Vitamin D Supplement for Breastfed Baby?

Vitamin D is routinely prescribed today, and is recommended by the CDC and the WHO for all breastfed infants. Here is the link to the CDC page:

http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/recommendations/vitamin_...

I used to work in this division of CDC, and I personally know the people who made these recommendations. They are based on the best scientific evidence available from around the world. My son was absolutely supplemented with the drops while he was being breastfed, and we take Vitamin D supplements now.

Sunshine is the best form of Vitamin D we can get. Try sitting by a window for a few mins a couple times a day and see how he does then. Best of luck!

There was an article today on www.kellymom.com that said the liquid form is best but to be sure they aren't getting more than 400iu a day, or they can get sick. I got my drops through a naturopath, or they also sell them at super supplements stores.

I have been investigating vitamins for years and recently my focus was on vitamin D.

What I find out is alarming and the information is generally kept from being made 'well known' to the public, but anyone can find it by extensive digging on the internet. Even most doctors don't know the clinical trials or the history of vit D.

Early vit D trials we done on institutionalized people- people in mental hospitals who never even saw the light of day. Eventually more trials were done on elderly, convalecent home patients. The original recommendations from the few trials done ,was to add vit D to those patients who did not get any adequate sunlight. The Executive director/founder of the vit D council, John Cornell, was a college dropout SOCIALIST ACTIVIST. If you have studied these reptiles at all then this alone should alarm you. His organization, the vit D council, ran on grants from Kettering, an organization who's hands were VERY involved in giving thier largest grants to companies who did gene therapy and cloning. (Think selective breeding and population control / DE-population.) Keterring was also very involved in Dartmouth- who held councils TO SWAY PUBLIC OPINION in a particular direction for thier own purposes. The "reality" of the (false) need to add vit D to foods and for people to take it in supplements came out of these think tanks. Papers are circulated, books are published , opinions are influenced then cemented in people's minds, and before you know it , it has become 'truth'.

Here are some quotes from the government themselves, (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov and usda.gov) showing that vit D was never 'meant' for everyday usage, that it was never studied enough, and they really dont know the long term outcome on health:

" Unlike anything else in the fortification of food, the purpose for vit D added to food is to correct for environmental defect (no sun exposure) and NOT for nutritional deficiency. NO FOOD normally consumed by man has naturally occuring vit D in it."
"the exact physiological function on 1,25OHD2 (vit D) on the brain, pancreas, lymphocites and skin remains unknown"
" the sun corrects vit d deficiency"
" babies do not require supplemental vit D"
" an average intake suggestion (RDA) of vit D are based on people with limited to no exposure to sun and limited stores of vit D."
" it's difficult to determine refrence values for people 18-50, more studies are needed" (they are saying this because they have based their studies on the elderly, sickly and frail.)
"Vit D is stored in fat in winter"
" Humans of all ages, races, and sex can get all of their vit D through adequate sun exposure"

Now why is vit D supplements worrysome?...

Just 8 minutes of sun will give you a very high dose of vit D, all you need really. Extra vit D leads to disease. Look up hypervitaminosis D.
Natural vit D is metabolized in the kidney and excess is stored. Synthetic chemical vit D circulates in the body for three days to three weeks, and works with the parathyroid hormone to cause stimulation of calcium and phosphorus (bone reabsorption). .

D supplements caused hypercalcemia in many clinical trials, where calcium is from bone is re deposited in soft tissues and organs. Jeans and Sterns 1938 report found hypercalcemia and retarded growth in 35 infants who received 1800-45000 IU a day. After the vit D supps were stopped, hypercalcemia declined.
There is really no way to know how much total vit D you are actually receiving, from the sun/ food. Therefore, there is no way to know if you are going above the recommended limit (remember- for those who never get any sun). Only 200 IU is recommended for those who never see sun. that's about the amount in 2 C of milk if I am calculating right. Then add any other added vit D to food.( irradiated nuts, produce and lunchmeat has been shown to have vit D from the radiation). Prof Holick of Boston Univ says 10,000-25,000 IU's are recieved from just a brief noonday sun exposure. Then add any vit D stored in your fat. Sometimes vit D is added to shampoo and lotions. So as you can see , you get plenty of vit D. Actually enough to cause disease.

