Breastmilk supplements for newborn
June 2, 2010 9:06 AM Subscribe
What are the risks/benefits of giving my newborn breastfed child additional supplements, such as D-Vi-Sol, Poly-Vi-Sol, Tri-Vi-Sol and the likes?
My son is just about two weeks old and has been breastfed since birth. I asked his pediatrician if it was necessary to give him extra supplements. She didn't really have a strong opinion on the matter, but just commented that "Yeah, Mom's often don't get outside enough so there is usually very little Vitamin D in breastmilk"
She gave us a free sample of Enfamil D-Vi-Sol. I hate to put things in his body that he doesn't really need, but I also want him to be healthy, so I'm trying to evaluate the risks/benefits of this decision before proceeding.
My son is just about two weeks old and has been breastfed since birth. I asked his pediatrician if it was necessary to give him extra supplements. She didn't really have a strong opinion on the matter, but just commented that "Yeah, Mom's often don't get outside enough so there is usually very little Vitamin D in breastmilk"
She gave us a free sample of Enfamil D-Vi-Sol. I hate to put things in his body that he doesn't really need, but I also want him to be healthy, so I'm trying to evaluate the risks/benefits of this decision before proceeding.
Unless there is some sort of problem that requires supplements, DON'T.
posted by k8t at 9:16 AM on June 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by k8t at 9:16 AM on June 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
Just try to go outside and get 5-10 minutes of sun on your skin every day and you won't be one of the moms who "don't get outside enough".
posted by xueexueg at 9:21 AM on June 2, 2010
posted by xueexueg at 9:21 AM on June 2, 2010
Best answer: Does my baby need vitamin D supplements? on Kellymom was extremely helpful for me. I did not supplement with formula but I did modify my own diet so that I ate lots of foods with vitamin D, including cod liver oil (yuck).
posted by re.becca at 9:24 AM on June 2, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by re.becca at 9:24 AM on June 2, 2010 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: I live in an area where, at least lately, there hasn't been much direct sunlight, so I'm not confident that going outside would be getting me the sufficient amount of vitamin D.
Also, the daytime is the only time I can sleep now!
posted by lilgoyl at 9:27 AM on June 2, 2010
Also, the daytime is the only time I can sleep now!
posted by lilgoyl at 9:27 AM on June 2, 2010
I'm wondering why you wouldn't consider taking supplements yourself before giving them to your baby.
posted by bluedaisy at 9:38 AM on June 2, 2010
posted by bluedaisy at 9:38 AM on June 2, 2010
Do you yourself drink any milk? In the US, all milk it fortified with Vitamin D.
I wouldn't worry too much about it. If you're eating a varied diet, getting outside as much as you can, and drinking plenty of fluids, your kiddo is getting what he needs from your breastmilk. I assume he's gaining weight and inches? Also, there are several cultures who have lived centuries and thrived without getting 10 minutes of pure sunlight a day, so I seriously wouldn't worry about it - unless, of course, he's not gaining weight.
posted by cooker girl at 9:38 AM on June 2, 2010
I wouldn't worry too much about it. If you're eating a varied diet, getting outside as much as you can, and drinking plenty of fluids, your kiddo is getting what he needs from your breastmilk. I assume he's gaining weight and inches? Also, there are several cultures who have lived centuries and thrived without getting 10 minutes of pure sunlight a day, so I seriously wouldn't worry about it - unless, of course, he's not gaining weight.
posted by cooker girl at 9:38 AM on June 2, 2010
No, you don't need to supplement. Really, really you don't. As long as you are healthy and eating well, your child is getting absolutely everything he needs from your breast milk. Put this worry away for a few years - wait until he's three and refusing to eat anything at all except grilled cheese sandwiches - and enjoy your baby.
posted by mygothlaundry at 9:46 AM on June 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by mygothlaundry at 9:46 AM on June 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: No, I don't drink milk. Yes, he's gaining weight and inches like a mad man.
I've heard a lot of personal opinions thus far; please reread the question I'm asking. I'm looking for specific risks/benefits of providing my newborn with vitamin supplements, particularly Vitamin D.
Just saying "don't provide supplements" doesn't help me at all!
posted by lilgoyl at 9:47 AM on June 2, 2010
I've heard a lot of personal opinions thus far; please reread the question I'm asking. I'm looking for specific risks/benefits of providing my newborn with vitamin supplements, particularly Vitamin D.
Just saying "don't provide supplements" doesn't help me at all!
posted by lilgoyl at 9:47 AM on June 2, 2010
"Vitamin and mineral supplements are not necessary for the average healthy, full-term breastfed baby during the first year. Breastmilk is all that your baby needs for at least the first six months of life. Studies have shown that vitamins, fluoride, iron, water, juice, formula and solid foods are rarely beneficial to healthy breastfed babies during the first six months, and some can even be harmful. "
posted by k8t at 9:49 AM on June 2, 2010
posted by k8t at 9:49 AM on June 2, 2010
Response by poster: re.becca's comment is exactly the kind of stuff I'm looking for . . . thanks!
posted by lilgoyl at 9:50 AM on June 2, 2010
posted by lilgoyl at 9:50 AM on June 2, 2010
There is a very interesting chapter in Marian Nestle's book "What To Eat" on baby formula and baby food. I think that it (and its endnotes) would be a good place to start.
posted by toomuchkatherine at 9:53 AM on June 2, 2010
posted by toomuchkatherine at 9:53 AM on June 2, 2010
It's easy enough to have your GP order a vitamin D test for you if you have concerns that you might be deficient. It's just a blood draw.
