Vitamin D supp- do you or don't you?

[JFTB1177]

When I was BF DS2 I was told to give him a Vit D supp but I never did. This time I was told the same thing (with DS3) but I haven't. Both times my ped didn't make a big deal about it, just mentioned it once briefly. Is it really bad to not give EBF babies a Vit D supp? I figure we'll be starting baby cereal soon (he's 5 months), and is healthy, so no big deal.

Right?

ETA: The reason I didn't give the supp is I am afraid of toxicity since Vit D is one of those vitamins that can be easy to overdose in a baby, at least that's what I gather from what I've read.

[Mama Willow]

I do with ds2 but am starting to reconsider from your post.  I didn't even think about the toxicity issue I guess because I did with ds1 and he's just fine.  Then again it is summer so sun = VitD right?

[Mama Willow]

I just did some research and found that vitamin D is present in breastmilk.  My ped told me that Vitamin D does not pass in breastmilk   Also, the more vitamin D in mama, the more for baby. 

Hollis and Wagner conducted a study where lactating mothers were supplemented with either 2,000 or 4,000 IU of vitamin D daily.  The idea was to see if that fixes the baby's vitamin D levels as normal.  In both groups, the vitamin D status of the infant improved greatly (as did the mother's).  In the 4000 IU/day group, the infants' D-vitamin levels normalized after 3 months of breastfeeding.[1]  Note that 4,000 IU a day is ten times the current (woeful) recommended intake for vitamin D (which is 400 IU for adults) by the Food and Nutrition Board!

In another, earlier study from Finland, researchers supplemented mothers with either 1,000 IU or 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily.  They found that 1,000 IU was NOT enough to make any significant changes in vitamin D content of breast milk, but 2,000 IU was sufficient so the infants had normal levels of vitamin D.[2]

I think ds will finish the bottle I have and I'll start my supplement + sun everyday.

[tibeca]

I take anywhere between 2000 (summer) and 4000 (winter) iu's of Vitamin D. New studies are finding that it is not possible to overdose on vitamin D. However, it is greatly dependent on source. You cannot overdose on natural food sources (as I've heard), but I prefer to dose myself with Vitamin D and let my babies manage from that.

[JFTB1177]

Thanks ladies! I think I'll just start taking Vit D myself. :) I get better info from moms on this board than from my pediatrician! :)

[PatioGardener]

I take enough vit D to keep my levels up (they were really low) and also to pass to my baby in my milk. For me that is 6000 IU/day. Ever since he started solids I also make sure that he has a vit D supplement daily - I use this one for him.

We live in Canada where most people have low vit D levels.

[nstewart]

I did in the winter, but now in the summer I don't worry about it.  I also *try* to remember my vitamin D supps but am not always great at remembering!  

[nia82]

I take 5000 IUs daily and I gave DD carlson's drop in winter. But now she gets plenty of sun... I might reconsider in winter again.

[Franci]

I didn't give vitamin D or any other to DS and he was born in England.

Now we live by the sea, in the south of France. I would have never thought I would be deficient in Vit. D. But I've just tested...and likely I was deficient during pregnancy. Now I'm starting giving to my DD, 5 months old vit D 1000 I.U. (i've seen the prescription is for D2 I've been reading that D3 it would be better). Remember if you use sunscreen you are not getting any vit D from the sun.

[mamayogibear]

Originally Posted by JFTB1177 

ETA: The reason I didn't give the supp is I am afraid of toxicity since Vit D is one of those vitamins that can be easy to overdose in a baby, at least that's what I gather from what I've read.

Please cite this for me as I was under the impression that Vitamin A in the non beta-carotene form (retinol?) and Iron were the only vitamins that babies and children could obtain toxic levels of. Iron is an immediate reaction whereas Vit A builds up over time to form toxicity.

[mamayogibear]

I supplement with both vitamin D2 and D3. I try to be vegan and since D3 is sourced from animal oil (often from the skin and wool of sheep) I only take D3 in the winter. However in the summer I take D2 which is synthetic. Since it is synthetic it might be possible to take too much of it, I think I will research that a bit further. Both of my kids take vitamin D drops and multivitamins from Animal Parade.

[creekprincess]

I supplement myself everyday with 2000IU. I was def. in D and have since gotten my levels up to almost 50 last check. I do not give anything to baby other than BM