People who have Low serum vit D (which is usually caused by disregulation of vit d from bacteria) can increase serum levels by taking magnesium.

As far as doctors wanting to feed her formula, the only thing I can think is that formula is high in Iron. Well, that might help if your child has anemia causing the jaundice, but that doesnt help if it is any other reason!

Hemolytic Jaundice occurs in a process "before the liver"..toxin,infection, immune disorders.
Parenchymal Jaundice occurs "in the liver" ...liver flukes, bacterial or hep B infection, enzyme coverting deficiency, and
obstructive jaundice is after the liver blocked ducts, malformed ducts, etc

Conjestive heart failure can be a cause. but probably more common are these two causes:

Hemochromatosis- in a nutshell the child is getting poisoned by too much iron. More common now because docs ask moms to take it AND put their babies on it. (that is why it is important for the doctor to know WHY the jaundice is occuring- before loading on Iron supps or formula.

The Vit K shot on the heel after birth can cause G6pd-an enzyme deficiency.

I wouldnt take any supps like calcium, vit D, iron, folic acid, or phosphorus (most of these are in most multi vits.) Vitamins and minerals play off eachother like a fine instrument. God put them in PERFECT harmony in foods..taking synthetic can cause dysregulation of chemical balance as the amounts or complimetary minerals are out of balance. Mangesium is one of the few minerals I think is helpful because it is NOT put into foods and multivitamins in any decent amount. what is funny is, it is the more imortant one we SHOULD have a good amount of.

We just laid our son in the sunlight for a few days straight and his jaundice cleared up. (Even his eyes were pretty yellow......) I strictly breastfed and refused to give him ANY formula at all! It only took a couple days of direct sunlight AND we nursed on demand and his was all cleared up.

I would be hesitant to give him a bottle as some babies will not go back to nursing after having the ease of drinking from a bottle. Some do not have a problem switching back and forth but I didn't want to take any chances.....

It's hard to say really. I'm an RN, but not L&D or maternity. However, I did also breastfeed. These would be questions to ask your lactation consultant that is available from either your hospital or through LLL.org and look in your local area. LLL is a fabulous organization and full of advice!!
I'm a firm believer in getting at least 15-20 minutes of direct sunlight a day is all the body needs to make Vitamin D. But I'm not sure about babies....
I would start with LLL and go from there....
Good luck!!

This actually isn't a "new" thing, as they were doing this 18 years ago when my first child was a baby.
I know there is a bit of debate about this, but all of my personal research says that the supplements are necessary. I too, have heard about giving your baby 10 minutes exposure to the sun every day in leiu of a supplement, but recently saw on Good Morning America someone from the Skin Cancer research center (or the like) issue a statement that you must NOT do this, for fear of the cumulative effect of sun exposure (they specifically sited this D debate).
It's funny you asked about you taking a supplement; I asked my Doc the same thing! She said, no, he needs a seperate one. They do have ones that taste better...try Whole Foods or Vitamin World, they have a few.
Good luck! :)

Can you take your baby outside or lay your baby in the sunlight for 10 - 15 minutes per day? That should help with the jaundice. I have had many friends do this and it has cleared up.

I would consult a lactation consultant or a La Leche League leader as to why you would need to feed your child formula for 2 days while you are pumping. In my opinion that is like feeding your child McDonalds hamburgers instead of homemade while you throw away the homemade ones. Here is a link to the La Leche League groups in PA: http://www.llli.org/Web/Pennsylvania.html

Good luck!!

My baby has been on vitamin drops since he was an infant. He was also exclusively breastfed, though he got over his jaundice faster. He loves taking the vitamins from the dropper and hasn't had a problem with them. We get ours prescription from Walmart for $10 and they last over a month. Our pediatrician prescribed a mix of A,C and D. I have seen just plain vitamin D available online, with no dyes etc... if that is what's bothering you. I read that breastmilk does not contain enough vitamin D and that babies under 6 months shouldn't be exposed to too much direct sunlight. Can't remember which book- probably What to Expect the 1st Year.

