Bf'ing Question and Vitamins

The main reason that peds recommend supplemental vitamins is for vitamin D- some dark-skinned BFed babies born in northern latitudes in the winter have had deficiencies. Personally, I'd rather my babies just get normal amounts of sunlight, and since we live in Texas, it's not hard.

The problem with giving them is that the extra iron in the vitamins (that's not easily absorbed) changes the way baby's body absorbs iron, so that the easily available iron in human milk isn't absorbed as well. So it's not true that they're completely benign.

It's standard. When my son was born (almost 4 years ago) the pediatrician recommended Poly-vi-sol. "Because breastfed babies tend to have iron deficiencies." So, we tried giving it to him, and he threw up. Consistently. So we stopped. At the next pediatrician appointment, she said she was going to test my son's iron, since we weren't giving the vitamin. It was fine. We have a new pediatrician now, by the way.

So, when my twins were born nearly ten months ago, our lactation consultant (one I didn't like, and she worked for the pediatrician's office) told us that the babies needed a Vitamin D supplement. Made by the same company as Poly-vi-sol. I got some gave it to one of my girls and it seemed she threw up everything she had eaten that day. So, we ditched the vitamin supplements for the kids. At least until they're old enough to have Flintstones.

I take my vitamins, I eat smartly, and the kids are not "shut in" so they get some sun exposure. I am more than a little tired of the medical community defaulting to "breastmilk alone is insufficient." I will admit there are times when some sort of supplementation is needed, but in general, I think the pediatricians just have an innate distrust of breastmilk and its ability to provide all the nutrients a newborn needs.

it's possible that the mom is lacking & the baby is not thriving as expected. ??

They don't. If she's eating well, getting plenty of liquids and enough sunshine with baby (not enough to tan or burn, just enough to help with Vit D production) vitamins supplements are not necessary.

If she has rickets, or another known vitamin deficiency condition, etc... then yes, she'd need to supplement vitamins not only for herself but her infant.

Will the supplements hurt the baby? No, but they aren't necessary either.

I nursed both my kids.
My Doc said to CONTINUE taking Prenatal Vitamins. And Omega 3 vitamins. (it helps brain development).
I did.
Until I stopped nursing.

Pediatricians, will also sometimes prescribe liquid vitamins for babies, that has Iron in it. To prevent Anemia.

Is there a reason the Pediatrician recommended it?

I personally, did not give my kids the "Polyvisol" liquid vitamins when my kids were babies. The most I did it for, was a couple of months.
But my kids, were always in the upper 97-98th+ percentiles for growth.
No Anemia issues.

She should really talk to her pediatritian...but I BF 2 babies. It is thought that babies dont get enough Vit D thru breastmilk and therefore need a supplement. The Vit D is necessary to help breakdown Calcium. Even with Adults, if you take a calcium supplement, either make sure that it also has Vit D or take a Vit D supplement as well.
The first, I didn't give him any supplemental vitamins and he is just fine. With my 2nd I actually did a Vit D and Breastfeeding study. The results of the study showed that babies do get enough Vit D if the mom pumps up her Vit D intake. So, that being said...for both babies I continued taking my prenatals and Omega-3 supplements and for baby #2 I also took like 5000mg of vit D a day. Both babies are healthy and fine.

I never breast fed my kids but one of my daycare parents were told the same thing because the breast milk is mostly water. The ped's words not mine. Then at 9 months the ped told her to take him off of breast milk and to foumula fed so he would gain some weight, and he did. J.

She needs to call the dr and ask him why he wants the baby on supplements. Maybe she can just keep taking her pre-natals? Is that enough vitamins - getting her pre-natals thru her breastmilk?

Well... when you nurse, you're supposed to continue with prenatal vitamins anyway. The American Association of Pediatrics has recently discovered that, while previously you would wait until a baby was 1 year old (and usually on whole milk by then), a daily vitamin is a good thing... but NOW, there's no need to wait, and doctors recommend it as early as possible.

My son had a REALLY bad reaction to liquid vitamins, so as soon as he could chew well, I started giving him chewable childrens vitamins... but there was a gap there... and he's fine ;)

Beyond helping the baby get Vitamin D-since we really should shield baby from a lot of sun, breastfed babies don't get the same amount of iron that a formula fed baby gets (since formula is pumped up with iron). I'm a breastfeeding mama x 2 and never had a problem with giving my little ones the vitamin drops. Not going to hurt them and will give them a great, healthy foundation.

But your sil needs to discuss which type of infant vitamins he wants the little one to have.

At three weeks, if no other health issues, moms are the ones to continue with supplements/vitamins and pass that to their kiddos. Ditto what Pamela, Raven & son said;)