Vitamin D

I breastfed both of my kids and they never needed any supplements (and my son was a preemie!)
Best thing for Vitamin D is sunlight. I can't remember the exact amount per day but it is small...only like 10 minutes a day for newborns.
Put her in a sunny room or near a window with the sun coming in (though probably not DIRECTLY in the sun...does that make sense??) and she will get all the Vitamin D she needs.
Breast milk is the most perfect nutrient for babies and they get all they need from you.
Google Vitamin D and newborns and you will find all sorts of info.
HTH
~C.

I have a 5 yr. old son that also took vitamin D drops when he was born, he was also breast-fed. My peditrician recommended the drops not because he was breast-fed, but because he was born in the winter and most chldren get their vitiman D from the sun ! Just a thought?

I breastfed all 4 of my kids and was never told that I had to give Vitamin D drops (you can overdose on vit. D, it is a "fat soluable vitamin" which means if there is extra it is stored in the fat cells). My firstborn was jaundice and they told me to sit by a window and he will get the vitamin D that way. I did exactly that and he was not jaundice anymore. He is now a healthy 18 yr old boy 5' 11" and 170 lbs.

I breast fed both of my children (winter babies, boys 5 and 2) and the only thing my docto ever asked about was if my water had flouride in it. In fact when I asked her about vitamins for the five year old she said that if I wanted them she woud proscribe them for him but if I was still taking my pre-natals I didn't really need them. Since I hate giving them anything unneccesary, I decided not to supplement with vitamins. I also took my children out all the time even in winter and never worried about sunscreen unless we would be in direct sunlight for longer than 15-20 minutes. I agree with some of the other ladies, ask your doctor why the recomendation. If there seems to be a reason other than "I always recommend them" it might be worthwile. Good luck, and don't worry. You will make the best choice for your family.

I have a 3 year old who was breast fed until he was a year old and now I have a 6 month old...At the Doctors visit with the baby he did mention vitamin D drops, however, he told me that the American assoc. of pediactrics has only started to recomend this recently and he has read the studies and is on the fence about if it is really necessary. That being said, he mentioned that it won't hurt so it was up to me if I wanted to go ahead and give it. My feeling was that it was summer time and the baby was gettting the sun light that he needed to break down the little that he was getting(I don't know, that theory might be totally off) but I do know that Vitamin D has to have sunlight to break down properly. Anyway, I wouln't be to worried :-) And you won't be alone if you don't end up giving your baby drops.

E.,

twenty minutes of exposure to sunlight gives you 10,000 units of vitamin D - whereas milk and vitamin d supplements only give you 400 units - its incomparable to the healing power of the sun. if you cannot get daily sunlight then try a tanning booth - really - it works - but the sun is the best... don't believe the hype - the sun is good for you!

peace,
Sol

www.livetolovetolive.com

The same thing happened to me with my second. I talked to another Doc and they told me if I don't keep my child in a cave then they will get enough vitamin D from the sun, and then not need the vitamin drops. I am now on my 3rd and they have all turned out fine. Good luck

E. - I gave my breastfed son poly-visol once a day, on recommendation from my doctor. He hated the taste of the vitamin also (can't blame him), so I would put it into a bottle of pumped milk (not sure if you're pumping at all). It didn't effect the taste of the milk enough to bother him.

I had the same problem. With my first son, who is 2 now, I was never told to used multivitamins and then with my twin boys, 9 months now, I was told to. I asked the doctor why and he said the American Association of Pediatrics now recommends it (a change in the past 2 years). I researched and found that if a baby is exposed to 15 minutes of sunlight per week they get enough vitamin D. I figure that my babies get at least that with the walks we go on so I never gave them the multivitamin.

Hi E. -

I too have a baby and was told the same thing - I took the RX and filled it and never gave it to the baby - Now 16months happy healthy and fine. In everything give it to God and you will get your answer.

God Bless!

E. -
My understanding for Vitamin D is due to the amount of exposure to sunlight. If you do not have enough exposure to sunlight (hence the vitamin D) that is why supplements are given. This information also applies to adults. Per Dr. Oz (if you watch Oprah) Vitamin D is a supplement most adults should take if they live in the northern states. So I am sure this would apply for newborns if they do not have exposure to the sun. I never had to supplement my first born, (we lived in Texas at the time) but I have a feeling I might have to with my second since we have moved. Good luck!!

My pedi told me this as well. My daughter hated the drops so I really didn't worry about them to be honest.

My doctor told me that my baby didn't need his own vitamins if I continued taking prenatal vitamins while breastfeeding. However, I did stop taking them severla months after giving birth and started my son on Enfamil Tri Vi Sol multi-vitamin. It's cherry flavored and he seems to like it.