It sounds like you have excellent instincts!
Formula, in NO WAY clears up jaundice faster than breastmilk!--The ONLY way to get rid of jaundice is to poop it out! Period! FORMULA CONSTIPATES BABIES=NOT AS MUCH POOPING=LONGER TIME OF HAVING JAUNDICE.
There is actually some research showing that so-called "breastmilk jaundice" actually has some antioxident protective factors that we do not yet fully understand. So I really wouldn't worry excessively about it. How is he nursing? How's his latch? Was he circumcised (this can often effect the latch)? Is he getting very drowsy on the breast?--If so, you'll need to come up w/ some creative ways of keeping him awake long enough to nurse longer.

The jury's still out on Vit D supplements in breastfed babies. Unfortunately, one thing that is leading to the recent panic over it is that we are recently finding out that Americans are chronically low in Vit D.
If it were ME, I'd start out by taking a WHOLE-FOOD Vit D supplement myself for the first couple of months. Then when he's closer to 4-6 mos, think about giving him a WHOLE FOOD Vit D supplement (both from your local health food store).

There is some priceless info on www.KellyMom.com & it's all up-to-date. Your local LLL Leader will also have a lot of good information & suggestions for you.
Good luck, mama! Keep trusting those instincts!

The RDA for Vitamin D has recently doubled. It is shown to be a very important vitamin, and most people are deficient in it even as adults. Other then fortified foods like milk its really hard to incorporate into your diet. The other resource is the sun, which of course most babies are kept out of (with the exception of therapy for jaundice) As an exclusively breastfed baby (like all 3 of mine were) I would say that your baby probably will need some extra vitamin D. I never gave any vitamins to my babies, but I would be inclined to take them myself and pass them onto the baby that way. I would look into finding out a good dosage for that purpose.

I was also told to give formula to my baby for jaundice. It is true that they pass it our of their system through poop, and breastfed babies are better poopers, but I think for this purpose they are worried about quantity and as a newborn breastfed baby it usually takes a few days for your milk to come in so they are actually eating less. If you are not already doing so I would expose your baby to sunlight a few minutes at a time, a few times a day. Its a kind of phototherary like those lights they use. I stripped my baby down to a diaper and sat her in her boucey seat in the sunlight behind the window and it seemed to help. Good luck and kudos for your commitment to breastfeeding your baby!

If it's only to clear up the jaundice just put him in the sunshine for 15-20 minutes a day. This is the best way for his body to get the vit D and absorb it properly. There have been many studies about vit D and absorbtion when given orally and how it does not work very well.

I would get a second opinion on the formula feeding issue. Our first born was jaundice and they had me do formula for 24 hours - he threw up 90% of what he took in (awful!) and it DID NOT help. He wound up back under the blue lights for more full-time treatment in the hospital. Eventually, he was fine but if the level keeps rising there can be serious consequences.

Please consult with a lactation specialist - - - several others have given you contact detail already.

Both of our sons started a daily vitamin (Trivesol) by 2-months. The Vitamin D that you take does not come through in your breast milk. I have heard many conflicting details on the "put them in the sun" issue so I cannot really advise one way or the other on that.

Good luck & TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS!!!

3 out of my four kids had jaundice. Taking him in the sun will help tons. And you don't even have to go outside if you don't want to. If you have a big window you can put him in his bassinet and let him lay by the window in the sun ray.

Also you do NOT have to give him formula..one doc tried that on me with my 2nd son and I freaked out I was so upset. Turns out BM is better as it makes him pee more and Peeing is what is gonna make him pass the stuff outta his system. So BF more and let him have booby milk....lol.

Good luck and I hope he gets better quickly.

