[artisticat]

Hi. Went to my dd's 6 month checkup today and her pediatrician wrote me out a vitamin prescription. He said mainly for Vitamin D, but there are others in it too. I haven't checked exactly what he wrote out, but my guess is not somthing I really want her to take. I thought that breast milk was all my baby needed. DId babies back 100 years ago take those vitamins? Won't a little sunshine take care of the vitamin D?

I really want to find another pediatrician. He also told me I really should start solids or basically she will waste away and not thrive. Can't you EBF till a year old? I have started solids here and there, but she isn't too interested. I just don't like the fact that he is pushing them on me.

So can someone give me the lowdown here. Do I really need to give these vitamins to her and should I be pusing solids more? Thanks.

 

[alegna]

Dump the dr. And the 'script. And all his advice.

You're right- babe can get what she needs from sunlight and mama. I would only worry about vit. D if I lived in an area with very reduced sun (far north or far south) AND my child had very dark skin.

You're right- babies are fine on mamamilk for at least a year. Want proof? My dd is 10 months (today!) On a BIG eating day she might have- 5 cheerios, a small bite (think 1/8 in on the end of a baby spoon) yogurt, a small bite of fruit or veg and a few crumbs of bread. And free range mammamilk

She's hardly wasting away! :LOL
Picture proof

-Angela
(who needs to go finish packing away the 12 month clothes... none of them fit anymore....)

 

[Momtwice]

Do a search here at the homepage of mothering.com,
or at http://www.kellymom.com

 

[Miss Information]

Forgive my ignorance here -

I was always wondering what is wrong with giving vitamin supplements to breastfed infants? I mean, is there anything wrong with having the added insurance of taking vitamin supplements? Many older children take chewable vitamins, and many adults take vitamin supplements, so what is wrong with giving infants vitamins? I started Poly-Vi-Sol with Iron supplements with my babies at 6 months of age (my first baby was always borderline with low iron). My 3 yo is now on a chewable vitamin. She's an incredibly picky eater, though she eats lots of fruits/veggies, she's not much into meats, so for her, the supplement is probably doing her some good.

Granted, it's much better to get those vitamins through natural foodstuffs, but I can't force her to eat meat (believe me, I've tried and she gags on most of it).

I'm just asking because I really don't know the answer.

 

[TiredX2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmcmommyto3 I was always wondering what is wrong with giving vitamin supplements to breastfed infants? I mean, is there anything wrong with having the added insurance of taking vitamin supplements?

Well, with an exclusively bfed infant you don't want to introduce *anything* that may possibly upset the PERFECT balance within them. For older children it can cause constipation or other poop issues, a tendancy to reject food, and other issues.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmcmommyto3 Many older children take chewable vitamins, and many adults take vitamin supplements, so what is wrong with giving infants vitamins? I started Poly-Vi-Sol with Iron supplements with my babies at 6 months of age (my first baby was always borderline with low iron). My 3 yo is now on a chewable vitamin. She's an incredibly picky eater, though she eats lots of fruits/veggies, she's not much into meats, so for her, the supplement is probably doing her some good. Granted, it's much better to get those vitamins through natural foodstuffs, but I can't force her to eat meat (believe me, I've tried and she gags on most of it). I'm just asking because I really don't know the answer.

As for your DD. If she had already had her iron tested before 6 months, I assume there is an issue w/her health. That is *extreamly* rare in exclusively bfed infants.

As for her meat intake--- what vitamins would you be looking for in meat she cannot get elsewhere?

