Breastfed Babies: Vitamin D Drops Daily?

It's a fairly new thing that they recommend the vit D drops. I have a 2 year old who was exclusively breastfed. The dr. didn't make any mention of vitamin D then. But a had another baby last April and was told if I exclusively breastfeed I should give vit D drops. I bought the poly-vi-sol and tried to give them to her, but she hated it and would spit it out. It stained her shirt and smelled horrible, so I didn't give it to her anymore. I just thought if it had stuff in it to stain her shirt then maybe I should do more research. We just had our 4 month check-up last Monday. The doc asked if I had been giving the vitamins and I told him I had not. He said if she gets outside every day and gets indirect sunlight (even getting in and out of the car) she should be fine. He said it's pretty new research. So, I don't do the drops. I don't think you need to worry if you haven't been giving them.

Not to sound like a conspiracy nut or something, but I have noticed that now that breastfeeding has gotten so much more popular and there's all the "breast is best" messages around, the formula companies have started making these supplements. There are supplements for breastfeeding mothers to take and the poly-vi-sol both made by Enfamil. I was given these things as "free gifts" along with lots of formula at the hospital and at my drs office. So, I really think it's more of a marketing thing -- trying to break into the breastfeeding market since breastfeeding can be done without purchasing a single thing.

Hi M.. Vitamin D is created by the body when it is in the sunlight... if your baby is able to get out in, even indirect light, for just a little time each day he should be fine (lucky you with a summer babe!). In the interest of full disclosure, I am a bit out of the mainstream with a lot of the medical advice that is given these days... but/and my two sons are as healthy and as happy as can be. I am lucky that I have Drs that are very flexible and understanding that I do my homework and make no choices for my kids without serious thought and reflection... and once I have decided something they only offer suggestions to make my choice function the best it can. All that being said, it is very common for peds to recommend the vitamin D for breastfed babies these days... how did our ancestors ever survive without Big Pharma?!?! >wink<

You make the choice that feels right in your gut - your a great mom for doing some footwork and caring about all the choices facing you as a momma - you will make a great decision! HURRAH!

Here is a good overview of vitamin D that was in the tribune a while back:
http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/features_julieshe...

As long as your baby gets some sun daily and has light skin it shouldn't be an issue. My son was EBF for 10 months. I didn't give him anything until we started solids at 5 months. This was my doctor's recomendation, he said it was crucial but if we could mix it in his food it would be good. He took it in his milk daily (poly-vi-sol) until he was 2 and we switched to a chewable vitamin.

My girlfriends daughter was formula feed and she was told to give it to her daughter too when she started getting more solids and less formula, so its not a total conspiracy ;-)

Ironically I went to a well baby check with my daughter who is two weeks and informed them that I was primarily breastfeeding. My pediatrician said women naturally lack vitamin D so when we breastfeed the baby is also defficient. For that that reason she gave me vitamin D drops for the baby.

Hi M.!

Yes, my baby's pediatrician recommended my breastfed baby to take Vitamin D drops daily. I bought Enfamil Tri-Visol, you supposed to give an entire dropperful once a day. I was giving it to her for a while, like the first 4 mths. I ran out and need to buy more though. If my pediatrician recommended it, I don't see any harm in it. My baby is as healthy as can be!

Vitamin D is not passed through breast milk. I guess it is fairly new research. I was sceptical at first too. I am cautious of the poly/tri-vi-sol because of all the synthetic vitamins, dyes and the way it smells. We use Shaklee's infant vitamin powder, but I still don't give it to my son every day. For the first 6 months of life he was pretty much exclusively breast fed, so there was no way I could get it into him. :-)

Now, its sort of whenever I remember, I will put it in his baby food.
B.

As long as your little one gets some sun every day he'll be just fine.I never gave either of my daughters vitamins and they are healthy as can be!