eyes and you will know it is worth it. :)

My doctor told me to use those too, with all three. A much better option is a natural vitmin supplement. Shaklee's infant mix is what I used with all of my kids, a much better option!

If she is breastfed then she really does not need it. If she is formula fed then it's probably a good idea. Even with breastfeeding though we had issues with my son's teeth within 2 months of them coming in. I started him on a very natural liquid vitamin from the health food store when he turned one and now a chewable. You might check out the health food store to see if they have something more natural.

I used them with my daughter and she had no issues with them. From everything that I know which may go against the breastmilk is best theory is that formula has all those vitamins added and breastmilk especially if you aren't faithful at taking your own supplements isn't always packed with all the vitamins that your baby needs. My philosophy is to decide what you are comfortable with and make your decision off of that. Ultimately you have to live with whatever you decide and if you do something you do not feel comfortable with you usualy have regrets. Good Luck.

I use them and the ones I use have plus iron I just put them in her bottle and she doesn't even seem to mind. They have helped my little one a lot. Good luck

I'd say only do it if there is a reason. We have 3 kids, but had to do PolyViSol with Iron for one of them. It was horrible. He still have anemia problems, but he's not really a healthy kid, either, so we keep him on the vitamins, but now chewables. If it's low iron, and you're nursing, I would see if she'd give you a script for prenatals with iron. I have to take them with nursing because my body doesn't process iron well. My kids have gotten enough that way. If you're taking a good strong vitamin, your baby will benefit from that. If you're using formula, ask specifically what she's wanting your baby to get, and by a formula that contains enough to not need the vitamins. Just my thoughts. :) Congratulations on that little bundle of fun!

I oly give it to my son maybe once a week. I didn't give it to my 4 year old son and he turned out just fine. Honestly, I think it's just something else they want us to spend $ on.

Our Dr. reccomended those too, and I think I was really bad about giving it to the kids! I was so dillegent about many thing's like breastfeeding but those drops were just another thing to remember. my kids are 12, 9, and 6 now and healthy!

Hi J.,
Put it in a bottle, she'll never know its there! Just make sure she drinks the bottle all gone.

C.

J.,
I gave all four of my babies the drops, and they loved them. I know they smell bad, but I guess they don't taste as bad as they smell. Any time you give your baby something new, she will probably react strangely...because it is new. Have you tried giving them to her? If she doesn't like them after a few tries, I would talk to the doctor, and ask him if it is really that important for her to take them. He might have a better idea. Good luck!

Our doctor said that a multi-vitamin is not necessary if you are breastfeeding; they will get the vitamins that they need from what you are taking. You should still be taking your prenatal. If your child is on formula all the vitamins they need are already available in the formula. A few minutes of sunlight 3-4 times a week is a great idea. Good luck!

Hi J.,

My doctor recommended it for my premature baby and she took it since birth till she was 2. I just put it in her bottle and she didn't know the difference. Now I give her the gummy vitamins. She isn't a very good eater, so I thought the vitamins would help. Good luck!

My doctor has said the same thing for my 4 month. Old because of the rare exposure of sun during the winter. I have my daycare provider put. it in her one of her bottles during the week and on weekends I aim it to the back inside of her cheek so she barely tastes it. I also take Vit. D supplements daily to help her get the vitamin for her bone growth and strength. I also give it to my 2 year old directly from the dropper and he loves it. Hope this helps.

The new theory is that Breastmilk doesn't make enough vitamin D. Which isn't true, do some research. I would make sure that you have enough vitamin D in your system and that your baby gets some sunshine each day and you will be fine.