I am a total paleface who lives in Southern California and still managed to turn up poorly in that regard, and the GP shrugged and prescribed a supplement to fix it. Perhaps it would give you peace of mind to have a solid figure you can point to in your decision making.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 10:13 AM on June 2, 2010
I am a total paleface who lives in Southern California and still managed to turn up poorly in that regard, and the GP shrugged and prescribed a supplement to fix it. Perhaps it would give you peace of mind to have a solid figure you can point to in your decision making.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 10:13 AM on June 2, 2010
Best answer: I'm another Oregon mom, and you are absolutely right, where we live it is difficult to get enough sun to make Vitamin D, except smack in the middle of summer. Here's a map showing this. And nearly impossible if you are not caucasian.
Check out this interesting report: American Academy of Pediatrics Vitamin D Report.
We gave our munchking Poly-Vi-Sol (for extra iron) occasionally, not daily, so I'm not giving recs on that. Boy, does that stuff stink! I also took those chewy Vitamin D caramels for me.
posted by Knowyournuts at 10:28 AM on June 2, 2010
Check out this interesting report: American Academy of Pediatrics Vitamin D Report.
We gave our munchking Poly-Vi-Sol (for extra iron) occasionally, not daily, so I'm not giving recs on that. Boy, does that stuff stink! I also took those chewy Vitamin D caramels for me.
posted by Knowyournuts at 10:28 AM on June 2, 2010
Two quotes from the above report:
"A small number of studies have examined the effect
of higher maternal supplements of vitamin D on the
25-OH-D concentrations in breastfed infants. Supplements
of 1000 to 2000 IU of vitamin D per day to nursing
mothers have little effect on the breastfeeding infant’s
vitamin D status as measured by infant 25-OH-D concentrations."
"Although it is clear and incontrovertible that human
milk is the best nutritive substance for infants during the
first year, there has been concern about the adequacy
of human milk in providing vitamin D. As
such, the AAP published its 2003 vitamin D supplementation
statement, recommending that all breastfed infants
start to receive 200 IU of vitamin D per day within
the first 2 months after delivery."
posted by Knowyournuts at 10:36 AM on June 2, 2010
"A small number of studies have examined the effect
of higher maternal supplements of vitamin D on the
25-OH-D concentrations in breastfed infants. Supplements
of 1000 to 2000 IU of vitamin D per day to nursing
mothers have little effect on the breastfeeding infant’s
vitamin D status as measured by infant 25-OH-D concentrations."
"Although it is clear and incontrovertible that human
milk is the best nutritive substance for infants during the
first year, there has been concern about the adequacy
of human milk in providing vitamin D. As
such, the AAP published its 2003 vitamin D supplementation
statement, recommending that all breastfed infants
start to receive 200 IU of vitamin D per day within
the first 2 months after delivery."
posted by Knowyournuts at 10:36 AM on June 2, 2010
One drawback of Poly-Vi-Sol, given to our son when he was slightly iron deficient, was immediate vomiting.
posted by dust of the stars at 10:40 AM on June 2, 2010
posted by dust of the stars at 10:40 AM on June 2, 2010
Best answer: The old recommended daily allowance of 400 IU of vitamin D per day, for adults, is apparently well below the optimum intake, and is not sufficient to raise the vitamin D in breastmilk to the required levels. The old "safe upper limit" for vitamin D supplementation, for adults, was thought to be 2000 IU per day. That's probably closer to the minimum intake needed for someone who does not get enough sun exposure. Vitamin D researcher Bruce Hollis suggests that 4000 IU per day would be a better and safer intake for breastfeeding mothers. You might want to talk to your own doctor about this.
posted by Ery at 10:52 AM on June 2, 2010
posted by Ery at 10:52 AM on June 2, 2010
As an extremely pale person with an extremely pale husband who is hyper-diligent about sun exposure because I am poster child for skin cancer risk ... my pediatrician recommended we begin D-only supplements with our breast-fed baby between 4 and 6 months of age. If we had continued breastfeeding exclusively, she also would have recommended iron supplements (she said), but we began him on iron-fortified baby cereal at about 5 months so that wasn't necessary. A good friend of ours who is a pediatrician (but not OUR pediatrician) did confirm that he sees a lot of breastfed-exclusive babies with iron deficiencies and D deficiencies, particularly with very-crunchy moms who are very resistant to supplements or starting solids before a year.
Now that my son is a year old and drinks regular old D-fortified milk, he does not receive any supplementation.
Vitamin D IS important; it helps the body absorb calcium, and without adequate D the body can't absorb adequate calcium. Very little D is passed in breastmilk (wouldn't have been very necessary in the past, since even babies would have gotten their D from sun). I felt good about the D supplement, although we did end up having to order online to get a D-only supplement instead of a D-with-other-stuff supplement. I did forget to give it to him now and then, and it wasn't the end of the world, so I wasn't all that wound up about it one way or the other.
