Why am I just learning of this now?
Funny how quickly we forget things. Well, maybe I should say I forget things.
I forgot about the vitamin-D supplements that breastfed babies need to have. I was quickly reminded at E’s one month check up.
I was reminded as the pediatrician handed me a “sample” of a nasty mix of vitamins. It smells terrible (you know the stuff), stains, and babies pretty much spit it out immediately. It sort of defeats the purpose of giving it when they spit it out. The one of which they have to have an entire dropper full.
The most annoying thing to me? It’s made by a formula company. Why is this annoying? I don’t know. I know some babies get formula. I’m not here to have that fight. But, why is this the sample the pediatrician gives out? <–Totally hypothetical. I know they give this out because the formula company gives them samples to give out.
But, get this. And, yes, I’m learning this after kid number three. Why oh why am I just learning about this?
There are vitamin D drops made just for babies with the recommended amount (400IU) that babies only have to have ONE DROP of. Yes, one drop. One drop you can add to anything (including putting a drop on your finger or n!pple <–google’s going crazy over that one).
The baby only has to have one drop! Did you read that? ONE DROP!
I’m actually excited to give it to E. She’s not going to scream. She’s not going to spit it out (I hope), and she’s going to get her vitamin D. And, I got a whole bottle that should last an entire year!
I heard of this from a new blog friend, Maria of Change Diapers, on facebook. Like just this year. I can’t believe I’ve made it almost six years of parenting and never heard of, seen or was told about these drops. (sidenote: If you are thinking of being a hippie, or partial hippie like me, she’s got a ton of information!)
The craziest part to me? I can’t find these drops in any traditional retail store near me and they can’t even special order it for me. If you want to have somebody look at you like you’ve grown a second head, ask them about Ddrops. Seriously. They look at you like you are crazy. And, when you tell them what it is, they direct you to the only one they carry on the shelves. The nasty one made by the formula company.
So, I’m here telling you now, so you know for your baby, or your next baby, or your friend. You don’t have to give your kids those disgusting smelling and tasting vitamin drops made by a formula company. Instead, you can give them a vitamin made for babies by a vitamin company. In fact, I’m thinking I’ll be giving these at the next baby shower I’m invited to.
*Hey FCC. I bought my own Ddrops. I’m just ticked that nobody told me about these sooner. So, consider myself an informant. I’m here spreading my newly found information to the many misguided moms out there.
*Contains affiliate links. If you buy it from Amazon, I’ll get a penny…or two.
I just learned about this today also! I actually got mine from a Formula Companies “New Baby” bag. I had no idea until I read the box!
Oh and the hospital is adding it to her breastmilk while she is in the NICU, along with a ton of other vitamins!
do you know my doctor never told me about the drops with lilly. then we switched doctors and i found out about them with etta jane. and i figured since lilly never had them i didn’t need to worry about it. bad mom 🙁
Nope, not a bad mom.
So, why do you have to supplement a breastfed baby with vitamin D? This is something I’ve never heard of and it doesn’t really make sense to me. Doesn’t the baby make vitamin D when exposed to sunlight as well as receive it from their mother’s milk (assuming she get’s adequate amounts of sunlight)? I haven’t ever taken the boys to a ‘Pediatrician’, so I don’t know too much about what they recommend. I am honestly curious of their reason(s) for supplementing an exclusively breastfed baby with anything.
Yes, they do make it when exposed to the sun. However, it isn’t transferred through mother’s milk. The supplementing is because not all babies get exposure to the appropriate amount of sunlight. Especially now when our pollen is over 1000 and they recommend babies not be outside.
We learned about these with our first and gave them to him. With our second I only give them to him if he doesn’t get outside for at least 30 minutes a day. Otherwise I don’t worry about it. Our Whole Foods carries them.
Leilani,our pediatrician said that vitamin D is one of those that is not passed through breastmilk. But in my opinion I don’t really see a point if you make sure and get them outside. Which I would assume is much more productive then the drops anyway
Yes, exactly if they don’t get the sunlight. Like I mentioned in another comment, we have really bad pollen here and it’s recommended for little lungs to not be outside, too.
Yes, it’s not passed through breast milk.