I used this with my second baby. It is the most important when the baby is strcitly breastfed. There has been new literature that show that there is growing numbers vitamin D deficiencies in strictly breastfed babies. In fact, my pediatrician actully had diagnosed a case of Ricketts himself. It does smell awful, but better than having a vitamin D defeciency. Hope that helps!

gosh-it is so gross, isn't it?! I've forgotten all about it and my dd's only 2 1/2...any way we didn't start giving this to her until she was about 6 mos old (per her dr.) and then we just dropped it into her tiny yogurt each day. I think that's the best/only way to absorb some of the heinous taste/odor! Can you wait till she's on solids like 4-6 mos old and mix it into bananas or avocado or even yogurt? Maybe her dr. sees a need and that's why you're starting so early??? If that's the case, gotta drop it in and then do some fun game of peek-a-boo right after...
oh-best of luck to you-it'll be over soon :)

My son was on this also until he turned one because he was also was breastfed (still is). He always like the taste of the vitamin supplement and saw it as a added treat before dinnertime!

Our ped recommended this with my 1st child. The pediatrician is from a cloudy area though and had just moved to Colorado. My daughter was a March baby and the doc was worried about lack of vitamin D with a breastfed baby. We used it for awhile. The baby didn't seem to mind it. I did undress her and put her in the sun when it came through our living room window for 10 to 20 minutes a day.

It does smell gross, but I have not heard any contrary results from it.

you didn't mention whether you are breastfeeding or formula feeding, but either way, I don't think the vitamins are entirely necessary. I put my daughter on them when she was6 mos old and all it did was make her really, really constipated.

so we stopped... I just started her on chewable vitamins (at our peds advice)but she is two now... and tolerates them just fine.

i wouldn't worryaout it... some docs are just more rabid about it than others.

Yes, my doctor recommended those same drops for my (now 22 mo) old son. He took them just fine, even though they smell terrible. I'm sure my infant son (7 wks) will be put on them at his next doctor visit. Good luck!

my daughter got put on a polyvitamin drop with flouride (I don't know how similar it is to what you've been given) that smells TERRIBLE and I felt bad giving it to her too... however she loves the stuff! Don't ask why, but it has never bothered her. You can also ask the pharmacist to add flavoring to the drops. Do give them to her... especially if you're in an area without flouride in the water.

J.,

I fully agree with you on the disgusting smell of PolyViSol drops! I wouldn't recommend trying it either! I put a drop on a teaspoon, yuck! Tastes as bad as it smells lol.
I was told to give them to my son when he was about a month or 2. The Dr said his iron was low, and since I was breast feeding, he needed a supplement. Now, I don't agree with that. You didn't say if you were nursing, but that is the perfect food. If your baby is on formula, it is iron fortified. What was the reason he said to give your daughter drops? Did she have bloodwork? And how long to give them? I would be very wary if he told you to give her vitamin supplements and didn't have a valid reason. Too much iron can get her constipated.
Now, I did give my son the drops for about 2 days. I don't remember the dosage he needed. He took it very well straight from the dropper (he also was a very easy going baby). I noticed it made his poop smell awful. I stopped giving them to him and we went back to the Dr to check his iron and other things a couple weeks later, and everything was fine! The Dr said, "see the drops helped" and I just rolled my eyes.
This is something you would need to think about and decide. If you want to try for a few days, or wait till you go back and have her rechecked. Congratulations on your baby!

Don't trust your baby's heath to the opinion of random people on the internet. Don't listen to me. This is a question for medical professionals.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all children, including babies who are exclusively breastfed, consume at least 400 International Units of vitamin D per day as soon as possible after birth.
Listen to your pediatritian. If you have doubts, discuss them with her.

I've been told to use it with two out of my three children-my second oldest and my youngest. With my oldest I was told he couldn't have vitamins until he was two, so PolyVisol might not have been invented or highly recommended at that time. I know it doesn't taste or smell good, but what things do? Things that we do NEED like vitamins and veggies don't usually taste good, but the benefits outweigh the risk, for lack of a better word. I'd say it is more important for your baby to take it than to not take it and be lacking vitamins. I try to put it in the baby's cereal, maybe that will work for you. Putting it in flavored applesauce might work too.