To be panicking that I haven’t ever given 5-month-old vit D?

[FrogOfFroggHall]

I realised this today as I stumbled across the bottle. I absolutely knew I should do it but my toddler lost the bottle in the early days and out of sight out of mind. Just haven’t thought about it in months. I have just been so frazzled and now really beating myself up.

Obviously will start now. Will it make any difference? She’s nearly 6 months old now and EBF.

I am feeling very anxious about being a terrible parent at the moment. So this feels like a major failure but I can’t tell if it’s my anxiety talking.

Why would you give your EBF child vitamin D? Was this advised by a Doctor or Health Visitor? Both of mine were EBF and that’s all they had. Plus walks outside in sunlight which is usually enough for a healthy child.
Sounds like you’re frazzled and worrying too much if you have a healthy child.

Do you mean vit K?

I think you'd know by now if that was going to be an issue, but I don't know for certain. Maybe give NHS direct a ring.

If you do mean vit D, then don't worry.

Because if they aren’t having at least 500ml of formula they need vit D. Yes it’s recommended.

OP they will be fine, just start now!

I forgot to give mine vit d once she stopped formula. We started again about 6 months later.

As long as you aren't deficient it should be a problem. Neither of mine had vitamin D and both where EBF. They may have changed the recommendations since then, but we also went on daily walks. So probably got enough that way as well.

I’m not sure if the above posters are much older… but if they’re not they’ve missed this. It is definitely recommended and you can start now x

The Vit K is given at birth.

Thanks for reassuring. Yes it’s vit D that the midwives gave me when she was newborn. NHS advice is EBF babies will be vit deficient if you don’t give them this. And I live in Scotland where we’re all vitamin D deficient anyway 🤦‍♀️

Vit K is given at birth not by parents.

Talk to GP or HV. Most likely not harm done.

She has the vitamin K injection at birth I’m
pretty sure so no worries there. It’s vitamin D which is recommended but maybe this is quote recent as a PP said.

I feel I have no judgement of what’s major or minor any more (wasn’t like this with previous kids). So this helps.

Because all children under the age of 5, including EBF babies, are advised by the NHS to take a vitamin D supplement all year (I think if formula fed they don’t need to, as the supplement is essentially added to that). It’s basically the only universal supplement the NHS recommends. Adults and children over 5 are advised to take it October-March.

But I wouldn’t worry OP, I was a bit hit and miss with this with both DDs. It will be fine.

Because Vitamin D is not usually present in breast milk in sufficient levels - regardless of the mother’s diet or supplement intake.

Yes it’s recommended.

But I don’t think it’s the end of the world @FrogOfFroggHall , and yes just start now. I hope you’re also able to speak to someone supportive about the feelings you mentioned, I very much doubt you’re a terrible parent and I remember those horrible anxious feelings and it’s not fun!

Yes vitamin D can a needed if ebf and bi formula. Formula is fortified with it so no need to give it separately. It won’t matter in the long run if you haven’t given it to her for a few months, there’s a lot to think about in the early days. Now you’ve remembered start giving it to her.

When did this become standard advice for BF babies?
Neither have mine have ever had any vitamin supplements ever.

I do think you are supposed to if they aren’t having formula as that has it in it and then once they stop formula I believe they’re supposed to have it, although I think this is pretty recent as it’s the same with elderly etc. I wouldn’t worry too much, especially if you’re outside a lot. I wouldn’t worry but I would start to give it, it wouldn’t do any harm

I have never given my children any vitamin D nor has it been suggested to me at any point

northern England

I think it’s a relatively recent thing as we are understanding how important it is.

But no harm done. Especially as we have just been through summer. Just start now.

She was also conveniently born in April so there will have been a lot of sunlight in her life so far.

Question for you - what is your heritage? I have always been quite relaxed about vitamin D as both me and dh (and so our kids) are pretty obviously Viking descendants and so evolution wise are used to far less sunlight than we get in the UK. Skin cancer is more of a concern - which is why you will find us sitting in the shade, with a big sunhat, factor 50 and muttering about how we really should get out of this sun in March!

It was around when dd was born. (Now 15.) I remember the drops. They were these horrible orange things that smelt disgusting and when dd (quite reasonably!) spat them out they stained her clothes brown.

Never heard of this.

2016 - it’s not actually advice for EBF specifically, it’s all children under 5 all year round, and anyone older than that Oct-Mar.

It is a recommendation.for exclusively breastfed babies it has been. For decades it isn't new advice.

Start it now but don't worry about it, its not the end of the world and its been summer so your baby will have got some vitamin D at least if you've been outside.

Just start now op it is fine.