Do babies need vitamin D supplements? Do both breastfed babies and formula-fed babies need vitamin D supplements? Breaking down all things about infants and vitamin D supplementation.
Phew, so you might be aware that I’m just about two weeks from delivery! Yahoo! But that means I’m winding down on prenatals soon (check out this blog post for everything you need to know about prenatal supplements!) and starting to think about what’s next: breastfeeding. As I get closer to delivery I’ve seen buzz about vitamin D supplements for babies. So today I’m talking all about infant vitamin D supplementation.
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Vitamin D Supplements and Babies
Who are vitamin D supplements recommended for? Baby? Or mom?
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends 400 IU/d of vitamin D for infants. That recommendation, released in 2008, is doubled from what the previous vitamin D recommendations were for infants.
When should you start vitamin D supplements for babies?
Vitamin D supplementation for infants should start within the first few days of life.
What’s recommended for breastfed or partially breastfed infants?
Exclusively breastfed and partially breastfed infants require the full 400 IU/d supplementation of vitamin D.
What about formula-fed babies? Do formula-fed babies need vitamin D supplements?
Infants and Sun Exposure
Can’t babies get enough vitamin D from a little bit of sun exposure? Well, not exactly. The AAP recommends infants less than 6 months of age be kept out of the sun, and those 6 months or older wear protective clothing and sunblock (2).
Is there a vitamin D supplement for infants that’s recommended?
I really like to do my homework on supplements, because supplements are not required to be tested prior to going to market. That means, they aren’t required to be tested for safety, that they contain what they say they contain, or for efficacy. I use ConsumerLab.com (not an affiliate link) as a resource because they provide objective, third-party testing for supplements. Another reliable third-party testing resource is looking for USP verified supplements, however there are no liquid vitamin D supplements that have been USP verified.
Based upon ConsumerLab results, I feel most comfortable recommending Baby Ddrops Vitamin D3
Wrap-Up on Vitamin D Supplements and Babies
Exclusively breastfed and partially breastfed babies do require vitamin D supplementation beginning at the first few days of life up until they are able to transition to 1 L per day of whole fat dairy milk (4). Formula-fed infants require supplementation of 400 IU/d of vitamin D until they are drinking 32 oz per day or more of formula. Cow’s milk, though a rich source of vitamin D, should not be introduced until 12 months of age (6). For supplementation questions specific to your child’s care, check with your pediatrician.
What questions do you have on vitamin D supplementation and infants?
Do you supplement your infant’s diet with vitamin D?
So why do we babies vitamin D supplements? Stronger bones? What about all of us that never had them as babies? What if our kids don’t drink milk?
*So why do babies need*
Good questions! The supplementation is to decrease the risk of vitamin D deficiency and rickets. Insufficient vitamin D transfers from the breastmilk to the infant, and it’s recommended that sun exposure is limited in infants which would be the other option for vitamin D synthesis. Nutrition is a science, so as new research is conducted guidelines are changed accordingly. So, for those of us who didn’t have vitamin D supplementation as an infant but didn’t develop vitamin D deficiency or rickets – hooray! But it is a risk. If your kids don’t drink milk, I would probably ask the pediatrician to draw their vitamin D labs to see what their status is, and make sure they get ~15 minutes of sunlight daily or supplement (especially during the winter months).