Supplementing Vit. D

[Fortune Cooki]

If I supplement with vitamin D, like my pediatrician has recommended, am I still exclusively breastfeeding? I would be annoyed if the 'exclusively breastfed baby' benefits are somehow affected negatively because I supplemented with vitamin D.

 

[SarahBear]

If I supplement with vitamin D, like my pediatrician has recommended, am I still exclusively breastfeeding? I would be annoyed if the 'exclusively breastfed baby' benefits are somehow affected negatively because I supplemented with vitamin D.

I suppose you technically wouldn't be "exclusively breastfeeding," but when they talk about the benefits of "exclusively breastfeeding," they're talking about only breastfeeding as opposed to using formula. Adding a vitamin D supplement doesn't replace the milk that your baby is taking in, so it isn't going to mess with the benefits of "exclusively breastfeeding."

 

[SarahBear]

That being said, if you expose your baby to the sun or feed your baby fish, you are probably fine without a supplement.

(exposure isn't necessarily direct exposure)

 

[summer rain]

This is one reason why the government in the UK don't advise supplementing babies under 6 months directly unless it is medically indicated (for example by prematurity) because their scientists feel that there isn't sound proof that supplementing under the age of six months has any benefits but there are potentially risks from giving other substances other than breast milk prior to six months. Of course other scientists/doctors take the opposite view. I personally take at least 1000iu of vitamin D a day, as it is stored well by the body you can take a larger amount but maybe 2-3 times a week instead of daily. I also try to get sun exposure as much as possible xx

 

[Fortune Cooki]

That is so interesting summer rain and exactly my worry! My baby is a newborn...I feel like she should only be getting breastmilk. According to my pediatrician though, there is just not ever enough Vit. D in breastmilk for the baby... I still take my prenatals. The stupid vitamin D drops have caramel coloring in them as well. It annoys me so much, because of the caramel color controversy.

 

[Dream.dream]

Exclusively breast fed means no formula or other food.

Vitamin d supplement are nessisary because babies don't get enough sun to get I. Their own and its not transferred through breast milk.

There's a reason doctors recommend it

 

[minties]

It's not needed where I live, never heard of it until this forum. I'm not in Spain or anything, kinda far down the globe I'd say! No doctor or any health professional of any kind has ever said a word to me about it.

 

[staralfur]

Exclusively breast fed means no formula or other food.

Vitamin d supplement are nessisary because babies don't get enough sun to get I. Their own and its not transferred through breast milk.

There's a reason doctors recommend it

Well, to be fair, lots of doctors don't. And the 'necessity' of the drops is questionable.

 

[optimistic1]

I've had doctors that strongly recommend it but her pediatrician just kind of brushes it off like if you want to give her the supplement that's fine. I found a kind that doesn't have artificial flavors or coloring and it's just a tiny drop on your nipple during feeds but it's been causing my daughter to be really gassy and fussy all day and it's messing with her sleep so I stopped giving it to her cause obviously it's not something her stomach can handle at 2 weeks old. I'll probably give it to her a little later on cause while it's good for them but it's not a necessity or all doctors would strongly recommend it.

 

[summer rain]

Exclusively breast fed means no formula or other food.

Vitamin d supplement are nessisary because babies don't get enough sun to get I. Their own and its not transferred through breast milk.

There's a reason doctors recommend it

There are a number of studies that show vitamin D is passed through breast milk though the strength of the supplement taken by mum needed to achieve this varies, depending on which study you look at. In the case of really severe vitamin D deficiency in baby regular supplements would not be enough anyway, but such deficiencies are extremely rare. My friend one of her children was born with a severe deficiency and it wasn't recognised at first because none of the doctors in the hospital had ever seen it. Babies are also born with stores of vitamin D unless they are born prematurely xx

 

[jessicaR4bbit]

I've done a lot of reading on this issue and as far as I'm aware supplementing under 6 months is not necessary. Breastfeed babies recieve the mother's stored vitamin D from pregnancy via breastmilk. Also, vitamin D is a hormone, not just a vitamin and is synthesized via direct exposure to UVB rays (sunlight). The best thing you can do for your baby is make sure they get decent sunlight exposure during the warmer months and supplementation is not necessary. How much exposure is a controversial issue but IMO 15 minutes a day with light clothing in mid-morning or mid-afternoon is enough, after which you can cover them up/put on a hat/use sunscreen if you want. Or a few hours each week.