And, yes, the sun has to be better, but you have to decide if the sun is better when the air quality is so bad:(
Ok, I am now on baby #3 & have never known they needed a Vitamin D supplement! Please, pass me the Mom of the Year trophy!!!!! I will be getting these as well. You had me at “One Drop”!!!!!
Thanks for the info! It will truly be helpful to all Mom’s!
Well, of course, check with your doctor:) But, I’ve had three different peds (moving and changes in insurance) and they all recommended them.
Interestng! My pediatrician told me that they only need vitamin D drops if born in the winter, so we never did them with Samuel and probably won’t with Lillian. I’ve actually had 2-3 doctors and a lactation consultant tell me that. It never even dawned on me to do it with Spring and Summer babies since they are outside so much!
Did your doctor say how long to do it for? Just until summer I’m assuming?
Well, we have had fall and winter babies only:) But, I’m not certain they get enough sun when the pollen is so bad…
They suggest doing it for the first year. But, yes, only when they aren’t getting enough sun would be good, too. (Again, not a pediatrician:)
In Germany, all babies are given little Vitamin D tablets that dissolve in their mouth (we just tuck them in their cheek before a feeding), and they’re sweet so the babies like them. The babies are supposed to get one a day for at least 12 months, or until after the following winter, so longer for babies born in fall/winter. I was told they have them in the UK also.
Our “controversy” with the tablets is that some come with fluoride, some without, and I really don’t know if it’s better to give the babies fluoride or not. My pediatrician said yes to the fluoride (for protecting their teeth), but my midwife said no.
I think the newest fluoride argument is that (at least here in the states) our water is fluoride treated, so they don’t need it anymore.
But, if your water isn’t in Germany, than maybe that’s why?
I know we got fluoride treatments as babies and I think it’s why I have striations on my teeth.
We live in Europe and this is the “one drop” type is the only kind we have. My kids actually love them. I read on another blog (My Organized Chaos) about the idea of dropping them on their hands and letting them lick them off. I still give them them the drops at ages 18 months and 4 years because Vit D deficiency is very high where we live and the Pediatrician recommended it.
Welcome from across the pond!
Europe always seems to be ahead of us on these things! Glad you have it (and it’s probably easier for you to find). I don’t know that we have as much of a deficiency problem here (as I’m in the south), but we have really bad pollen, so I’m sure my baby isn’t getting the sun exposure she should.
I never gave my first son the drops…and like you, the only ones I had were made by a formula company. Might look into these for baby 2.
Somebody above mentioned Whole Foods..if you have one near you:)
GLad to know you found them. I was going to check Vitamin Shoppe for you.
Yes, I found them:)
I give Vitamin D3 drops in my kids’ drinks when we can’t go outside for a few days in a row. Most of the time, we get plenty of sunshine playing outside here in Southern Florida, and our bodies make D from sun exposure. 🙂
Yes, of course the sun is best. I just worry we aren’t getting enough right now. The pollen is sooo bad and the air quality isn’t good, so I really try to limit our time outside.
I didn’t give them.
We tried, but it just made a mess and we’d forget.
With both kids.
I think I read somewhere that the vitamins weren’t necessary for breastfed babies, and that sometimes it causes problems because they get too much. So if it was a real concern to have the blood tested.
Did you try the ones you have to use the entire dropper of? That’s what I was saying I learned..that there are now (or have always been) some that require only one drop!
These are only vitamin D drops…and it’s not required if they get enough sunlight, but I bet we don’t right now because of the air quality and pollen here.
I’m not sure if you can get too much vitamin d?
There is recent research that is out that says that if you get to much it can be counterproductive. It is impossible these days to do anything right it seems. There is always something saying don’t give it, give it, don’t give to much, etc. So confusing
My family started Vitamin D supplements about a month ago, but none of us has noticed any difference in how we’re feeling, our energy, etc. I hope it kicks in soon! It’s been a long rainy season in the Pacific NW.
Same here. The trivisol or polyvisol stuff smells horrible. My first son hated it. We only gave it to him a couple of times before we gave up on it. With number 2, our pediatrician recommended the one drop version and it was so much easier.
Maybe I need to ask who your ped is. Our had never heard of the drops and thought I was crazy!