To force vitamin 'drops' on baby if she hates them?

[Mummyofmay2020]

Drops in "" as they come with a syringe and it's more like a teaspoon dose (so false advertising from Wellbaby) but yes, LO absolutely dreads them and she's only 7 months. She firmly presses her lips shut and pulls away and I feel bad persisting. Should I try disguise in her food (but dont want her to go off her food) or switch to vit d drops only? Or any other recommendations?

Vitamin D is especially important for black babies and children

"49sewinginscotland

"@orchidsindoorsThere has been an increase in rickets - especially here in Scotland as you pretty much only get vit D from the sun between April and September, which is in short supply. "

That's why everyone (including adults) are now recommended to have vitamin D, and the vitamin C is to help the uptake of vitamin D."

Yes, it's been reported that's because people are using too much suncream. Factor 50 on a dull day. It's even in makeup now.

And there are are no rules about taking vitamin d, it's by choice. I hate it when guidance and suggestions turn into a "you must do this or your babies will die" type thing. It's just nonsense. The benefits are absolutely minuscule. As a lot of people have said, bottle fed babies dont need to.

Formula feed has vitamin D added to it already in sufficient dosage, so it’s only breast fed babies who need D supplements from birth.
Breast milk is deficient in vitamin D, and most mothers are themselves deficient. The sun is too weak this far north to trigger vitamin D production in your skin, between September and April as PPs have said.
It’s probably why Northern Europeans evolved to be able to digest milk as adults - it gave us a good dietary source of the vitamin, from cows and goats. In tropical latitudes more people lose their lactase enzyme as adults and can’t digest milk.

@PleasantVille if you find something like giving vitamins restrictive then yes I guess parenting would be stressful

There’s a good chance your children are vitamin d deficient though, many adults are in the UK.

And there are are no rules about taking vitamin d, it's by choice. I hate it when guidance and suggestions turn into a "you must do this or your babies will die" type thing. It's just nonsense. The benefits are absolutely minuscule. As a lot of people have said, bottle fed babies dont need to.

literally no one has said it's a rule or that you don't do it babies will die. It's a medically researched recommendation for breastfed babies. Not sure how you can have such an issue with that?

The benefits are healthy bones, teeth and muscles. Not minuscule in my opinion - but to each their own

"Literally no one has said it's a rule or that you don't do it babies will die. It's a medically researched recommendation for breastfed babies. Not sure how you can have such an issue with that?

The benefits are healthy bones, teeth and muscles. Not minuscule in my opinion - but to each their own"

Someone up thread referred to it as a rule. The babies might die attitude hasnt been said, but it's the way its inferred on here sometimes. Recommendations seem to turn into must do's, when they arent meant to be. And if you dont, its frothing, fire and condemnation.

They will have healthy teeth, bones and muscle anyway. This is what I mean. Do you think if you dont give them a supplement, they wont have this? The benefits are minuscule. Absolutely minuscule.

They will have healthy teeth, bones and muscle anyway. This is what I mean. Do you think if you dont give them a supplement, they wont have this?

Having healthy teeth, bones, and muscles are not a given. You need to do things to encourage and help that happen. A vitamin supplement is one of those things.

I just genuinely don't understand the resistance against scientific, medical advice. When did anti-vitamin become a thing?

I can see the "we never used to and we are fine" point tbh, I never had them, but I also ate well and was outdoors every opportunity I got, and only had suncream on abroad. Child of the 90s!

I wonder how fortified bread and cereals sits in this thought process- good because it's a 'hidden' help, or bad because it too is supplementation? I struggled with vitamins some days in pregnancy (sickness) but took comfort from knowing I was getting a boost from the dry cereal that I could still stomach...

My mum never took folic acid and I was fine, but I still took it when I was pregnant.

"Having healthy teeth, bones, and muscles are not a given. You need to do things to encourage and help that happen. A vitamin supplement is one of those things."

No, you dont need to. Not at all. If you looked at a class of children, you wouldnt be able to tell who had extra vitamin supplements, and who didnt. Those who dont take them arent walking round with bad teeth, rickets, and floppy muscles. For a child with a good diet, these things pretty much are a given. Are you too far down the route of taking supplements to see this?

