Are you supplementing your babies with Vitamin D?

[Mawood]

I live in CA where there is lots of sunshine but I know that in Germany you supplement Vitamin D in the first two years or so and read that it will be recommended at the two months check up. I am just curious who is supplementing their babies and if there is a brand you recommend???

[hakeber]

I don't. I can see in the winter doing this in the north of Germany or finland or something, but in the spring and summer? Why?

[AfricanQueen99]

I don't see the need, honestly.

[devasma]

I live in Canada, and it is recommended to supplement due to the long winter. However, I decided not to supplement. I think it is an interesting thing that the most common infant vitamin d supplement is produced by Enfamil. I take vit d supplements, and while not a lot is passed through breastmilk, a bit is. It is getting sunnier everyday, so I'm not concerned at all. I found this on the Infact site:
The amount of sun exposure needed to maintain adequate 25 hydroxyvitamin D levels in the normal range in the breastfed infant is as follows:

Summer time _ infant wearing only a diaper _ 30 minutes per week

Winter time _ clothed infant not wearing a hat _ 2 hours per week

http://www.infactcanada.ca/breastmil..._d_adequac.htm

[lalaland42]

I live in Switzerland and I was told to by the pedi at the hosp and DS's private pedi to supplement to ensure proper bone growth (for the first year) so yes I am supplementing him. The vitamins are covered by insurance and not very expensive regardless and I am pretty sure the milk isn't fortified with vitamins. Can't think of a reason not to.

[Jaesun's Dad]

The amount of sun exposure needed to maintain adequate 25 hydroxyvitamin D levels in the normal range in the breastfed infant is as follows

So ... they go on about "dark skinned" infants vs "white skinned infants" such as:

Higher levels of melanin, a natural sun screen, requires more exposed sunlight than white skinned populations to produce the same amount of vitamin D. And in white-skinned infants the application of sunscreen blocks the synthesis of vitamin D after ultraviolet radiation.

And then that chart is tossed up. I guess in context that would apply to "dark skinned infants" or "white skinned infants with sunscreen"?

We cover our son up as appropriate for the weather and usually get out of the house at least once a week while mom and dad get bagels and we all go for a walk near the lake. We keep him out of direct sunlight but he gets outdoor unfiltered light. We've read about D supplements but no ped has yet to recommend.

[mamakims]

I didn't with my first two when they were born (spring babies) but after reading up on the benefits of vit. d I decided to with Sophie. We live on the west coast of canada where we really don't see the sun for most of the winter and we don't get out very much when it's raining lots (which it always is!). But once the rainy season ends, I won't be supplementing anymore.

[Sharlla]

It never occurred to me to supplement the baby, I always assumed my milk gave them everything that they needed.

[chel]

md gave dd a large sample bottle at dd's 1w checkup, i'm not against using it, just have been so busy moving i don't know where it is

[geo_girl]

I do it when I remember.

[sunshadow]

I did with my daughter and I do with my son, via breastmilk. I take 4000 iu (plus multi vit, plus cod liver oil) when nursing, even in the summer because I was found to be deficient summer before last while taking 2000iu (plus, plus). This was first recommended to me by my daughters pediatrician and then I also read on kellymom.com to take higher doses to benefit baby, but I can't find it on there now.

[smokeylo]

I plan to supplement all of us at some point, but haven't acted on it. I have friends who have had amazing results and since we are palefaces living in Iowa, I think we would benefit.

[paxye]

No, but I do take some myself...

[Astraia]

I tried to do it with DD but mostly forgot, and this time around I'm not bothering. By the time I remembered I was supposed to be doing it, we'er definitely getting out of the house enough so he's getting the sunlight.

[Happiestever]

The ped rec'd it for my dd when she was born. I just found the bottle today and tossed it. Right now my kids are outside with DH playing in the pool, so I don't think we really need anything extra besides what we get from the sun and diet.

If we lived in Seattle still I would probably think more about it, but not in San Diego.

[JayJay]

Completely forgot about it... Not worried, as Bella is now over 12lb and seems to be doing just fine! We're heading into spring anyway. She's totally breast fed and doesn't like anything else, so I can't imagine going through the rigmarole of feeding an upset little girl vitamin D drops every day...gah!

[lalaland42]

Originally Posted by JayJay

Completely forgot about it... Not worried, as Bella is now over 12lb and seems to be doing just fine! We're heading into spring anyway. She's totally breast fed and doesn't like anything else, so I can't imagine going through the rigmarole of feeding an upset little girl vitamin D drops every day...gah!

Just to clarify, it is 1 drop, not a dropper full and DS is exclusively bf too. Adding a vitamin doesn't change that.

[Dea]

I do it, when I remember, but since Hudson is mostly bottle fed it's easy, just add to his bottle. I don't see a reason not too, vit D also helps your immune system....

[jillmamma]

I am in Texas and we get lots of direct sunlight. We are in and out a lot since she has an older brother and sister. So no, I don't. Plus, if you go by the skin tone thing, my kids are all very pale redheads, so it does not take too much exposure anyway.

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by lalaland42

Just to clarify, it is 1 drop, not a dropper full and DS is exclusively bf too. Adding a vitamin doesn't change that.

Oh no that's not what I'm saying - what I'm saying is that Bella doesn't like anything but breast milk to such an extent that she'll choke and gag on it, and start screaming and turn red in the face. It takes about fifteen minutes for her to calm down sufficiently to nurse, and then she's not happy for about half a day. So, that is the rigmarole of which I speak: it happens with anything I try to give her in quantities of less than a drop sometimes...

The way (and this was a real major PITA to be honest) I got her to take just part of the antibiotics was to mix them in a bunch of expressed breast milk, put them in a bottle, but an X shape in the nipple and then have her chew on the nipple until it all came out. This took about half an hour or so every time we had to do it...gah!

But no, you misunderstood, I'm not saying breastfed babies who get vitamin D drops aren't exclusively breast fed - I'm saying Bella has awful trouble with anything BUT breast milk (hopefully that will change eventually!). Hope that clarifies