Vitamin D drops?
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@Kindall I wouldn’t have even known about the drops if I wasn’t given a freebie. Midwives never said anything about it
I’m not a medical professional but none of that makes sense to me. Babies don’t absorb vitamin D from breastmilk well. And they shouldn’t be in the sun until at least 6 months when they can wear sunscreen. Not sure why they wouldn’t need it until age 1…
@Charlotte yeah i’d never heard of it until our ped gave us a sample
I've been told it's needed from day 1. On a soother or nipple. Definitely recommend for low sunlight places. I live central alberta canada. If you're in a sunny place like Mexico or the US then it's less necessary
@GMF so then why isn’t it talked about more and why wasn’t I told to give it? From the breastfeeding team I’m working with?
@Amanda I live in the UK, maybe it’s just not a big thing here!
I have been asked about it by the HV and visiting midwives and I'm UK... I breastfeed, but I expresss enough for 1 bottle a day which I put the required vitamin D in... and my partner does that feed for some daddy/son bonding time
Definitely do it. My pediatrician gave us some and was very adamant that we give it to him daily. He's been so much more active and happy since we started
@Sandie I don’t want to express a bottle, so do you then just put it in their mouth or on the nipple?
You can put it on your nipples 100%... don't know about giving them it directly, I think it'll say on the bottle if you can?
I’m in the UK, and was advised by my midwife and Health visitor to give vitamin D drops. I just put a drop straight in her mouth before or after a feed. When she was really small I’d put a drop on my nipple before she fed x
In Australia we get told about vitamin D drops before we leave the hospital. It’s highly recommended that they start them as soon as possible because breast milk doesn’t provide enough vitamin D for babies and they should avoid being in the sun. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus, build strong bones and teeth. And also helps prevent rickets (soft/weak bones). I just drop them into her mouth/on her tongue.
@Evie is it okay that I haven’t started yet (two weeks) I have HV next week x
@Charlotte start with them now, don’t worry about not having started yet. I think I forgot for the first month with everything going on PP x
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The NHS advice is to give vitamin D from birth for breastfed babies, then switch to A, C and D at 6 months. When I had my first baby I got given loads of sample bottles of D drops by the midwives, although they didn’t give any after my second. I am so bad at remembering to give them though!
@Lauren I feel so confused now! I wonder if my HV will mention it next week then x
@Charlotte I think your midwife has just got her info mixed up. Check with the HV but that’s the current advice! X
@Charlotte I’m in the US so maybe just varies by country! I’ve been told by our pediatrician with both of my children to give it to them.
Uk mumma and daddy was advise if no formula then will need drops, the ones I use is once daily and just dropped in to nipple before feeding
We use baby d drops as its only one drop per day not 5 or whatever the free one is the HV brought. Much easier to pop on nipple! I do it as part of the bedtime routine before feeding to sleep Baby Ddrops Liquid Vitamin D3 x 3 Bundle https://www.boots.com/baby-ddrops-liquid-vitamin-d3-x-3-bundle--10271784 I do agree they should educate more about it and give the drops out prior to birth so you can do it from day 1! I didn’t start right away either but I use the ones I bought not theirs but still it’s not mega clear
We gave them starting at 4months and still supplement with vitamin d daily (daughter is 2)
we have a holistic pediatrician who recommend we do the drops from day 1 after birth. im curious now!