Are you supplementing vitamins for baby? « Back to Group Discussions

[SoonToBe]

Just curious...

Are any of you giving your baby vitamins?  I assume they get all they need from our milk, but what if mom's diet isn't perfect?  Is it like in pregnancy that the baby will take what he needs and our bodies are designed to send all the good stuff to the baby?  If we have a less than stellar diet, it would leave us depleted of vitamins, but baby still gets all he needs?

[Baby_Cakes]

I still take my prenatal vitamins, but I don't supplement the baby.

The quality of your milk has little to do with your diet.  I posted this in one other thread but i can't remember which one...

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/mom/mom-diet.html

"Do I need to maintain a perfect diet while breastfeeding?

The short answer to this question is NO – you do not need to maintain a perfect diet in order to provide quality milk for your baby. In fact, research tells us that the quality of a mother’s diet has little influence on her milk. Nature is very forgiving – mother’s milk is designed to provide for and protect baby even in times of hardship and famine. A poor diet is more likely to affect the mother than her breastfed baby."

...so in short, yes, you're right.  Baby will get what he/she needs and we will be the one who lacks.  That's why it's important to try to eat healthy, take a vitamin if you can't/don't, and especially get enough calcium, etc.

[katiemaeeee]

Originally Posted by Baby_Cakes 

I still take my prenatal vitamins, but I don't supplement the baby.

The quality of your milk has little to do with your diet.  I posted this in one other thread but i can't remember which one...

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/mom/mom-diet.html

"Do I need to maintain a perfect diet while breastfeeding?

The short answer to this question is NO – you do not need to maintain a perfect diet in order to provide quality milk for your baby. In fact, research tells us that the quality of a mother’s diet has little influence on her milk. Nature is very forgiving – mother’s milk is designed to provide for and protect baby even in times of hardship and famine. A poor diet is more likely to affect the mother than her breastfed baby."

...so in short, yes, you're right.  Baby will get what he/she needs and we will be the one who lacks.  That's why it's important to try to eat healthy, take a vitamin if you can't/don't, and especially get enough calcium, etc.

Thanks Carrie! I was wondering the same thing and that's really nice to know. I am also still taking my prenatals. The pedi at the hospital prescribed "Vitamin D" but when we picked it up it is actually a tri-vitamin drop and its cherry-flavored. I'm holding out on giving it to her though. Its already getting pretty chilly here though and less sunny so . . . But, the lady at WIC told us the Vit D is important because the only way she could possibly get enough Vit D in breastmilk was if I overdosed on it, but I'm not buying it. . . What did Mamas do 100 years ago? And, the vitamin is cherry-flavored! Gross!! All that syrupy sugar-y stuff? I'm holding out giving it to her til I hear a better argument.

[SoonToBe]

Thanks Carrie!  That makes me feel so much better about not eating enough veggies. :)  I am still taking my prenatals too.

[PoetryLover]

I give Gabriel Vitamin D. They did recommend it at WIC, but I figured that I'd ask our very crunchy family doctor about it before giving it to him. She said that it would be a good idea to give him Vitamin D drops. Right now we're giving him elderberry syrup and probiotics, as our other DS has pneumonia. But the only thing I will consistently give him at this point (after the illnesses pass) is the Vitamin D. We don't get a lot of sun, though, meaning that I don't (or haven't been) taking the boys out a lot, and New England winters can be harsh.

[HawaiianBlesing]

My pedi recommended Tri- vi-Sol by Enfamil.  It's vit D plus A, E.  It was gross and flavored.  It stained his clothes and made him vomit.  I'm having some made by a compounding pharmacist friend.

[Italiamom]

On the vitamin D tip -- I think supplementing with D is a good idea for baby.  100 years ago either lifespan was shorter, people lived in warmer climates, people spent a good deal of time outside in the sun, or a myriad of other factors.  But from my own research it seems that vitamin D deficiency is common in infants. We use the Carlson infant D drops, which are color and flavor free.  No nasties, just D3 in coconut oil. And a dose is 1 drop (I put it on my nipple, easy peasy).  If nothing else, it's nice to have around the house in times of illness.  Vitamin D is a good kicker for the immune system.

[egmaranian]

Thanks for this, Michelle. I just ordered these drops.

Originally Posted by Italiamom 

On the vitamin D tip -- I think supplementing with D is a good idea for baby. 100 years ago either lifespan was shorter, people lived in warmer climates, people spent a good deal of time outside in the sun, or a myriad of other factors. But from my own research it seems that vitamin D deficiency is common in infants. We use the Carlson infant D drops, which are color and flavor free. No nasties, just D3 in coconut oil. And a dose is 1 drop (I put it on my nipple, easy peasy). If nothing else, it's nice to have around the house in times of illness. Vitamin D is a good kicker for the immune system.

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[greencarnation]

I don't give him anything but boob milk.  I take a regular multi and sometimes fish oil.