The ABC and Ds of Vitamins for Babies
All babies need vitamins to grow and stay healthy. Parents are often surprised when we recommend a daily vitamin drop for their breastfed infant. While babies get plenty of vitamin A, B, and C through breast milk, they don’t usually get enough vitamin D. Some babies might also need iron or other vitamins. Formula-fed babies get these nutrients from formula. Before choosing a supplement drop for your baby, talk with your pediatrician. Here’s some general information about vitamin D and iron to consider.
Vitamin D
The most important supplement to consider giving your baby is vitamin D. It’s crucial for health in many ways. It’s found primarily in fish and fortified milk products, and our bodies also make it when we’re exposed to sunlight. Many Americans are deficient in vitamin D, due to factors like spending less time outdoors, wearing sunscreen, and dietary choices. We recommend that breastfed infants get 400 units of a vitamin D supplement each day. Formula-fed babies get it directly from their formula. Babies that are fed with both breast milk and some formula need a supplement unless they get at least 32 ounces of formula a day.
After age 1, you can start giving your baby full-fat vitamin D-fortified cow’s milk. You can stop giving them vitamin supplements when they’re drinking 4 cups (1 quart) of this milk per day.
Iron
Having a diet low in iron can cause anemia (a low red blood cell count). Iron-deficient kids can have problems with their growth, learning, and behavior. Babies also need iron but have enough of it for the first few months of life. After that, they need to be given from iron-fortified solid foods (such as infant cereals) to build up iron reserves. Doing this is especially important for breastfed or partially breastfed babies. If you feed your baby formula, it’s very important to use an iron-fortified formula through their first year of life.
A few additional points:
- Your child’s pediatrician may recommend testing their iron levels around age 1.
- Breastfeeding mothers should continue taking prenatal vitamins and eat a healthy, well-balanced diet.
- Premature babies need close attention to their nutrition. It’s best to work with a pediatrician and pediatric dietitian to guide your feeding choices. They’re often born with lower iron stores, so you might need to start an iron supplement at birth.
- Unless advised to by your pediatrician (usually only for a very underweight child), you do not need to feed your child a toddler formula. We recommend you go straight to cow’s milk at age 1.
- If your family doesn’t drink cow’s milk, please work with your pediatrician to choose a milk substitute that’s safe and offers complete nutrition for your child.
Resources for Parents
My Doctor Online
Breastfeeding resources
The American Academy of Pediatrics
Breastfeeding resources
About the Author
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