Who wouldn’t want their baby to have everything they need to stay healthy and happy? No matter how easy and healthy your pregnancy has been, infants need certain nutrients once you bring them onto this world. One of them is Vitamin D.
One of the research shows that nearly four out of every ten infants suffer from Vitamin D deficiency. This is because of our lifestyle. Proper Vitamin D levels are essential throughout our lives, especially during childhood, known as development.
To fulfill the Vitamin D levels, health and medical technologies made Vitamin D supplementation. But you might wonder, do infants need Vitamin D supplements?
Well, Vitamin D is essential for the health of your baby’s teeth and bones. Lack of Vitamin D can lead to a fragile bone disease called “rickets.” Vitamin D helps the body to absorb calcium and utilizes it to strengthen and formation of bones. Without Vitamin D, a baby is more prone to growth problems.
Doctors say that the body needs Vitamin D for brain development and immune system health, and so Vitamin D is essential for so many functions. But you can’t get enough Vitamin D naturally, and so supplement fulfills Vitamin D levels. Research suggests that infants should get Vitamin D drops starting in the first few days as breastfed babies do not get maximum Vitamin D from breast milk.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a daily intake of 400 IU for babies. Vitamin D drops contain this amount per dose. Also, they come with a dropper that contains 400 IU in a dropperful. It is wise to ask your child’s pediatrician for which kind of supplements to use for your baby.
But there are several doubts about when to stop giving babies Vitamin D drops? Well, once your baby starts drinking almost one liter of fortified whole milk or formulas every day, you can eventually stop giving Vitamin D supplements as they are getting enough Vitamin D without drops.
For breastfed babies, you can feed Vitamin D supplements until they reach one year of age, and for formula-fed infants, this could be within a few months of life. But again, your pediatrician would know best when to stop giving Vitamin D supplements.
