Vitamin d

Diamond Member Joined: Dec 05 2005 Posts: 3505

chanala went for her 1st tipat chalav (well-baby visit) today, at two months. she weighs 5.830/13 pounds (thank you, thank you,) Very Happy

. Anyways, they said to give her two drops of vitamin D a day, and later they start A and D. what is it for, do I need to do it?
tia

Posted: Wed, Nov 07 2007, 4:49 am Post subject:

If you give her direct sunlight for at least 15 minutes a day, she doesn't need Vitamin D.

As for Vitamin A, I believe it's supposed to help with eyesight.

take a look here: http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/vitamins.html
and it explains what a breastfed baby needs.

Needless to say, Nati is NOT taking vitamin supplements.
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Posted: Wed, Nov 07 2007, 5:07 am Post subject: re: vitamin d

I think its to help the bones grow strong. I think my nieces were vitamin d deficient if I remember correctly and they have rickets disease saying this I hardly ever remembered to give mine their vitamins

Moderator Joined: Feb 28 2006 Posts: 4103

I always gave all my babies Vitamin A&D drops. (it comes in 1 bottle). Starting at 1 month, until they were about 12 months.
And, Iron drops too. (can't remember exactly when they start this, maybe at 3 or 4 months?).

KM - why aren't you giving Nati any vitamins?
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Posted: Wed, Nov 07 2007, 5:19 am Post subject: Re: re: vitamin d

Posted: Wed, Nov 07 2007, 5:27 am Post subject: Re: re: vitamin d

Moderator Joined: Feb 28 2006 Posts: 4103

For some reason the nurses at Tipat-Chalav insist that Breast-Milk is lacking in Vitamins A&D and in Iron. And that's why they recommend that Breast-Fed babies take them.

Posted: Wed, Nov 07 2007, 5:48 am Post subject:

Well, La Leche League agrees with kellymom:

http://www.llli.org/NB/NBvitamins.html

Posted: Wed, Nov 07 2007, 6:48 am Post subject:

DS #1 only got his supplements intermittently, and NEVER as much iron as they recommended! But he also wasn't exclusively BF, unfortunately. The formulas are so "enriched" these days, I can't imagine he was missing anything.
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Moderator Joined: Mar 29 2005 Posts: 18310

Posted: Wed, Nov 07 2007, 11:39 am Post subject:

I agree about the sun ... although my kids did have vitamins ...
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Moderator Joined: Dec 04 2005 Posts: 6172 Location: israel

We've been terrible about giving the drops. And with the iron ones, we asked the doctor and he said it was better for ds to get the iron through food than through supplements.

I read that they decided that the vitamin A isn't needed any more. And with the vitamin D, it isn't recommended in the states because they assume both the mom and baby will get enough sunlight. In Israel, they recommend it because Arab and Haredi mom are so covered up that they don't get enough vitamin d in their breastmilk.

You also absorb vitamin D depending on your skin tone. Fairer people absorb more quickly.
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Posted: Wed, Nov 07 2007, 12:55 pm Post subject: re: vitamin d

My youngest is 2.5 yrs & they weren't recommending vitamins to all babies. Have they changed the standard in the US too? With all my other kids we didn't give vitamins as long as they were eating well. Some of mine needed iron,only after a blood test & not while they were nursing exclusivly.My older kids are B"H very healthy. I would tend to agree with kmelion, & Hashem Yaazor

Moderator Joined: Mar 29 2005 Posts: 18310

Catonmylap, then the MOTHERS should take the supplements, not the babies! Vitamin D is really a hormone I believe that transfers UV rays from the sun into our bodies. There is now appearing to be a lack of sufficient Vitamin D, what with the ozone layer and sunscreen, but not enough, in my opinion to warrant infants "needing" supplementation. Truthfully, sefardim probably absorb the UV rays less than those with lighter skin, but fair-skinned babies in the sun which is stronger in Israel than it is at the latitude/longitude in the studies (which I think I read is in Cincinnati) should be fine.
Now, even American doctors are starting to recommend the drops, and I do blame the formula manufacturers for creating an illusion that breastmilk is lacking, which it's not. A baby who goes out (not covered up in a burka)a few minutes every day should be fine. If you are concerned you are too covered up, YOU take the supplements (which might be a good idea, even if you do wear tank tops). But don't think the baby himself really needs it. (I am so sick of formula being the "norm". Why can't breastfeeding be the norm, and accept it for what it is? Ok, sorry. Tangent. Just a personal rant.)

Iron is definitely not needed before 6 months in a nursing baby. A mother stores iron during pregnancy, and at 6 months, those stores can be used up. That's why the AAP recommends starting solids at that point. My older son was anemic, but after he stopped nursing exclusively. His was not an insufficiency of iron, but rather a malabsorption, and I had to supplement with a specific type of iron to get his hematocrit back up. B"H, I am happy to report, his iron levels are back up and he's thriving.

Posted: Wed, Nov 07 2007, 2:27 pm Post subject: re: vitamin d

I was also told to give vitamin D drops, which could be more necessary here than in Israel, since the sun barely shines from October to April. I should be better about it than I am.

Moderator Joined: Dec 04 2005 Posts: 6172 Location: israel

I was just telling you what they say.

I haven't given my son the drops in months, and I stopped feeling guilty about it when I read that they don't give them in the states. Plus my son is very fair skinned and gets some sun almost everyday.

Diamond Member Joined: Apr 03 2006 Posts: 4473

I just started with vitamin D drops at my drs request for dd 6 months, babies in a canadian winter need them, not sure about israel, but here they do.
He said I should try the cereals first because they have iron and if she wont take them then I'll have to give iron supplements. But no need before 6 months, they get it all from breastmilk. If I had had a winter baby then he might have suggested vitamin D earlier.

Moderator Joined: Mar 29 2005 Posts: 18310

Silver Member Joined: Sep 03 2007 Posts: 631

Interestingly , my dr told me to give my 2 month old who is nursing exclusively vitamins A,C, and D with iron. I want to talk to my ped about it cuz she doesn't like it and I feel bad forcing her to eat iti if I don't have to

Diamond Member Joined: Apr 03 2006 Posts: 4473