Yes, I have two children 4, 15 months, both breastfed and both needed the vitamin supplment. Trivosol is the brand and it comes with a dropper. careful it will stain there clothes if it gets on it. Sunlight also gives us Vitamin D ... so sit her by the window for about 10 minutes a day..

Vitamin D can be harmful if given more than the body needs. I would make sure your child is actually deficient before giving it her her.

I have a vitamin D deficiency and I am carefully monitored with regular blood tests to make sure I am not storing too much.

I have never heard of giving it to a baby.

Yes, breastfed babies should be given a Vitamin D supplement. Check out kellymom.com -- a website devoted to breastfeeding.

Hi E.,

As long as you son gets even the tiniest amount of sunlight, he is getting plenty of vitamin D. There is no need to give any supplements. My son is breastfed and has never had a vitamin D supplement.

J.

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Hi E.,
I gave birth to my son in upstate NY, and they never mentioned anything about vitamin D. I moved down to PA when my son was 2 months old, and when he went to the pediatrician here, they recommended getting him started on the "tri-vi" vitamin drops. This was because of the vitamin D, like your doc mentioned. I've been trying to give them to him once a day, but he really hates the taste of them and spits them out all the time- and it STAINS, so be careful! i learned the hard way!!
Anyway, we (as adults) can get alot of our vit D from the sun (even just 10 minutes of sun daily on our face and forearms gives us enough), but since it's the winter and baby's skin shouldn't be exposed to sun light when they are babys the vitamin drops help with bone growth (you should actually keep them relatively covered, even in the summer, up to age 5 because sun exposure at this age can GREATLY increase their chance of skin cancer at an older age).
Anyway, I think the vitamin drops are widely used amoung breastfed babys, so just ask for them at the pharmacy counter (They are over the counter, but the pharmacy keeps them behind the desk for some reason...) and don't spill them on any outfits or wash cloths!

Good luck!
L.

I am breastfeeding and my daughter has been on vitamins since the beginning. The most important reason for us is that we are on well water and it is important that my daughter gets flouride since she is not getting it from our water. My personal opinion is that it is very difficult to make sure that we eat the right foods to ensure that our babies are getting all of the vitamins that they need...therefore the vitamin drops are that extra insurance that they are getting a well balanced diet. I think the drops are okay...but this is one person's opinion.

Breastfed babies and babies who receive less than 17 oz of formula do need to be supplemented with Vitamin D. It is the only vitamin they do not get in sufficient quantities from breastmilk. In the past, infants were exposed to more sun (which is how the body makes vitamin D naturally), but of course we are all more cautious about sun exposure now.

I give TriViSol by Enfamil to my 4 month old-- it had A, C, and D in it. I am not aware of any "only D" supplement of the market for infants.

Hope this helps!

They suggested this to me, too, when I was breastfeeding my son. I went and bought polivisol, a children's vitamin drop. It is really thick and he choked and gagged on it, which they warned. It was so stressful to watch him choking on it that I stopped giving it to him, and he seems fine. I was just sure to eat a very healthy diet when I was breastfeeding.

I was told to do the same thing with both my kids. Was your son born in summer. The sun is actually a natural source of vitamin D. So you can get it by just sitting our in the sun for 20 mintues or so. Since it is winter, you probably won't be sitting outside, so you can get vitamin D from drops or in a infant multi vitamin. HTH

E.,
For a complete understanding of this issue please read this article. Exposure, not necessary direct sunlight, can solve this problem without drops

www.mothering.com/articles/new_baby/breastfeeding/vitamin...

Good luck,
T.

Never heard of this. I thought breastfed babies get everything they need from breastmilk.

No, I have never heard of that either. I nursed my daughter until she was 14 months without any drops and my doctor never said a word. Don't take my word for it though, check out http://www.lalecheleague.com The La Leche League is the best source for any breastfeeding questions you might have. These ladies are great!

Hi E.,

I have a two month old son and I was told the same thing last month at his 1 month check up. I asked a few other breastfeeding friends of mine and they were told various other things from iron to vitamin D and none of them actually got the vitamins. I did not get these drops either as I am of the opinion that nature provides everything your baby needs and there is no need to supplement outside of your breastmilk. If you are eating a healthy diet , taking your prenatals and drinking lots of water, your milk will be the exact thing your baby needs. Plus your milk changes day to day, hour to hour depending on the needs of the baby, who are they to say that your beastmilk isn't perfect for your baby? I asked my midwife about this and she agreed and said if your baby needs vitamin D, put them in the sunlight for 10 minutes out of the day. Anyway, I hope this helps.:) take care.

H.

