My baby is 2 months old and her doctor says to use Enfamil PolyViSol supplement drops. She said this is for strong bones and teeth. 1ml daily! I have yet to use it because it smells terribe and it sounds ridiculous to torture my baby with this daily! Anyone else told to use this product?
I am very shocked a Dr would recommend vitamins for a child that young. My Dr doesn't even recommend it for my kids who are 4 and 7 as they are good eaters. He said supplements just are NOT necessary for majority of kids as kids get what they need out of the foods they eat most of the time. Unless a child is SUPER picky about eating well, I would say there is no need.
If your baby is being breast fed and or formula they should be getting all they need through that. Vitamin supplements should only be given if there is a deficency. I would think a normal healthy baby needs nothing additional. Too much iron is bad for babies and kids. Not to mention formulas nowadays are loaded with all they need and if you are breast feeding that baby is getting all they need.
The only time my Dr has recommended is if they got on eating strikes, like when they aren't getting what they need for over three days or were recovering from a stomach illness where they didn't eat for stretches, which rarely happens around here.
I would consult on WHY they think giving a baby extra vitamins is necessary. Is your daughter anemic?
Strong bones and teeth come from breast milk/formula only at that age.
I would reevaluate if it is necessary for sure.
Janice,
I fully agree with you on the disgusting smell of PolyViSol drops! I wouldn't recommend trying it either! I put a drop on a teaspoon, yuck! Tastes as bad as it smells lol.
I was told to give them to my son when he was about a month or 2. The Dr said his iron was low, and since I was breast feeding, he needed a supplement. Now, I don't agree with that. You didn't say if you were nursing, but that is the perfect food. If your baby is on formula, it is iron fortified. What was the reason he said to give your daughter drops? Did she have bloodwork? And how long to give them? I would be very wary if he told you to give her vitamin supplements and didn't have a valid reason. Too much iron can get her constipated.
Now, I did give my son the drops for about 2 days. I don't remember the dosage he needed. He took it very well straight from the dropper (he also was a very easy going baby). I noticed it made his poop smell awful. I stopped giving them to him and we went back to the Dr to check his iron and other things a couple weeks later, and everything was fine! The Dr said, "see the drops helped" and I just rolled my eyes.
This is something you would need to think about and decide. If you want to try for a few days, or wait till you go back and have her rechecked. Congratulations on your baby!
Our ped recommended this with my 1st child. The pediatrician is from a cloudy area though and had just moved to Colorado. My daughter was a March baby and the doc was worried about lack of vitamin D with a breastfed baby. We used it for awhile. The baby didn't seem to mind it. I did undress her and put her in the sun when it came through our living room window for 10 to 20 minutes a day.
It does smell gross, but I have not heard any contrary results from it.
I'd say only do it if there is a reason. We have 3 kids, but had to do PolyViSol with Iron for one of them. It was horrible. He still have anemia problems, but he's not really a healthy kid, either, so we keep him on the vitamins, but now chewables. If it's low iron, and you're nursing, I would see if she'd give you a script for prenatals with iron. I have to take them with nursing because my body doesn't process iron well. My kids have gotten enough that way. If you're taking a good strong vitamin, your baby will benefit from that. If you're using formula, ask specifically what she's wanting your baby to get, and by a formula that contains enough to not need the vitamins. Just my thoughts. :) Congratulations on that little bundle of fun!
you didn't mention whether you are breastfeeding or formula feeding, but either way, I don't think the vitamins are entirely necessary. I put my daughter on them when she was6 mos old and all it did was make her really, really constipated.
so we stopped... I just started her on chewable vitamins (at our peds advice)but she is two now... and tolerates them just fine.
i wouldn't worryaout it... some docs are just more rabid about it than others.
My doctor has said the same thing for my 4 month. Old because of the rare exposure of sun during the winter. I have my daycare provider put. it in her one of her bottles during the week and on weekends I aim it to the back inside of her cheek so she barely tastes it. I also take Vit. D supplements daily to help her get the vitamin for her bone growth and strength. I also give it to my 2 year old directly from the dropper and he loves it. Hope this helps.
Hi Janice,
Yes, Polyvisol does work great for stronger bones and teeth. It is a good product.
I have to laugh over what you said about the smell, just have her bottle ready when you give it to her.
It never bothered my boys to take it.
But yes, it is a good product.
