
Newborns, in the first few months of life, dont consume enough formula to get the recommended daily amount of vitamin D. This usually happens after the first few months of life, but is different in every baby. Formula-fed babies need a vitamin D supplement until they are taking 32 ounces of formula every day, says Dr. Infant formula contains vitamin D, but its not enough for younger babies. Its especially important in breastfed babies because they get minimal, if any, vitamin D from breast milk. Infants should get vitamin D drops starting in the first few days of life, Dr.
But tests have shown that breast milk is lacking in vitamin D. We often hear that breast milk is a complete food, containing everything your baby needs. Do Breastfed Babies Really Need Vitamin D
If you are pregnant, talk to your doctor about whether a supplement of up to 2000 IU/day is right for you.
your skin is covered with clothing or sunscreen much of the time. you don’t have much exposure to the sun. you dont use products like milk and margarine, which in Canada are fortified with vitamin D. You are more likely to be vitamin D deficient if: A baby born to a mother who is vitamin D deficient is more likely to also have a deficiency. How much vitamin D you get while youre pregnant will affect how much vitamin D your baby has at birth. Should Pregnant Women Take Vitamin D Supplements Recommendations for vitamin D intake, including those of the IOM, are generally done on the assumption that cutaneous conversion of pro-vitamin D to vitamin D in infants is minimal or nonexistent. Although cutaneous production of vitamin D exists in infants, this too is generally minimally considered in most research as it is extremely hard to quantify, and the use of sunblock as well as other factors limiting sun exposure make this an unreliable source of vitamin D for infants. The IOM report considered these relationships related to age but not specifically for infants. Most data in infants, both preterm and full term, do not specifically allow for an understanding of the relationship between body weight and dose-response of vitamin D intake. There are no data indicating that doses of vitamin D of 400 IU daily, or serum 25D achieved with those doses, are associated with an increased risk of rickets or fractures in any population of preterm or full-term infants. Some data suggest a possible benefit for higher 25D levels on bone mineralization but need confirmation in larger trials and correlation with clinical events and outcomes.
There are far fewer data relating 25D levels and bone mineral content or density in preterm infants or even fracture rates in these infants. The relationship between dietary intake of vitamin D and serum 25D levels has been evaluated both in preterm and full-term infants for many years. BABY VITAMIN D DROPS: How To Pick The Best Vitamin D For A Breastfed Newborn | Enfamil VS Ddrops