In most cases, breast milk or formula provides just about everything a baby needs for the first 6 months. The exception is vitamins D, which is recommended as a supplement for breastfed babies starting soon after birth (and some formula-fed babies), and vitamins K, which babies get as a shot at birth.
Why would my baby need vitamins?
After 6 months, as your baby’s nutritional needs increase and their diet changes from just breast milk or formula to including solid foods, your doctor may recommend additional vitamins supplements.
For example, babies need more vitamins A, D, E, and K from 7 to 12 months than they did from birth to 6 months. Babies also need more iron once they reach about 6 months old. (Newborns have sufficient iron stored for about the first 6 months of life.)
Babies who eat a variety of foods over time likely won’t need extra vitamins, but there are exceptions. For example, supplements may be necessary if your baby:
- Was born prematurely, at a low birth weight, or small for gestational age.
- Has chronic health problems that affect their ability to eat. Be sure to ask your baby’s doctor if you have concerns.
Your own health may come into play, too, if you’re breastfeeding. For example, women who have had gastric bypass surgery, who are anemic, or who take certain medications daily may absorb fewer nutrients. This can reduce the nutritional content of their breast milk.
If you follow a vegan or vegetarian diet yourself or are planning on feeding your baby a vegan or vegetarian diet, tell your baby’s healthcare provider. Vitamins B12, iron, zinc, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids are nutrients that vegan moms and babies may need to make an extra effort to consume through diet or a multi-vitamins-mineral supplement.
In general, though, even if your diet isn’t perfect (and whose is?), your breast milk will likely contain the nutrients your baby needs. That said, your own nutrient stores may suffer if your diet is less than stellar, so pediatricians recommend you take a multi-vitamins while you’re breastfeeding.
Not all babies will need vitamins supplements. In fact, once your baby starts eating solid food, they may be getting more vitamins and minerals than you think – especially if they eat fortified foods, which often have added vitamins A, zinc, iron, and folate.
Always ask the doctor before giving your baby supplements. These are some common supplements for babies:
Vitamin D for babies
Babies only get a small amount of vitamins D through breast milk, so experts recommend giving your breastfed baby a vitamins D supplement of 400 IU daily, starting in the first few days of life. Babies who are fully or partially formula fed but drink less than 32 ounces of formula a day also need a daily vitamin D supplement.
Our bodies produce vitamin D after our skin is exposed to sunshine. But it’s best to keep your baby out of the sun for their first six months, so they won’t get enough vitamin D from the sun – even if you live in a relatively sunny place.
The skin of very young babies is extra thin and delicate, and every minute of sun exposure contributes to skin cancer risk and wrinkling later in life – even if the skin doesn’t burn. Since sunscreen isn’t recommended for babies under 6 months old, they have less protection. And while sunscreen helps keep children safe in the sun, it also blocks the rays that enable the body to produce vitamin D.
Iron supplements for babies
Breast milk and formula both contain iron, but about the time your baby starts solid foods, the iron requirement jumps (from 0.27 milligrams daily through 6 months to 11 mg daily from 7 to 12 months). At that point, it’s important for your baby to have a good source of iron from food. Good sources include pureed meat, iron-fortified cereal, and pureed legumes such as lentils, kidney beans, lima beans, black beans, and pinto beans.
Your baby’s doctor may recommend an iron supplement if your baby doesn’t eat iron-rich foods or if your family is vegan or vegetarian. Babies born prematurely have less stored iron at birth and usually need to take an iron supplement.
If your baby is exclusively breastfed, it’s also recommended to give them an iron supplement once they’re 4 months old, since breast milk contains little iron and your baby’s iron stores will start running low around then. Once your baby starts solid foods at around 6 months old, they may not need an iron supplement anymore. Your baby’s doctor can help determine what your baby needs.
Vitamin B12 supplements for babies
Vitamin B12 is critical for development of the nervous system and to prevent anemia. This vitamin is naturally found in fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk, and milk products (like cheese and yogurt).
If you’re breastfeeding and you don’t eat many (or any) animal products, it’s important to have a regular and reliable source of vitamin B12 – whether it’s from a supplement or fortified foods – so that your baby’s diet will also contain adequate amounts of the vitamin.
DHA supplements for babies
DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid important for infant brain and eye development, shows up in your breast milk in proportion to the amount of DHA and essential fatty acids in your diet. Many formula brands are fortified with DHA.
Learn more about omega-3s and omega-3 supplements and how to get this important fatty acid in your diet.
Breastfeeding moms who don’t consume a dietary source of DHA – vegetarians and vegans, in particular – may want to ask their healthcare providers about taking a DHA supplement. Vegetarians and vegans and their babies have been found to have lower levels of DHA than those who eat meat.
Zinc supplements for babies
Zinc is important to immune function, wound healing, and your baby’s developing senses of smell and taste.
If you exclusively breastfeed your baby, they’ll probably get enough zinc until they’re about 6 months old. After that, the amount of zinc they need increases, so they need to get some from the solid foods they eat, too.
On a vegan or vegetarian diet, this may be difficult, since the most common sources of zinc are meat and dairy products. If you’re worried your baby may not be getting enough zinc, talk to their doctor about ways to increase zinc in their diet.
Vitamin K for newborns
Newborns routinely get a vitamin K shot while they’re still in the hospital, within hours after delivery. Vitamin K helps blood clot and helps keep bones healthy. Babies have very little of it when they’re born, so they’re at risk of bleeding too much if they don’t get the shot.
The shot gives babies enough to prevent vitamin K deficiency for the first months of life, until they start eating solid foods and get the vitamin through other sources.
Are probiotics good for babies?
Probiotics are used to promote good gut health. While they’re safe for adults, there’s less research on their effects on children and infants – though some evidence suggests probiotics could help relieve eczema and manage allergies. There have been some studies on whether probiotics can help with colic, but the research is inconclusive. Talk with your healthcare provider before giving your baby probiotics.
Add a Comment