B12 and a toddler

[SpunkyMama]

We are a vegetarian family. My son and I have some food sensitivities - cow dairy, gluten, soy. We actually eat mostly vegan. I take a multi-vitamin pre-natal vitamin (still nursing my 15 month old).

I read somewhere that adults don't really have to worry about b12 deficiencies because the body stores it for so long. However, my son does not have stores built up from eating meat/animal products.

Does he get b12 from my vitamin? We eat nutritional yeast - although I saw the other day that the package says it only has b1 and b2 in it.

What is a good way to get enough b12 (and the other b vitamins for that matter) into my son? Is he old enough to take a vitamin?

[elizabeth70]

i personally think your son is fine for now if you are nursing him. i give my toddler a multi-vitamin that has b12 in it. (it's Yummibears Vegetarian Multi-vitamin & Mineral). toddlers can start taking those at 2 years old. i don't really like that that is the only source of b12 he gets. (he still nurses but only once a day, so i don't really know if he's getting much milk from that.) so, i'm curious to see what others say...

[AmandaMom]

A lot of cereals and nondairy milks are also fortified with B12.

[crunchy_mommy]

If you get nutritional yeast that's marked as "Vegetarian Support Formula" it does contain B12. That reminds me that I need to check which kind I've been getting from the bulk container at WF. DS loves "mac & cheese" with nut. yeast cheese & rice pasta (yum I love it too !!)

I've actually been thinking about taking a methyl-b12 supplement for my CFS but I need to do more research on it. Supposedly the kind in nut. yeast etc. is cyano-something-or-other b12 & not utilized the same way by the body.

[Sayward]

In 'Becoming Vegan' (there is also 'Becoming Vegetarian' by the same authers, who are dietitians) (this is an excellent resource and I highly recommend you pick it up), the suggest supplementing infants with B12. He's not too young for this vitamin.

B12 deficiency really sucks, so it's a 'better safe than sorry' sort of deal. I say, you might as well.

[SpunkyMama]

Originally Posted by crunchy_mommy

That reminds me that I need to check which kind I've been getting from the bulk container at WF.

This is the nutritional yeast we get, and it says it only has b1 and b2.

[SpunkyMama]

Originally Posted by Sayward

In 'Becoming Vegan' (there is also 'Becoming Vegetarian' by the same authers, who are dietitians) (this is an excellent resource and I highly recommend you pick it up), the suggest supplementing infants with B12. He's not too young for this vitamin.

B12 deficiency really sucks, so it's a 'better safe than sorry' sort of deal. I say, you might as well.

What kind of vitamin do you give an infant? A PP said the Yummibears, but that is not until they are 2.

[crunchy_mommy]

Originally Posted by SpunkyMama

This is the nutritional yeast we get, and it says it only has b1 and b2.

Yeah I thought I checked it once & it did have b12 but I could be remembering wrong. But I do know I order Kal Vegetarian Support Formula online once & it definitely had the B12 (I still have the container)

[To-Fu]

Check the labels on the other stuff you're eating/drinking because I've found a lot of it is fortified with B12. You might be surprised!

[ShadowMoon]

We are vegan. Ds and I consume fortified cereals and plant-based milks and our levels are fine. I also take a multi-vitamin but DS does not, (yet anyway).

[fresh_veggie]

A b12 deficiency when his brain is developing can be really not good, so like the PP said, better safe than sorry. Lots of plant milks are fortified, as well as cereals, but look for a vitamin that is safe for a small person under 2.

[Sayward]

Originally Posted by SpunkyMama

What kind of vitamin do you give an infant? A PP said the Yummibears, but that is not until they are 2.

I wouldn't necessarily do a multivitamin. I'd do (and plan to with my son) a simple B12 supplement suitable for infants.

[mama*love]

you can get infant liquid multi-vitamin drops that have b12 in them at most pharmacies.