Vitamins

[Maud]

I've just read that the current NHS guidance to give vitamin D to breastfed babies from birth instead of from weaning. No-one told us this had changed so we haven't been. Just wondered if anyone is giving them?

 

[Blueclass]

Iv not heard this. I will keep an eye on this.

 

[Maud]

Quite a few views. Presumably no-one is giving vitamins...?

We didn't give them to our first until she was about 8 months (again we weren't advised to start at 6 months and then we didn't want to give her sugar every day!) so my OH doesn't think it necessary. But we never know what deficiencies could be going unnoticed, hence we and our first take daily vitamins.

 

[Blueclass]

I called hv yesterday and she said as long as i took vitiamins whilst pregnant its fine. I did get told of tho as iv not been taking vitamins and as i bf i should.

 

[Blueclass]

She saod to give vitimans but not till later on.

 

[Maud]

I'll see what ours says at our next clinic. The guidance says it's because people don't get out in the sun enough anymore. We do try to get Kara outside everyday, but as we're moving into colder weather it'll be harder to get enough exposure.

 

[Phoenix85]

I'm not giving vitamins either, I didn't with my older kids and don't plan to start now.

For one thing, D3 is supposed to be taken rather than D2 but D3 is animal derived and I'm vegge/vegan. For another, I firmly believe in & honour the virgin gut, and you can't get vitamins that are just the vitamin, they all contain other stuff and I'm iffy about that, my baby is getting nothing but BM til over 6 months old.
I'm also not convinced how much of oral supplemented vitamin D is bioavailable. Chances are it's not a lot.

 

[JD.Deedee]

You can take a vitamin d supplement yourself if you don't want to give it to your baby whilst breastfeeding. It's because they believe it helps against osteoporosis not so much lack of sunlight. We'd all be vitamin d deficient though plenty of people are like b12 or iron.

 

[Maud]

I already take a supplement. Current research indicates that it's lack of sun exposure that's the issue, rather than dietary deficiency. Bit odd that HVs never mentioned the change in guidance though. It only affects breastfed babies as formula is already fortified.

 

[JD.Deedee]

They were banging on about it back in 2013 so that's probably more down to the hv itself.

 

[Maud]

I don't think I'm going to worry while she gets daily sunlight.

 

[Rubyredslipper]

My HV said there's been cases of rickets in my city so gave me drops to give and vitamins tablets for me to take