Vitmain D for a NB

[abemom2]

At what age should I start giving my 8 day old baby Vit. D? I live in cold Canada, with no sun currently.

The nurse from the CLSC told me to start already?

Also, how much do I give? (It's D3)

Thanks, Ana

[YayJennie]

Are you breast feeding? Have you had your D levels checked? I didn't start giving my son vit D supplements until after he was on solids, as when he was EBF I was taking supplements and knew my levels were good. Just my opinion, although my ped did recommend the D drops (400 IU I believe) starting at birth.

[Auraji]

^^This

My DD is 8 months old and I dont give her any supplements, but I do take 4000IU everyday and since I breastfeed I think she should be getting enough.

[Alisse]

My ds and i are rarely in the sun -- it's too bloody cold to go outside! Plus, the vitD amount in my supplements isn't high enough to pass enough onto him.

I've given him 1 drop (400IU) of vitD almost everyday since 3 days old, (the amount to give was written on the package).

[4Blessings]

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/vi...vitamin-d.html is a good resource.

[jess5377]

I am exclusively breastfeeding and I give 1 drop per day (I put it on my nipple), that's 400 IUs. I use the Carlton (Carlson?) brand, it's just vit D, so no other supplements and only one drop.

That's based on recommendations from my ped, the lactation nurse and my midwife. It might be a pacific northwest thing (no sun!), but they really push it here.

However, I think the recommended dosage is higher in Canada, I think Canada recommends, like, double? Anyone know?

[Alisse]

^I'm from canada (toronto) and was told 1 drop (400IU) by both my paediatrician friend and pharmacist friend.

[kkfum]

After having researched the Vitamin D thing, I don't agree with Dr. Newman's advice at: kellymom.com.

Even though someone may not have rickets, they can be deficient in Vitamin D. The current toxicity levels are also way too low...it would take many, many more doses to overdose on Vitamin D. DH just went to the doctor to get his levels checked, and his doctor said the same thing.

Some really great resources are from doctors/scientists at:

http://vitamindfoundation.org

www.vitamindcouncil.org

The former has a great video presentation by a Vitamin D expert--Dr. Vieth--about the biological/epidemiological basis for upping Vitamin D intake and Vitamin D levels ("Prospects for Vitamin D Nutrition"). Current wisdom states that if your levels are between 30 & 100, you are " normal". However, levels should really be around 80 and above to store Vitamin D, which most of us in the US and Canada need to do because we don't get the necessary UV light during the winter. The presentation explains why.

Low D is associated with increased illness, including cancer.

Anyway, I would start a newborn right away with 400IU.
I supplement my 9mo with 400IU/day, me at 6,000IU/day, and my 4yo at 1,800 IU/day, although this may be low for her. My 4yo and I were tested and she is below 30 and I'm at 32. We're going to re-test in a few months. The baby will get tested at her 1 yr appt.

[nukuspot]

Originally Posted by jess5377

I am exclusively breastfeeding and I give 1 drop per day (I put it on my nipple), that's 400 IUs. I use the Carlton (Carlson?) brand, it's just vit D, so no other supplements and only one drop.

That's based on recommendations from my ped, the lactation nurse and my midwife. It might be a pacific northwest thing (no sun!), but they really push it here.

However, I think the recommended dosage is higher in Canada, I think Canada recommends, like, double? Anyone know?

We are in WA and we do this exactly. I take 4000IU, dd gets 400IU from Carlson's baby D-drops. I read that in high latitudes of Canada, the recommendation for many of the native people are to supplement babies with 800IU (because there is poor maternal nutrition). But I think for most babies 4001U is fine.

DD will get her D levels tested at her 9 month ped appt in a few days (per my request when they take the blood for testing her iron levels) so we will know more then how well the dosage is working.

[CT Mommy]

The first time I've heard of supplementing w/D was yesterday at my dd's 2 month ped visit. We moved to MN 2 years ago, so this is all new to me.

I am bfing, but don't take a supplement. So, I bought the Carlson brand at whole foods. How the heck do you get one drop out of that crazy bottle/lid? I'm assuming my older children should also be supplemented? I have a 6,4 and 2 year old as well. THANKS!