The LLL website has a good article on it that discusses the vit D supplementation issue. Give it a read:

https://www.lalecheleague.org/nb/nbjulaug04p124.html

 

[Leids]

My doctor didn't advise for me to start William on vit d supplements until he was 3 months. I use drops if he hasn't gotten out much, but we're outside every day for 30 min or more so I don't really see a need for it. It's very sunny here. Maybe if it was a cloudy area like North West US or something, but you live in Cali! 15 minutes every day, doesn't have to be direct, and you're good to go.

As your LO gets older, you could just use drops. I don't suggest the Poly vi Sol or whatever, stuff is disgusting. It makes me gag and puke! With the drops it's just 1 tiny drop, I sometimes put it on my finger and just put it on his tongue or rub his gums. I don't use it often though.

https://www.amazon.com/Baby-Ddrops®...id=1371471302&sr=8-1&keywords=vitamin+d+drops

These are the drops.

 

[Dream.dream]

I live in Canada, even adults here get vitamin d deficient and they recommend all children under ten get 400 iu a day and above that age get 1000 a day .

I California and places with a lot of sun probably don't need it however American pediatric association actually recommends it for all babies anyways and since you can tell if you baby has sufficient levels or not without a blood test why not give hem the best shot

 

[misspriss]

I was recommended by my old pediatrician, but my new one doesn't recommend unless deficient. We live in a pretty high sun place, I try and get LO about 5-10 minutes of sun every day or two.

 

[summer rain]

It's not the amount of indirect or direct sunlight that matters, it's the strength of the sunlight, if you live somewhere where the sun's rays are strong enough it's adequate for vitamin D even if it is often cloudy. Most of Canada is more southernmost and thus has stronger sunlight, than the UK. Much of the US is at a similar latitude to Southern Europe and even North Africa. In the UK it's generally considered that only cities north of Birmingham you may have a problem with getting adequate sunlight exposure for enough of the year, anywhere more southerly than this it isn't considered a problem-and even we in the South are far more Northernmost than the vast majority of the North American continent. Vitamin D deficiency is a very complex issue, some are deficient due to genetic factors or illness causing poor absorption but this isn't the case with most people. Also when it comes to rickets vitamin D deficiency/lack of sunlight isn't the only cause, there are others such as having a diet where unleavened flat breads are a daily staple. There is something in wheat that when not combined with yeast, blocks absorption of vitamin D, calcium and other minerals needed for healthy bones xx

 

[Fortune Cooki]

Ugh, weird. I live in California and my pediatrician is a well respected one in the area so I feel like I should trust her, but I just hate the idea of supplementing anything at this point.

 

[jessicaR4bbit]

Well said. I'd add that the incidence of rickets and osteoperosis increased in Northern areasnof the globe with the increase in sunlight avoidance by staying indoors to work etc. People with fairer skin fare better in comparison in Northern areas obviously as decreased pigmentation allows for easier absorption of D3, so people with darker complections need to be more wary. Also, since calcium absorption is blocked by certain foods (dairy being a big culprit of this) it's no wonder we're seeing a pandemic of vitamin D deficiency.

Deliberate avoidance of the Sun + sunscreen + intake of calcium blocking food = what we are seeing today.

It's not the amount of indirect or direct sunlight that matters, it's the strength of the sunlight, if you live somewhere where the sun's rays are strong enough it's adequate for vitamin D even if it is often cloudy. Most of Canada is more southernmost and thus has stronger sunlight, than the UK. Much of the US is at a similar latitude to Southern Europe and even North Africa. In the UK it's generally considered that only cities north of Birmingham you may have a problem with getting adequate sunlight exposure for enough of the year, anywhere more southerly than this it isn't considered a problem-and even we in the South are far more Northernmost than the vast majority of the North American continent. Vitamin D deficiency is a very complex issue, some are deficient due to genetic factors or illness causing poor absorption but this isn't the case with most people. Also when it comes to rickets vitamin D deficiency/lack of sunlight isn't the only cause, there are others such as having a diet where unleavened flat breads are a daily staple. There is something in wheat that when not combined with yeast, blocks absorption of vitamin D, calcium and other minerals needed for healthy bones xx