"I just genuinely don't understand the resistance against scientific, medical advice. When did anti-vitamin become a thing?"
I guess when more people started saying you have to take them and scaremongering if you dont. As people have said you dont need to give it to babies if bottle fed. Multi millions of people in the world dont take them. They really dont. And they arent all terribly ill because of it.

You dont need to give it to formula fed babies (if they are taking over 500mls) as it is already added to it I.e. it has the supplement added to it.

Most vitamins are a waste of money but vitamin D is not one if them

I was Vit D deficient and yes, nobody would have known by looking at me. I didn't realise it myself.

It was only after a diagnosis and supplements that after a couple of months my mood lifted, I wasn't as tired, I had more energy, the achy muscles went. I'm a total convert to Vit d now.

I got tested after dd was tested and found to be deficient - she got tested as she had such bad muscle/bone ache. The tablets cleared this up for her as well.

@Orchidsindoors
"Multi millions of people in the world dont take them. They really dont. And they arent all terribly ill because of it."
Don't you want to aim slightly higher than "not terribly ill"

Vitamin D is a failsafe because a lot of people don't get out and about. It's to catch those who don't or who have darker skin and don't absorb it as easily because we are so far North. If you're fair-skinned, it's probably worth giving it from October to March but in the summer if you're getting out and about regularly you don't really need to force it.

I wouldn't give anything other than vitamin D.

I use abidec it’s a tiny amount and dd takes it fine. She didn’t like it at first but got used to it. My 3 year old gets it in his milk and doesn’t notice

"13:38SandieCheeks

@Orchidsindoors
"Multi millions of people in the world dont take them. They really dont. And they arent all terribly ill because of it."
Don't you want to aim slightly higher than "not terribly ill""
I was making a point that people arent in a terrible state from not taking it, but yes, I believe there is a minuscule difference. Taking vitamins isnt a must do to be well, and they dont make much of a difference at all. Much better to have a good diet, exercise and fresh air.

@Orchidsindoors Except that it's been shown that diet/exercise isn't enough (in the UK) to give you sufficient levels of vitamin D.

But who needs pesky things like science...

Livingoffcoffee...only for some people. Most people go about their business and live perfectly fine without taking supplements. Some people, when ill, get tested and appear to not have enough vit d, but it's not clear if their illness caused that, or if the lack of vit d caused their illness. It's just not a showstopper for me. I've never took it and never needed it, as I'm sure is the case for millions of people round the world. I actually dont know many people who take vitamins, and they are all fighting fit.

All my GP friends are religious about vitamins for younger DC...I take the view that they know more about it than I do.

@Orchidsindoors

Livingoffcoffee...only for some people. Most people go about their business and live perfectly fine without taking supplements. Some people, when ill, get tested and appear to not have enough vit d, but it's not clear if their illness caused that, or if the lack of vit d caused their illness. It's just not a showstopper for me. I've never took it and never needed it, as I'm sure is the case for millions of people round the world. I actually dont know many people who take vitamins, and they are all fighting fit.

This is the kind of ignorance myself, my DP, my friends and other people I have spoken to have had to deal with. There is an issue in the UK with vitamin D levels - and it is not just non-white adults who are having issues - and people like you who don't take it seriously are making it worse for others.

@BertieBotts

Vitamin D is a failsafe because a lot of people don't get out and about. It's to catch those who don't or who have darker skin and don't absorb it as easily because we are so far North. If you're fair-skinned, it's probably worth giving it from October to March but in the summer if you're getting out and about regularly you don't really need to force it.

I wouldn't give anything other than vitamin D.

The NHS advice for under 5s is to give them vitamins A, C and D daily - www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/vitamins-for-children/

I actually found this out a few years ago hidden in news articles on a few regarded UK sites so it isn't surprising lots of people are unaware of this.

We use these - only need 1ml and my Calpol refusing baby has always liked this one from the syringe.

Natures Aid Multi-Vitamin and Mineral Drops, Daily Multivitamin, Infants and Children, Sugar Free, 50 ml https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00MABC29Y/ref=cmswwrcppapiii_NxapFbX992W9R

My daughter loved the healthy start ones! I think it was only 2 drops and banana flavour