Vitamin D

[ArtsyMom]

I've heard that Vitamin D supplements are needed for babies that are exclusively breastfed. I know :sunny: helps but it's winter here.

My friend gives drops every day but my midwife said she doesn't necessarily advise it.

Your thoughts...?

[Mom2Alex]

Unless you have darker skin (usually African American women) in very northern climates where you have very little sunlight, then Vit. D supplements are absolutely unnecessary for babies who are bf. If you get your child into sunlight, and that includes by a window, for 20 mins, 3 times a week, you are good to go. :)

Here's an article from LLL which might help:

http://www.lalecheleague.org/llleaderweb/LV/LVJunJul03p70.html

Jacqui

[Jillian]

My ped didn't suggest them, he pointed to some studies that showed if you just get your kid outside for 5 minutes 3 times a week they will get enough vitamin D, and these were done in cleaveland in the winter. So we tried for that last winter and Janelle did fine. We are still trying for that this year, but since she is older (15 months) we also give her 3 ounces of fortified orange juice every night/every other night.

[Karri]

My pedi said the same thing Jacqui posted about the sunlight. We have the PNP in a place where it catches the a.m. sunlight, so we are good to go here.

[Tamara]

I havent ever been suggested from a Ped (for any of the kiddos) to give them Vit D or any others.

[Lissa]

It looks like the AAP and the LLL are not on the exact page on this topic. :) Here are a couple of quotes that I found from a study at the AAP website.

"Exclusively breastfed infants are at increased risk of vitamin D deficiency and rickets. This is because human milk typically contains only small amounts of vitamin D, insufficient to prevent rickets." http://www.aap.org/advocacy/archives/aprvitamin.htm

2. Q: Why is it necessary to give vitamin D supplements to my breastfeeding baby? Doesn’t human milk have all the essential nutrients for babies?

A. The AAP recommends breastfeeding of infants for at least 12 months and for as long thereafter as the mother and infant desire. However, human milk does not contain enough vitamin D to prevent rickets. Sunlight is the usual source of vitamin D production in the skin.

3. Q: If my baby goes out in the sunlight every day or every other day for an hour or so, isn’t that enough?

A: It may be enough sunlight exposure in some parts of the country throughout the year, but sunlight exposure is difficult to measure. Factors such as the amount of pigment in your baby’s skin and skin exposure affect how much vitamin D is produced by your body from sunlight. In the more northern parts of the country during the winter, the amount of sunlight is not enough for any baby. Exposing infants and children’s skin to sunlight has been shown to increase the risk for skin cancer later in life. We now recommend that infants and young children not be in direct sunlight when they are outside, particularly infants younger than 6 months of age. Sunscreens should be used on all children when in sunlight but it prevents vitamin D formation in the skin.

http://www.aap.org/family/vitdpatients.htm

The second site goes on the talk about sunlight exposure, etc.

[Mom2Alex]

Yes, the total AAP and the AAP breastfeeding section are often at odds, too... the breastfeeding section generally goes in line with LLL on these sorts of things. (the current debate over the breastfeeding ads is a perfect example).

[AllyRae]

At what age should you start giving vit. d if you want to? Bran is only 6 weeks old now, so he'll be about 4 months old when we can start going outside (no way am I bringing him out during a Massachusetts winter! :lol: ) Should he still get supplements?

[SarahK]

Does taking prenatal vitamins while BFing help with Vitamin D?

[Lissa]

Jacqui, I guess even learned minds can disagree.

Ally, the AAP article said to begin it within the first 2 months of life. :)

Sarah, I don't think that will get enough Vit D to the baby based on what the article said.

[AllyRae]

Ok, I was looking for the "other" side of the story, since my ped was pretty lax when I asked him if Brandon should have supplements...apparently the prenatal vits during pregnancy gives the baby a "buildup" so unless you are a vitamin deficiant woman with a dark skinned baby living in the northern climates, it's not always recommended...

http://www.infactcanada.ca/breastmilk_and_vitamin_d_adequac.htm

[Lissa]

Ally, I think this issue is a wonderful example of how differing (learned) opinions exist. I know you'll make the right decision for your baby!

[Amy]

Our pedi strongly recommended it when Emily was 2 months old or so, but I chose not to supplement. However, at her 9 mo appt when they did the blood test for anemia, she came out 'borderline' (her blood contained 31 whatevers of iron, and they prefer it to be 32 at the bare minimum) so they had me start her on Poly Vi Sol. She was weaning at the same time, so even though I put her on Enfamil Lipil with Iron, her pedi still strongly recommended it. I put one dropper in her cereal each morning, she doesn't even know it is there, and at her 12 mo appt in a couple of weeks, they'll test her blood again.

I thought for sure that getting her out in the sun almost DAILY would be enough, but it just wasn't for her. She is very fair skinned. I drank tons of milk while BFing, but that just didn't do it. I don't feel guilty about delaying the drops, and I likely will make the same choice for my second child coming in April. For one thing, iron drops are HORRIBLE smelling, so it's easier just to mix it with her morning cereal. Emily takes medicine (pedicare/tylenol/etc) so well now, I don't want her rejecting that because of how nasty iron drops are. I'd much prefer to delay the supplement and focus on getting enough iron in my own diet to boost my breastmilk.

[ArtsyMom]

Iron drops are different than Vitamin D drops though! [Unless I'm misunderstanding your post --above-- I'm running on very little sleep! :sleepy: ]

I asked my dr. about it the other day. She is not vehemently for or against the drops but says that it could be a good thing in these cold winter months. So, I will buy some this weekend.

Joshua is four months old and we haven't done it yet. However, it's just getting cold and wintery now -- before we were out for walks in the sun daily. :sunny: