[sunnybunny]

My 8-month-old DD still exclusively BFs. We introduce solids, but she's not very interested yet. Her ped (she's more mainstream) recommended that we give her vitamin D drops since she's not eating foods yet. Apparently, recent studies have caused the AAP to feel there is a lack of vitamin D in BF infants.

Has anyone else been given this advice? I did buy the drops and give them to her sporadically. Lately its been less and less because she hates them and i don't feel like the struggle. I'd like to forget them altogether.

What do you think?

 

[Momtwice]

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/vi...vitamin-d.html

My dd refused to eat any food at that age also, and that's normal too.

 

[Ruthla]

Yes, babies need vitamin D. No, they don't have to get it from vitamin drops.

Humans can make vitamin D from exposure to sunshine. It's also present in your milk. An 8mo can also start eating solid foods rich in various nutrients, including vitamin D.

 

[arlecchina]

what they said^^

a few minutes of sunlight a few times a week will create enough vitamin D. I dont like the reccommendations to supplement

:
I think it's more of the american anti-BF junk. really, how did we BF babies for millions of years without supplements if they were needed? I remember telling the midwife I did not think I needed vit K for my newborn and she said yeah, she had doubts since our bodies arent doing it then it mustn't need doing.

so yeah, so long as you leave your cave at times

 

[bdavis337]

There are a few studies indicating that breastfed babies DO need additional vitamin D, but that need is often related to skin color AND where the child spends most of his/her day. A darker skinned child who spends most of the day indoors may need supplementation, where a lighter skinned child in an identical environment may not (has to do with absorption of the vitamin D itself through the skin). There was a thread about this in the Lactivism forum recently, it's very interesting. Suggesting supplemenation certainly shouldn't be routine, but it CAN be appropriate given certain parameters.

 

[Sagesgirl]

Of course your child needs Vitamin D. That is what the sun is for. Fifteen minutes a day without sunscreen.

 

[aliah79]

I used to think that the sun was enough for my exclusively bf caucasian ds living in TN and getting plenty of sun exposure...I didn't think vitamin supplementation was necessary. Then we ended up in the hospital due to seizures from low calcium and eeventually found out his Vit D stores were so low they didn't register. There were no symptoms until the seizures, and by then it had gotten dangerous. So all my children from now on will be supplemented with cod liver oil. I don't think all babies NEED Vit D supplementation... but it is possible your child may be one who does... I certainly never thought it would be mine

It really does depend on a lot of things, and if you have any concerns you can always have your baby's level tested and then make a decision from there. Sure, we may be the exception, but it is possible.

 

[Mimi37]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sagesgirl Of course your child needs Vitamin D. That is what the sun is for. Fifteen minutes a day without sunscreen.

Yikes, I would not prescribe that across the board. My dd and I are so fair-skinned that 15 minutes in the summer sun (w/o sunblock) here causes a sunburn.

That said, to the OP -- I declined to give my dd the Vit D drops her ped recommended. My awesome LC/ped RN told me about them in a way that implied, "they MAKE me tell you about this... whatever... you make the call." So I never worried that they were too important. My dd was, however, eating a lot of solids by 8 months, AND I do take her out in the sun briefly with no sunscreen.

The way this is framed bugs me so much -- like breastmilk is somehow deficient and causing the problem. What's causing the problem is the recommendations we hear now to NEVER let babies receive any sun exposure. I am very careful with my dd in the sun because of our fair skin, but you can get enough exposure to produce Vit D pretty easily. Thus I skipped the supplement.

 

[MissMommyNiceNice]

Yeah, it's so sad when people (especially ones who are medically trained and should have your child's best intereset in mind) make irrational blanket statements like this. Each case is different, but what do they think people did before "supplements" jeez!

I know we don't give it to ds, but we did opt for the vitamin K shot after birthing. The midwife let us make the choice, and since his big ol' head got caught on my pubic bone for over an hour and he was pretty bruised, we decided it wouldn't be a bad idea for us at that point in time. Next time it might be different.

do what feels right for you, momma! you know your family better than anyone!

 

[Sagesgirl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mimi37 Yikes, I would not prescribe that across the board. My dd and I are so fair-skinned that 15 minutes in the summer sun (w/o sunblock) here causes a sunburn.