We started my exclusively breastfed daughter on generic Polyvisol (Target!) very early and it never hurt her. With all the sunscreen these days, plus I'm not the outdoor type (my hubby is!), I know I'm Vitamin D deficient and intend to talk to my doc about it at my next appt. (they tested me while I was pregnant with #2, but we held off on a "mega dose" as I'm now breastfeeding him and he's only 2 months old). We are trying to get my son to take it and he's not agreeing, so the doc says to try, but not to stress. I think of Vitamins as insurance - not required per se, but helps out on days that you aren't eating as well or maybe your child isn't nursing as often...

I don't know anything about jaundice though - I would listen to your doc on that one!

Good luck!

Vitamin D is being routinely prescribed for no reason at all. Unless a mother is Vitamin D deficient herself or you happen to live in an area where there is no sunlight, Vitamin D supplements are unnecessary. Make sure your infant gets 20 minutes of direct sunlight a day, and everything should be perfectly fine. As a breastfeeding counselor, I would advise against giving him formula. Jaundice can take a while to resolve, however, the best thing for it is breastfeeding :) Btw, the taste of the Vitamin D is nasty. Nothing I'd like any of my clients to take or give to their infant.

Good luck!!!

My 2 exclusively breastfed daughters were both put on TriViSol drops (vitamins A,C,D) at a very early age. That was in 2006 and 2008, so I don't think it's that new. I also know children are encouraged to take a vitamin D supplement because they are not getting the vitamin from the sun due to us protecting them from the harmful rays.
It is always your choice in the end. I would never use the internet as a better form of information than my pediatrician. If you don't trust your ped, find another one. But it's foolish to believe everything you read online. Good luck.

My son, had jaundice... after birth and still, after we took him home. At the hospital they monitored him closely and his blood, and released him to go home when his blood levels dropped.
Then we took him home, 3 days post-birth.
Once home, he was still yellow. I had my Mommy radar and my gut feeling that he needed to be monitored more... he was not getting better nor did it resolve on its own. One Doctor suggested putting him in the sunlight... vitamin D, etc. All those typical things. But it did not help and he was getting yellower... and not getting better.
I in my gut, did not feel it was right.
I took him to another Doctor it the office.... she immediately, visually, could tell that his blood levels were escalated... and immediately ordered blood testing. That SAME day. We did. His blood levels were higher and rising. That Doctor was correct, and my gut-instinct. And we then had to have, at home, the "blue-light' treatment for him. 24 hours a day, for about a week. Meanwhile, we had to take him to take blood tests to monitor his levels. Until it resolved.
IF jaundice is not resolved and it rises, it can affect the brain.
The hospital where I gave birth, is real strict about it.

For the 1 week, my son was under that blue-light. 24 hours/day. I only was allowed to take him off it when I nursed.

My Husband, was very glad, that I went by my Mommy gut-instinct. Like the 1st Doctor and his Mom, he thought just putting him in the sunlight would resolve it and it was no big deal. And our first Pediatrician, actually apologized to us, for her lack of noticing it. We were very grateful, that the 2nd Ped we went to, aggressively assessed our son, correctly, and ordered the appropriate treatment.

If you ever feel your son's jaundice is not getting better or getting worse, take him in, for re-evaluation.

all the best, just relaying what happened in my son's case,
Susan

In my opinion, you should be the one to take the vitamin D3 supplement. Both of you can and should get sunlight. Sunlight can be enough if much of your child's skin is exposed, not enough if it is just his face and hands.

I would caution against giving formula as it can cause difficulties for him -confusion with his latching technique as well as a huge time commitment on your part to have to pump. It is easy for a medical professional to recommend (though everone knows breast is best), but, practically hard to do, switching like that.

Getting your own D blood level checked can help determine how much you can supplement. My level was so low, my doctor put me on 20,000 units twice a week. If I had listened to a different doctor's advice, I'd be taking only 2000 units daily, for little change. My mood is so much better!

Congratulations on your new baby and your decision to breastfeed. We as a race wouldn't be here if it weren't for nursing.

If you are taking a Vit D supplement yourself, that should be plenty, along with sunshine, for you baby. As far as the jaundice goes, formula isn't going to solve anything. I recommend you seek a second opinion from a board-certified lactation consultant. Remember that Drs are not breastfeeding experts, and sadly, many of them actually know painfully little about it. Good luck to you!