Vitamin drops for breastfeeding?

[MamaBear0612]

I read on here that there are some sort of vitamin drops we need (or the baby needs) while breastfeeding...anybody know what they are? I'm packing my bag for the hospital, and seem to remember I'm supposed to take some with me.

[MamaBear0612]

Oh and also, where do you get them?

[Shannonrene]

This is my third and I've never heard of vitamin drops with my last 2 I just continued to take my prenatals while I was breast feeding

[Lesley27]

Vitamin D drops is what you need and you can get them anywhere there is a pharmacy... there are ones that are just drops where you can add a drop to the soother or your nipple before feeding.... im gonna look for that kind this round as last round i had the kind where it was like a mL that you gave each day...

[Lesley27]

And you are still reccomended to take your prenatal vitamins but it still doesnt give enough vitamin D through your milk for baby so yes keep taking your vitamins but baby still needs more vitamin D

[Soon2BeMommyOf2]

The kind lesley is referring to are the carlson baby d drops. I used them with my son and loved them. I bought them off amazon. They cost a little more than the regular kind, but they last WAY longer. One bottle has 365 doses in it. So it lasts a whole year. Hope this helps.

[MamaBear0612]

Oh great, thanks. I'll look for the carlson ones. :)

[feather2e]

I have never given either of my babies vitamin D drops and fulltime breastfed both. My pediatrician said all they need is about 15 mins of daylight to get the vit D they need. My son had a little breastmilk jaundice at a week old and I just placed him near the window(it was winter) or took him outside and it went away naturally. Still take your prenatals as long as you are breastfeeding.

[Lesley27]

"UVB radiation does not penetrate glass, so exposure to sunshine indoors through a window does not produce vitamin D"
(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_effects_of_sun_exposure)

Direct sunlight is needed for vitamin D and yes certain groups are reccomending daily sun exposure but the Canadian Pediatric Society,  Health Canada, and the American Academy of Pediatrics all reccomend 400IU vitamin D supplimented daily(for breast fed babies)... also babies under 6 months are reccomended to avoid direct sunlight because of how thin there skin is still... as they are at a higher risk for damage/skin cancer...

For me I live in Saskatchewan Canada on a farm... it is always windy! it was a long long time before i could even carry my daughter to the car with out taking her breath away so i cant say planning a daily visit in the sun was gonna be easier than giving her vitamin D suppliments.... and i feel better knowing for sure she is getting what she needs and i dont see it being a big deal to suppliment...

[MamaBear0612]

It's unlikely we'll be outside all summer. My baby is due in June, and I live in Texas where it's over 100 degrees all the way from at least June through early September...not to mention all the mosquitoes. So inside and air-conditioning it is for us. I might need to look into some vitamin D drops for myself lol, normally I do get some sun in the pool if nothing else, but with a newborn I wouldn't want to take her out in that.

[Spiket77]

Babies are born with Vitamin D stores that last for 6 months. If they are born with a deficiency...you will know because it causes seizures. I didn't supplement and my pediatrician said it wasn't needed. After 6 months most babies are introduced to foods and they should be getting enough vitamin D that way. They will also continue to get some from Mother's Milk.

They use to recommend infants getting Iron supplements too but now they say it can cause problems. I rather not risk it if there is no obvious deficiency.  Ask your pediatrician what they think.