Good luck,]
Marie
I've been told to use it with two out of my three children-my second oldest and my youngest. With my oldest I was told he couldn't have vitamins until he was two, so PolyVisol might not have been invented or highly recommended at that time. I know it doesn't taste or smell good, but what things do? Things that we do NEED like vitamins and veggies don't usually taste good, but the benefits outweigh the risk, for lack of a better word. I'd say it is more important for your baby to take it than to not take it and be lacking vitamins. I try to put it in the baby's cereal, maybe that will work for you. Putting it in flavored applesauce might work too.
my daughter got put on a polyvitamin drop with flouride (I don't know how similar it is to what you've been given) that smells TERRIBLE and I felt bad giving it to her too... however she loves the stuff! Don't ask why, but it has never bothered her. You can also ask the pharmacist to add flavoring to the drops. Do give them to her... especially if you're in an area without flouride in the water.
I used this with my second baby. It is the most important when the baby is strcitly breastfed. There has been new literature that show that there is growing numbers vitamin D deficiencies in strictly breastfed babies. In fact, my pediatrician actully had diagnosed a case of Ricketts himself. It does smell awful, but better than having a vitamin D defeciency. Hope that helps!
Janice, I used those with both of my boys (ages 3 1/2 and almost 2 now). Even though they smelled awful to me, my boys took them just fine! So it definitely wasn't torture. My first son was born very premmature, and I was happy to have a way to get more iron into him since he was born before he had a chance to have his iron stores while in the womb. I don't know if you need the iron one or not, you have to check on the bottle, as one PolyViSol has an iron supplement and one doesn't. With my 2nd son, I did the one that did not have iron. Anyways, I would start her on it, she might make some funny faces at first, but she will get used to it and be just fine with it. Good luck!
My doctor advised the same, but then added that if I didn't want to give my daughter (now 6 months) all the extra stuff (including dye and who knows what else) that are in those vitamins, I could look for something called "Just D." The only vitamin that babies really need more of is vitamin D (for bones and teeth, yes) and you can get it separate, though I had to order off the Internet. I took the bottle in and had my doctor look at it to make sure it was right and ok to give to my little girl. I totally agree with you about the horrible smell and look of the PolyViSol stuff--ICK. I bought a couple bottles of the Just D vitamins from http://www.sunlightvitamins.com/
and she takes them with no problem whatsoever--probably because it's just pure vitamins--no additional junk mixed in :)
Hope that helps!
gosh-it is so gross, isn't it?! I've forgotten all about it and my dd's only 2 1/2...any way we didn't start giving this to her until she was about 6 mos old (per her dr.) and then we just dropped it into her tiny yogurt each day. I think that's the best/only way to absorb some of the heinous taste/odor! Can you wait till she's on solids like 4-6 mos old and mix it into bananas or avocado or even yogurt? Maybe her dr. sees a need and that's why you're starting so early??? If that's the case, gotta drop it in and then do some fun game of peek-a-boo right after...
oh-best of luck to you-it'll be over soon :)
Why not take the baby outside for a little sunlight, and avoid this Poly stuff completely. A few minutes a day, a few days a week is all one needs - without applying any sunscreen I should add.
And to another post... giving your baby flouride?? You know that flouride is poison right? That's why we don't swallow toothpaste! Personally, I'm an advocate for NOT having flouride/poison in my water, and just brushing my kids teeth regularly. I can't help but wonder if this 'flouride in water' trend will be reversed when studies link it to cancers, thyroid disease, and stupidity (yes, some say it lowers IQs).
I oly give it to my son maybe once a week. I didn't give it to my 4 year old son and he turned out just fine. Honestly, I think it's just something else they want us to spend $ on.
Hi Janice,
My doctor recommended it for my premature baby and she took it since birth till she was 2. I just put it in her bottle and she didn't know the difference. Now I give her the gummy vitamins. She isn't a very good eater, so I thought the vitamins would help. Good luck!
What you are smelling is the vitamin B. I give it to all of my kids. Keeps them healthy and they don't complain about the taste of it. They line up for it :)
I used to put it in his milk, or his baby food. Now that he is 2, he takes it very easily and loves it.
If she is breastfed then she really does not need it. If she is formula fed then it's probably a good idea. Even with breastfeeding though we had issues with my son's teeth within 2 months of them coming in. I started him on a very natural liquid vitamin from the health food store when he turned one and now a chewable. You might check out the health food store to see if they have something more natural.