[jess5377]

I just hold it upside down over my nipple and give it a little shake, touch it to the nipple and a drop (usually more, I don't know, "some") comes out.

As for the older kids, I think if they're drinking milk, which is fortified with vitamin D or eating other foods that are fortified with vitamin D (many are) and getting some sun, they're okay, but supplementing doesn't hurt. Like another poster said, you'd have to try really really hard to overdose on it, like really hard.

[CT Mommy]

Thanks Jess5377. Congrats on your 11/09 baby. I, too, have a 11/09 baby birthed at home!!

[dislocator3972]

I looked into this pretty extensively, because I had never heard of having to supplement an EBF baby, but Vitamin D doesn't transfer from the mother to the child. In most climates, the baby can get some Vit. D from the sun (and that's usually enough), but in the cold, dark north that is not the case.

Both my ped and LC recommended 400 IUs per day. The ped gave us some drops with artificial caramel flavoring ("Don't start your baby on fruits, that could develop a sweet tooth." But giving her artificial caramel flavoring every day won't?) but I found some drops with this ingredient list: Vitamin D, vegetable oil. They're tasteless and colorless.

Ah the joys of living at the high latitudes!

[thatgirliknew]

I had no idea about Vitamin D supplementation. Should I be doing this? Nobody in the hospital, pediatrician's, or WIC office said anything. I live in Kentucky, my daughter is exclusively breastfed, and I'm still taking Prenatals... Should I bring it up with her doctor?

[NSmomtobe]

Originally Posted by dislocator3972

Both my ped and LC recommended 400 IUs per day. The ped gave us some drops with artificial caramel flavoring ("Don't start your baby on fruits, that could develop a sweet tooth." But giving her artificial caramel flavoring every day won't?) but I found some drops with this ingredient list: Vitamin D, vegetable oil. They're tasteless and colorless.

Ah the joys of living at the high latitudes!

I'm also not impressed with the list of ingredients in the vitamin D drops that I was given nor the fact that I have to fill the dropper to the 1 mL line and then drown my baby in these drops. I would like to find drops with fewer ingredients, especially if only 1 drop is necessary, but I have checked 2 drug stores now and can't find them.

I don't know if it is true, but my doctor said that the intensity of the sun is only strong enough to stimulate vitamin D production in the summer (specifically June and July is what he said--I would think August would work as well). The rest of the time, sun exposure will have no effect on vitamin D levels.

[stephanie95]

I am near Edmonton, AB. I was able to find the single drop Vitamin D at a birth store in Edmonton. You might be able to at a health food store rather than a drug store. If not here is an online supplier: http://well.ca/products/baby-ddrops-liquid_7336.html. You just have to put a drop on your nipple or a soother. Later it can be added to food. I did not do vit. D with my DD and she has horrid teeth. She was tested and is still very low in Vit. D now at 3 years old. So with my 3 month old DS I am being much more consistent. These drops are far easier to deliver than the 1 ml dropper of sticky, yucky stuff.

[goldenwillow]

Vit D

I take it myself via liquid and my Son receives it through my breast milk.

[guestmama9971]

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[Xavismom]

Originally Posted by thatgirliknew

I had no idea about Vitamin D supplementation. Should I be doing this? Nobody in the hospital, pediatrician's, or WIC office said anything. I live in Kentucky, my daughter is exclusively breastfed, and I'm still taking Prenatals... Should I bring it up with her doctor?

I had no idea either! Neither my MW or DS's Nurse has said anything? We live in UT, and I havent been going outside very much because the air is so bad and its cold.

Is it very bad that I have not been doing this?!?! DS is almost 9 weeks old now...

[tanyalynn]

Originally Posted by Xavismom

Is it very bad that I have not been doing this?!?! DS is almost 9 weeks old now...

A lot of us don't figure it out til WAY later. I supplemented my 5yo and 3yo (and myself and DH) quite a bit last year to help get us into a reasonable range.

I second the suggestion to go to the vitamin D council website to get ideas for supplementation. I disagree with their view on vitamin A, but I think their vitamin D info looks solid. Their dosages are far above the RDA, and I think for good reason.