That is the recommendation. You do not, of course, have to be standing in direct sunlight to get benefits.

 

[At Home With Mama]

This is simple to remedy. Yes, you NEED sun, and yes 15 minutes a day MINIMUM, HOWEVER, when you are concerned about babies or being fair skinned.. do this...
Start with 5 minutes of sun (as much of your body as possible) on day one, then day 2 go to 8 minutes, day three 10 minutes, day 4 - 12 minutes.. by day 5 you've build up enough 'time' that you can easily handle 15 minutes then build up to whatever you're comfortable with.. then get at LEAST 15 min. everyday and you'll have sufficient vitamin D. OH ya, To get maximum benefit, go in the sun between the hours of 10 and 2.
When you take a supplement, can you really USE that vit D? Other things (vitamins, minerals) may need to be present for proper absorbtion. Supplementation is never the answer when it's as easy as getting your butt outside! God put the sun there for reason! Enjoy it!

One more note on that... When my DD was born, day one I took her out in the sun for a minute or two, bare naked.. day two, a couple minutes.. so on and now she can easily handle over an hour of pure sun.. and I would never dream of using a chemical sunscreen.
Didn't get the vit k either.. all hogwash cya as far as I can see. If they needed it, God wouldn't of left it out

 

[TirzhaZ]

DD's ped told us to give her vitamin drops after her one month visit. So, trusting that DD really needed them we got som tri-vi-sol and gave it to her daily. Bad idea! She loved the taste, but she had such bad gas and stomach cramping for a few days until we decided to stop the vitamin drops, then she was just fine and we haven't had that problem since. I'm sure this isn't the case for everyone, but we definitely don't supplement anymore. Why supplement when she is getting the perfect food anyway?

 

[balanced birth]

At six months (that magic age in which our milk somehow isn't as "complete" as formula) we were advised to give suppliments for Iron and Vitamin D. Being the ever loving mother and not at all opposed to vitamin suppliments in general for good health I bought a bottle. Hmmmmm....manufactured by Enfamil, this seems suspect! One dose is all my sweet daughter took, she screamed for ten minutes and wouldn't even nurse afterward. After tasting it myself, I realized how terrible it was. I wish I had tried it before giving it to her, now it is a family rule that nothing goes into her mouth before we make sure "it is fit to eat".

After this experience I beleive that the percieved need to suppliment is closely linked to the push for formula. After all, how could any BFing mother subject her babe to that terrible tar if a bottle of nice warm powdered cows milk has everything you need right in it? HA! We are now happily nursing and supplimenting with solids at 9 months, the Enfamil product has hit the trash bin.

Sarah

 

[Gale Force]

Babies need vitamin D and iron. Our milk should have it, if it doesn't, we should work on baby's food and our own diet. Given that many babies are low in these nutrients, I would like to see docs then focusing on the mom and her health since it is her status that is implicated in the problem to begin with. I just wrote something on this topic -- Vitamin D, Iron, and Breastfeeding

I am out of town now but when I get back, I'm going to work on my own vitamin D status in my garden.

 

[karinasusy]

Supplementation for any vitamins should be on a case by case basis. Unfortunately, the medical industry mass supplements and generally doesn't look at individual need. Yes, some individuals need supplementation, and it's generally darker skinned people and people that don't get enough sun exposure.

Being outside is very important (without chemical sunscreens). This is the best and most effective way to receive Vitamin D. If you need sun protection (other than covering up), zinc oxide is the best, IMO. Better than titanium dioxide, and certainly a lot better than chemical sunscreens.

I've read a bit about Vitamin D, and you need to be very careful with overdosing. This is the one vitamin that you can overdose on. (And it isn't really a vitamin, but rather a hormone that is converted through sun exposure.) There are not many foods that contain a lot of Vitamin D naturally, as our main source is meant to be the sun. Vitamin D is added to a lot of foods, like milk and cereal.

Also, I haven't read the ingredients on those drops, but I have heard that there's plenty of sugar in them; not something you want to feed babies unless you absolutely have to.

Breastmilk is the complete infant food up to one year of age. At 8 months, I have known many babies that aren't interested in big people food.