Not being a doctor I don't have advice for you, but that was my experience in making the same decision.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 11:12 AM on June 2, 2010
Now that my son is a year old and drinks regular old D-fortified milk, he does not receive any supplementation.
Vitamin D IS important; it helps the body absorb calcium, and without adequate D the body can't absorb adequate calcium. Very little D is passed in breastmilk (wouldn't have been very necessary in the past, since even babies would have gotten their D from sun). I felt good about the D supplement, although we did end up having to order online to get a D-only supplement instead of a D-with-other-stuff supplement. I did forget to give it to him now and then, and it wasn't the end of the world, so I wasn't all that wound up about it one way or the other.
Not being a doctor I don't have advice for you, but that was my experience in making the same decision.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 11:12 AM on June 2, 2010
Maybe it was 2 and 4 months of age. I was really sleep-deprived. Six months sounds too late now that I read back over my post.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 11:14 AM on June 2, 2010
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 11:14 AM on June 2, 2010
Perfect excuse to take your child out for a stroll and skip the supplements.
posted by francesca too at 12:23 PM on June 2, 2010
posted by francesca too at 12:23 PM on June 2, 2010
This may sound like a personal opinion but the answer to your question is a no-brainer: breastfeeding is all that your child needs. Don't give anything else to your newborn unless specifically directed to do so by your doctor. Your doctor has not directed you to give supplements to your child. So don't.
posted by KokuRyu at 12:44 PM on June 2, 2010
posted by KokuRyu at 12:44 PM on June 2, 2010
I give D-only drops from an online source. Supplementing with Vitamin D reduces the risk of Type 1 diabetes in particular, which is a condition we're particularly conscious of in my household. Babies are kept extremely sun-deprived these days, for all kinds of good reasons, and all autoimmune disorders are on the rise. There are many other possible reasons for the rise of autoimmune disorders, but given the very solid evidence behind D supplementation and the reduced risk of Type 1 diabetes (one type of autoimmune disorder), I do it.
posted by palliser at 1:00 PM on June 2, 2010
posted by palliser at 1:00 PM on June 2, 2010
Oh, and we started the supplements right away; my children were both exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months.
posted by palliser at 1:02 PM on June 2, 2010
posted by palliser at 1:02 PM on June 2, 2010
Response by poster: Ok, so I now understand many of the potential BENEFITS of Vitamin D supplements.
Does anyone have solid information about potential RISKS associated with supplementing breastmilk with Vitamin D? Citations, as many users provided above, are extremely helpful.
Someone above mentioned "some can even be harmful", but I haven't seen anything proving that yet.
Again, please keep opinions to yourself - the decision is already hard enough for us looking at just the facts!
posted by lilgoyl at 1:25 PM on June 2, 2010
Does anyone have solid information about potential RISKS associated with supplementing breastmilk with Vitamin D? Citations, as many users provided above, are extremely helpful.
Someone above mentioned "some can even be harmful", but I haven't seen anything proving that yet.
Again, please keep opinions to yourself - the decision is already hard enough for us looking at just the facts!
posted by lilgoyl at 1:25 PM on June 2, 2010
Since 2008, the American Academy of Pediatrics has been recommending daily vitamin D supplementation for breastfed infants. For reasons that are not well understood, human breastmilk may have insufficient Vitamin D to prevent rickets, even if the mother is not vitamin D deficient. More at AAP and CDC.
posted by BundleOfHers at 1:27 PM on June 2, 2010
posted by BundleOfHers at 1:27 PM on June 2, 2010
Best answer: IANAD, but I don't think there ARE significant risks of D if it's taken at an appropriate dosage. But info here from the NIH. Wikipedia here.
Wikipedia points out: "The recommended daily allowance is 400 IU per day. Overdose has been observed at 1925 µg/d (77,000 IU per day)." The NIH lists the tolerable upper intake levels for babies at 1000 IU and for adults at 2000 IU. So for adults, at least, the tolerable upper limit and the RDA are both waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay below proven toxicity. The dose of the baby vitamin we got (I just checked for this thread) was 400 IU.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 2:36 PM on June 2, 2010
Wikipedia points out: "The recommended daily allowance is 400 IU per day. Overdose has been observed at 1925 µg/d (77,000 IU per day)." The NIH lists the tolerable upper intake levels for babies at 1000 IU and for adults at 2000 IU. So for adults, at least, the tolerable upper limit and the RDA are both waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay below proven toxicity. The dose of the baby vitamin we got (I just checked for this thread) was 400 IU.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 2:36 PM on June 2, 2010
I thought of this thread when I saw this piece in the New York Times noting widespread D deficiency and suggesting that the recommended intake will probably be adjusted upward.
posted by palliser at 11:11 AM on July 28, 2010
posted by palliser at 11:11 AM on July 28, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
My daughter was breast fed and did not get these. She is by all measures at least fine.
posted by Mayor Curley at 9:14 AM on June 2, 2010 [3 favorites]