 

[nfpmom]

It seems funny that a doctor would write prescription for vitamin D supplements *in the summer*. All your baby needs is regular sunlight exposure and her skin will manufacture all the vitamin D she needs...

take care

 

[mamasgirls]

I agree with the others. Our ped does not prescribe vitamins to bf babies. He said a little bit of sunshine is plenty of Vit D

 

[mommyto3girls]

My dd is on Poly-vi-Sol w/iron. She is 18 days old, but was 7 weeks early and spent the first 14 days in NICU. I have been in the hospital for a total of 90 days since the begining of her pregnancy due to complications from Crohn's disease, I was on IV nutrition from gestational week 11 until 10 days after delivery with only a clear liquid diet by mouth. My own Iron levels were only 7.2 (I had 2 blood transfusions even) when she was born and most of my vitamin stores are out of wack. Also I had major abdominal surgery when she was 7 days old ( part removed part of the large intestine, the illeum, over a foot of small bowel, the appendix, the gallbladder, and my falopian tubes which were scared and twisted from infection from the crohn's) The docs, nurses and LC, really helped us get nuirsing going. Sage only had a total of 2 ounces of formula her entire stay, I was actually able to express enough pre-surgery that she had momma's milk on my surgery day as well.

So anyway, we both take extra vitamins even though I never did with my first born. Just a different situation. However, if mom is healthy and eats well then I don't see the need for vitamins for baby

 

[nfpmom]

My goodness! How terrible! And despite it all you have been able to keep up your milk supply... good for you mama!
My friend's DH has Crohns and unfortunately trips to the ER are quite frequent in their lives... how terrible.
take care

 

[artisticat]

Thanks so much for the advice. I threw away the prescription. I don't see the need for giving her vitamins if I am eating healthy and she is getting her daily dose of sunshine.

The solids question is a little more confusing for me though. I've tried sweet potato, avocado, banana, and winter squash. She just doesn't seem to like anything. At some points she gags and almost throws up, so I just stop. Everyone is pressuring me to feed here though. They want me to give her cereal because she is drinking a lot of milk ( expressed bottles when they watch her.) I just don't like the idea of starting grains becasue of all the research I've done and not sure what else to try feeding her. I think I may start trying finger foods, maybe she just doesn't like the texture thing.

 

[dove]

everyone ellse has it right - dump the rx. It is very funny that doc would give it in the summer, of all times. Sounds like he/she is misinformed. About solids, 6 months is still very young, don't worry. Some babies aren't ready till 10 months or more. Even just letting baby explore/play with her foods is maybe enough fun for now! If she is constantly gagging, then you can take this as a cue that it's not quite time. Does she have her pincer grasp down yet and is she sitting up? Usually those two things go hand in hand with interest and overall readiness. take care and know that she will continue to thrive on your milk!!!

 

[TiredX2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mommyto3girls My dd is on Poly-vi-Sol w/iron. She is 18 days old, but was 7 weeks early and spent the first 14 days in NICU. I have been in the hospital for a total of 90 days since the begining of her pregnancy due to complications from Crohn's disease, I was on IV nutrition from gestational week 11 until 10 days after delivery with only a clear liquid diet by mouth. My own Iron levels were only 7.2 (I had 2 blood transfusions even) when she was born and most of my vitamin stores are out of wack. Also I had major abdominal surgery when she was 7 days old ( part removed part of the large intestine, the illeum, over a foot of small bowel, the appendix, the gallbladder, and my falopian tubes which were scared and twisted from infection from the crohn's) The docs, nurses and LC, really helped us get nuirsing going. Sage only had a total of 2 ounces of formula her entire stay, I was actually able to express enough pre-surgery that she had momma's milk on my surgery day as well. So anyway, we both take extra vitamins even though I never did with my first born. Just a different situation. However, if mom is healthy and eats well then I don't see the need for vitamins for baby

First,

momma

See *This* is an example of a variety of circumstances converging into a legitimate use for vitamins. Unfortunaly, doctors have extrapolated, "Well if some is good, more must be better" and to cover their butts recommend vitamins to everyone.

 

[lactationmom]

Your instincts are right on, you are one smart mommy

:

 

[BlueStateMama]

A good resource for you w/ lots of info.

http://kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/index.html

Specific info re vitamin D

http://kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/vitamin-d.html

HTH!

 

[e&r]

Does your baby have teeth? How many?

