Vitamin D Supplements for BF mums??

[Gwizz]

I have just been researching 'foods can and cant eat whilst breastfeeding' on the tinterweb and read that the Department for Health (UK) recommends BF mums take a vitamin D supplement as its not in BM.

Now none of the numerous midwifes at the hospital, my home visits or my health visitor have mentioned this to me ... do you BF ladies take it at all and what have you been told? I will ask my HV when i go to baby clinic next week also.

Thanks

xxxxx

 

[Serene123]

I think it depends on the amount of iron in your diet x

 

[freckleonear]

I think the guidelines only suggest it if the baby is exclusively or predominately breastfed for longer than 6 months? Even then it's rarely necessary in practice unless your baby meets several risk factors.

Factors that put your baby at risk of vitamin D deficiency are: baby has very little exposure to sunlight, both mother and baby have darker skin, or mother is deficient in vitamin D.

If you're worried, get out in the sun and eat foods rich in vitamin D (fortified milk and cereal, fatty fish and fish oils, and egg yolks).

 

[Hevz]

It's for babies not the Mums.

I've never bothered giving it to mine as you get vitamin D naturally from sunlight and once baby starts weaning lots of baby cereal etc is fortified with Vitamin D anyway and my HV said not to bother if baby is having a varied diet.

Freckleonear has already given you all the info I was gonna mention

 

[marley2580]

See people have been breastfeeding for millions of years without taking extra vitamins so I don't see why we suddenly need it now. You can get vit D elsewhere so I don't see the big deal myself.

 

[Gwizz]

Thanks girls - just wondered

xxxxxxxx

 

[Vickie]

My pediatrician told me that if I had chosen to breast feed than I needed to get Vitamin D supplements to give to Hannah

 

[tinytoes]

we were given vit D drops to give to LO daily. tbh though i have forgotten to give them to him most of the time..and he seems fine?! We do get outside a lot though (vit D also from sunlight)