You can read more about the Vitamin D controversy at these websites:

http://www.mothering.com/articles/new_baby/breastfeeding/...

http://www.llli.org/Release/vitamind.html

L. Leavy, CD, HCHI, CHt.
ALACE Birth Doula / Hypnobabies Childbirth Hypnosis Instructor
Founder Mothering & More Birth Network
State Coordinator Operation Special Delivery, PA, NJ, DE
www.MotheringandMore.org
www.MySpace.com/Hypnosis4Childbirth

This is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

While breastfeeding is the recommended method of infant feeding and provides infants with necessary nutrients and immune factors, breast milk alone does not provide infants with an adequate intake of vitamin D. Most breastfed infants are able to synthesize additional vitamin D through routine sunlight exposure. However, published reports from 2000 and 2001 of cases of vitamin D deficiency rickets among breastfed infants in North Carolina, Texas, Georgia, and the mid-Atlantic region caused researchers to take another look at whether all breastfed infants were getting adequate vitamin D.

Vitamin D deficiency rickets among breastfed infants is rare, but it can occur if an infant does not receive additional vitamin D from a vitamin supplement or from adequate exposure to sunlight. A number of factors decrease the amount of vitamin D a person will synthesize from sunlight. These factors include

* Living at high latitudes (closer to the polar regions), particularly during winter months
* Air quality conditions: high levels of air pollution
* Weather conditions: dense cloud covering
* The degree to which clothing covers the skin
* Use of sunscreen
* Skin pigmentation: darker skin types

Furthermore, there exists a major public health effort to decrease the risk of skin cancer by encouraging people to limit their sunlight exposure (visit: www.cdc.gov/cancer/nscpep/index.htm.)

As a result, in April 2003, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published new guidelines for vitamin D intake, recommending that all infants have a minimum intake of 200 IU of vitamin D per day, beginning during the first 2 months of life.

Human milk typically contains a vitamin D concentration of 25 IU per liter or less. Therefore, a supplement of 200 IU per day of vitamin D is recommended for all breastfed infants. Adequate amounts of vitamin D can be achieved by currently available multivitamin products containing 400 IU of vitamin D per mL. These products are available over the counter. Currently there are no over the counter preparations containing vitamin D alone without other vitamins. Prescription preparations of vitamin D have very high vitamin D concentration and are not for routine home use.

If an infant is weaned to vitamin-D fortified infant formula (consuming at least 500 mL per day) or a child one year of age or older is weaned to vitamin-D fortified milk, then further supplementation is not necessary.

To review the AAP guidelines on vitamin D intake published in Pediatrics April 2003, 111(4):908–910, visit http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/ped...*

I think you should just take your Dr.'s advice. If you are not trusting your Dr enough to follow a simple vitamin suggestion, maybe you should consider looking for a Dr. you can better trust. I am a nurse, not a baby nurse, but I do believe Vitamin D is not passed through in your milk. Just through sun light exposure. So I feel the vitamins would not hurt. But seriously, you need to feel confortable and trust your child's Dr. If you do not, I feel you should examine the Dr. / patient / family relationship. Good luck.

I gave these to my son the entire time I breastfed. We used Poli-vi-sol. We split the recommended dose, and gave it to him twice a day. He was fine and had no problems.

Good Luck!

Yes. My daughter is now 2 months old and the doctor also recommended them for her. He actually tried to start them at 2 weeks og age but she just couldn't keep them down. My nephew is 7 months and he was also on them, both him and my daughter are breasfed. Beware they stain and they apparently taste awful. She hates to take them. I give them to her while she is bathing because she spits them back out.

If possible i would get a second opinion before i received the drops. Your babies saliva indicates what vitamins it receives from your breast milk. Making every feeding the perfect blend. Other ways of introducing Vitamin D to your baby more naturally would be to expose them to the sunlight for 10 minutes. Depending on the weather a short sleeve shirt adn exposed face directed at the sun will provide a ton of vitamin D and will last in the baby for awhile. Another way would be for you to eat Cod Liver pills. I doubt your baby will eat them so if you ingest the pills the baby will get it through the b-Milk. Cod Liver Oil unlike fish oil has vitamin D in it and other great essential oils.

The whole Vit D thing is a relatively new recommendation. Normally, people are able to make adequate Vit D from being in sun light to make up for whatever they don't get in their diet. Now that people are being so careful in the sun, and keeping their babies out of the son, Vit D deficient rickets saw a surge a few years ago. Now, without asking about sun exposure etc, docs routinely recommend Vit D supplementation. Probably in the winter months around here, you should do it, but if you are outdoors in the spring and summer, even a half hour of full exposure is adequate to make enough Vit D.

Hi E.,

I was also told to provide vitamin supplements while breastfeeding my little boy. It was really our choice and of course being with our first child we wanted to make sure we were covering "all corners". Since we chose to, the vitamin recommended was "Tri-visol", which I will also recommend. My little man did awesome with it. It is on the pricy side but (I'm sure you feel the same) they are worth every penny! I stopped breastfeeding at 1 yr and since have still continue providing him a vitamin. We were told to give him "Tri-visol" while I breastfead and move on to "Poly-visol" when I stopped breastfeeding. He is now going to be 2 yrs and thank goodness still healthy! ;) Hope this helps and provides some peace of mind. If you hear about any other recommended vitamins, please let me know! Thanks

From one loving momma to another!
L. B.

