vitamin D drops

Jamie - posted on 05/16/2010

They also get vitamin D from your breastmilk, if you're getting sufficient amounts (between 5,000 and 7,000 IU a day) she shouldn't need the drops, otherwise... give them to her.



Vitamin D is also being found to be very important in preventing various kinds of cancer, from colon, to pancreatic, to lung cancer. It's a much more important vitamin than previously thought and does much more than promote bone health. Vitamin D deficiency in America is incredibly common (thanks mostly to ramped up sunscreen use), and as a result, many breastfed babies are as well.



There are three ways to get Vitamin D, one is through 15 minutes of bare skin (NO sunscreen) exposure to strong sunlight every day. You have to have almost 50% of your skin exposed (face, neck, arms and legs) to absorb adequate amounts of sunlight. The second is through a small number of foods ( like cheese and milk) and the third is through a supplement.



If you're supplementing, it's important to remember that vitamin D absorbs twice as well into your system with a full stomach.

Tiara - posted on 05/16/2010

Thanks everyone for responding. I went and got the Poly-vi-Sol and she took it straight from the dropper, and she is still breastfeeding. I guess I was just stressing my self with this being my first child.

Malia - posted on 05/16/2010

I've nursed both my children and their doc recommended vitamin d for them, also. The Tri-vi-Sol is better in my opinion than the Poly-vi-Sol (and smells better, too), but it's been harder for me to find. If your baby takes your milk from a bottle, you can just add it in; my daughter actually will take it straight from the dropper. @Jayne, my daughter is dark skinned, so she'd need at least 30 mins in direct sunlight (not going to happen without sunscreen-which defeats the purpose), plus she's a winter baby, and summer has not committed itself to Chicago yet! LOL

Tiara, I hope this helps.

Amanda - posted on 05/15/2010

Morning sunlight (before 9AM) will trigger vitamin D production with less risk of burning. You and baby should get 15-30 minutes sunlight exposure.

Barbora Milena - posted on 05/14/2010

we live in a place with a long n very cold winter, so all the babies get one drop of vit D daily until they are 1yr old... my daughter is 6months, I have been bfeeding since the day one and the drops havent change anything about her feeding and especially not her apetite :-D

Pamela - posted on 05/14/2010

It also depends where you live. In Canada, many ppl live too far north to get the full benefit of the sun. Even adults should be aware of getting enough Vit D...especially in the winter months.
Have you tried D Drops? It is a single grop you can put on your/a bottle nipple.

Anne - posted on 05/14/2010

Jayne I agree with you but remember hearing somewhere that depends on the colour of your skin. I think it's harder for dark skinned people in climates where the sun isn't very strong to make vitamin D.

Jayne - posted on 05/14/2010

you get vit d from the sun, so i'd probably just make sure your baby is getting 10 minutes of indirect sunlight a day. much easier... in my opinion lol

Dara - posted on 05/13/2010

My doc recommended the Poly-Vi-Sol with Iron and my daughter refuses to take,so doc told me only thing she really isn't getting is Vit D so I switched and have had no problems with her latching on she actually likes these drops.

Kristin - posted on 05/13/2010

Your daughter will need the Vitamin D drops to help her bones and teeth use the calcium she is getting from you and the foods she will eventually eat. I pretty exclusively breast fed both of my earlier children and they both got the Poly-Vi-Sol (no iron) drops and we had no problems with continuing to breastfeed. Maybe give the drops after a feeding, but regarless continue to offer the breast. Every baby is different. What happened with your neighbor, will not necessarily happen with yours.



One thing though, they do smell kind of funny and can give baby funky breath. I would give them either in the morning, so what she consumes all day will reduce the smell over time. Or just give right before a big feeding (like the bedtime feeding) and then clean out babies mouth.