Does My Baby Need a Vitamin D Supplement?

Pediatricians and dieticians agree that breastmilk is the perfect food for babies. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics has a new recommendation for breastfed babies: a vitamin D supplement. Is a vitamin D supplement really necessary for breastfed infants? What is the reasoning behind this new recommendation? If you plan to breastfeed your baby, or if you already are breastfeeding your baby, discover why doctors want you to add a vitamin D supplement to your baby's daily routine.

Vitamin D is an important vitamin that is produced in humans via sunlight absorption. Because in recent years most Americans apply sunscreen to prevent sun damage to the skin (and for good reason), the amount of vitamin D in our bodies has been greatly reduced. Sunscreen prevents the skin from absorbing the sunlight needed to create vitamin D in our bodies. Because of this, breastmilk does not contain the necessary vitamin D that infants need, and even adults may be lacking in vitamin D.

Vitamin D is an important nutrient for babies. Serious conditions such as Rickets (a disease that leads to softening of the bones) can occur in infants that have an extreme lack of Vitamin D. Because of this, the American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that all breastfed babies receive a vitamin D supplement, and all formula fed babies who consume less than 32 ounces of fortified formula daily should also receive a supplement of vitamin D.

Vitamin D enables the body to absorb calcium and phosphorus, which are essential to building strong bones. The American Academy of Pediatrics says that breastfed infants are most at risk for a vitamin D deficiency, but many children and adults may also have a deficiency.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants exclusively being fed breastmilk be given 400 ius (international units) of liquid vitamin D daily. Liquid vitamin D supplements, created just for infants, can be found in most drugstores. While more options are starting to be found, Enfamil is a number one supplier of this essential vitamin in the liquid form for infants. The supplement is drawn into a dropper and given to babies orally. The supplement is not cheap, but may help prevent major issues in the future.

So does your baby need a vitamin D supplement? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, yes. Vitamin D, an essential vitamin for bone health, is necessary for infants who are breastfed, in particular. Talk to your pediatrician if you are breastfeeding your infant and be prepared to strengthen her bones with a daily dose of vitamin D.

Source: American Academy of Pediatrics, www.healthychildren.org