I have read, and used this information in making such choices for my ds (now 2 1/2) about introducing solid food, that until some teeth come in the gastric enzymes/juices needed to digest solid food are not there. I waited until ds had some teeth and could sit up on his own. I figured that this was his way of telling me that he was ready to be introduced to solid food.

Also, I had handy some chart (I no longer have it) with timetables about how long an exposure to sunlight per week a child needed depending on the season and how they were dressed (from fully to dressed with no hat to only a diaper) to create vitamin D in their bodies. Sorry that I no longer have that info. It wasn't much exposure, just a few minutes a day at this time of year.

I have to say that with all of the subtle criticism from some family I received about ds's "diet" during that first year and a half I have no regrets. Ds is now 31 months old and will eat almost anything that I put in front of him. He has no food allergies or sensitivities and loves healthy foods. He will eat, for a typical breakfast, a tiny dish of almonds (maybe 15 or so) and some oatmeal with a speck (really, just a speck) of maple syrup and some milk. His favorite snack is cashews and he loves broccoli. He is starting to eat salad greens. He has never had candy, but has had ice cream. He is perfectly content, though, to have plain yogurt with our homemade jam (made without added sugar) as a "treat."

We waited until a year for:
dairy
wheat

We waited a little more than a year, until he had many teeth, including molars, for:
nuts
meat (organic)

He was at least 18 months before he had any refined sugars, and even that seemed too early for me. He was just too interested in what we were eating and noticed that we were eating ice cream. I guess we should have just gone without ourselves. Oh, well.

Some of my friends children, though, were not interested in food until much later, and only "picked" even after a year. They are all healthy.

If you offer good choices (including mama milk) your child will make good choices. Don't worry!

Ellen

 

[CJNeeley]

Chances are good you probably don't need it. There are two main reasons for giving a healthy baby vit d: severe winter where baby won't get out in the sun (and presuming he didn't run a blood test that found her to be defecient from this past winter that prompted the diagnosis--happened with my oldest when we lived in MI--there's not much sense in that given it's summer) and the other is dark skin--because the darker a person's skin the higher their natural spf which can make it difficult, or even impossible, to get all the vit d they need from the sun. And even then a breastfeed baby can get the vit d from you taking a vit d supplement (and absorb it better) without dosing her with everything else in what was in the script.

Second, it is fine to exclusively breastfeed until a year and she will not waste away or fail to thrive. Even if worst case you do something to lower your supply and can't produce enough to feed your baby, she will instinctively look to supplement with solid foods because babies nurse/eat based on calories. So she'll be fine if you follow her lead, no need to force foods on her. But it could be a texture thing, neither of mine ever liked the runny purees the urge as first foods. In fact, they liked things to be a little chunky so I'd just rough mash things with a fork so that it wasn't perfectly smooth (and anything that was satiny smooth had to be pudding thick for them to be interested). That might be it but she might just be happy with breastmilk right now so don't fret too much.

 

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

My dr also prescribed poly vi sol when ds was just 2mo and i was totally not willing to give it to him. My reason being they didnt have that stuff back when most babies were bfed and they did just fine. Plus that stuff is just nasty. I havnt had ds back but 1 time after he prescribed it but he asked me if he was taking it and i just said yes

:

 

[Ceili]

For some unknown reason, vitamin d is recommended for all breastfed infants. It's part of the current AAP guidelines.

Our ped never tried to give us the script, but she's pretty low intervention all around.

 

[paquerette]

On the iron, don't forget that the iron in breastmilk is much more absorbable than any other form. Supplemental iron can block that and actually lower the baby's usable iron.

I have heard that some babies that resist solids are more prone to allergies. Sort of a self-defense mechanism.

 

[eightyferrettoes]

I got a script for vitamins, and went to fill it; the pharmacist asked if my baby was EBF, and said, "Yanno, getting the baby out in the sun 15 minutes a day will do the same thing as these vitamins."

What an honest guy!

I never even thought to question the ped-- and we're getting about 22 hours of sunlight a day in Alaska! :LOL