My son is 4 now and I did breastfeed him as an infant. I do remember giving him vitamin drops during the time I breastfed him. I believe it is common.

I have never heard that and I brestfed my baby. GOd created our milk to provide exactly what the baby needs, there is no need for a vitamin until they are on whole milk and eating solid foods.

I was not given this advice! I wish I had been.
Three months after my son (my second child) was born I was diagnosed with
MS. MS is genetic and Doctors are rapidly discovering more links between vitamin D deficiencies and active MS.
I make sure my little ones get a whole lot of sun and other sources of Vitamin D.
If there is a history of auto-immune diseases in your family, diseases like MS, Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, it could be crucial to make sure your children are not Vitamin D deficient.

From an article I recently read:
In a 2004 study, researchers found that women who take a multivitamin that includes vitamin D have a 40% reduced risk of developing multiple sclerosis. In 2006 the Journal of the American Medical Association printed a journal article outlining how doctors have found that among white persons in their research study, higher vitamin D levels were associated with lower rates of multiple sclerosis. The study's results were clear: higher levels of vitamin D may protect against deveoping multiple sclerosis for caucasians.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/165304/multiple_...

Yeah, I felt the same way when my dr told me my son#2 needed vitamin D drops when my first didn't and he was breastfed also. Somthing new he said and told us about how they are finding we are protecting our babies from the sun too good. They would normally get Vitamin D from sunlight but everyone is so skin cancer worried, so there's a drop in breastfed babies and vitamin D. Formula has it in it so those who formula feed don't have to give the drops.

When I breast fed both my kids (now 4 and 2 yrs) I had to give them vitamin drops, but I can't remember what they were called. I believe that they came in a box and I want to say it was blue and white and the name began with a T. Anyway, I do know that breast milk is very deficient in Vitamin D, which is really important for bone health! Also, I know that over half of all people are deficient in Vitamin D themeselves, even with a healthy diet. So it doesn't hurt to give the drops and mine were fine with taking them. Jennifer

I read another response and it was Trivisol that I gave my kids too!

I actually know someone whose baby didn't get the drops and since her mother was vitamin D deficiant (she didn't know she was) and her baby was too (duh) and she did not get the advice to use the drops, the baby did not develop her bones properly and had quite a few broken bones they did not even know about for awhile. It took awhile to diagnose the baby with Vitamin D deficiancy but once she was and was put on the drops she hasn't had a broken bone since. So I recommend that if you are not completely sure that your baby is getting ALL the vitamins it needs from you (your diet) then I would supplement with the vitamin drops. They are just vitamins so I don't think they will hurt, only help :)

You sound EXACTLY like me! I had the same experience, and I was shocked that the doctor would say that to me.

Here's the truth:

Breastmilk is the best, but it is lacking vit D. As a species, humans were always outside, and they absorbed vit D from the sun. Nowadays we are indoors, and it is necessary to supplement, which is why the milk you buy at the store has vit D added.

After my research proved that maybe my ped was right, I agreed to give my son Tri-Vi-Sol. (I won't do the Poly-Vi-Sol or the "with Iron!" kind because I think there's such a thing as too much.) He LOVES it (he gets it at bedtime, and he can't wait to put down his last story to climb into his crib and have the liquid), and he is a very healthy kid.

I breastfed my daughters and was never told to give them Vit D drops. My youngest is almost 2. If I'm not mistaken one of the ways we get Vitamin D is through the sun. I know it is cold right now, but just take her outside for a few minutes a day, go for a walk, etc. Did you ask if she was actually low on Vitamin D, or is the doctor using a "one size fits all" approach? I don't know everything about it, but maybe do some research on Vitamin D and see what you want to do. If you are still taking Prenatals, there should be some in there that would be transferred to your milk. Just some ideas. Good Luck!
E.

This is the new AAP recommendation--but you don't need to supplement until after they use up what they're born with, which is at 4-6 months. We use Poly-Vi-Sol, and my son hated it at first, but now he sucks it right out of the dropper. (Took about 6 weeks, though)

Yes I have heard of this. Could the difference be that your son was not a 'winter' baby? Breast milk is not as 'fortified' with vitamin D as formula. In the winter babies are not exposed to enough sun to produce vitamin D and that is why they recommend the supplements. I was told to give both my girls poly vi soi drops (sp?) and like the other moms said...they weren't wild about it. Do the best you can because breastfeeding is the best!

I have never heard of that. I breastfed both of my children. They can get vitamin D by just sitting them in front of the door when it is sunny for a few minutes. As long as you are taking your prenatals I would not worry about it.

Thanks
C.
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