'From the age of 6 months, infants receiving breast milk as their main drink should be given a supplement (in the form of liquid drops) providing vitamins A, C and D.'

[Pickles89]

I just read this on www.nutrition.org.uk/nutritionscience/life/infant-nutrition.html

I've never heard of that before! Do you guys give your baby these drops?

I was told this when I had my son five years ago. When I had my second baby a year ago I was told by my HV it's now from birth not six months. I live in Scotland and we are given the drops for free, they're called "healthy start vitamins". I give my baby the Vitabiotics baby drops because they contain multi vitamins including iron. It doesn't apply to formula fed babies because their milk is already jam packed with multi vitamins.

But I don't get it. Surely breast milk has everything they need? I mean if it didn't how come 7.8 billion people are strolling about all over the planet?

Yes I knew this and do give them (most days). I try and give with breakfast but do forget quite often.

I used to use the vit D drops to 6 months but they were also a bit haphazard.

I have run out of my own vits and should probably get more!

Breastmilk only contains it if your body has enough. Most people are lacking vit D which is why it is Vit D from birth.

From 6 months as babies wean and have less milk the added other vitamins help as their diet will be hit and miss.

Yes, that's not a new thing.

It was on everything I read while pregnant and my health visitor gave me the first bottle. Then you buy the rest from the chemist (called healthy start and are a couple of quid a bottle).
I couldn't breast feed after a couple of weeks so my baby never ended up having the drops as formula fed babies don't need it.

As PP said, most people don't produce enough vitamin D.

People who live outdoors (as we would have in the past and some people still do) would get enough vitamin D from the sun. Also, grain-fed animal products contain lower levels on vitamins than grass fed due to the food itself and the fact that grass fed are more likely to be reared outdoors. If the mother takes vitamin D it is passed on in her breastmilk and you can find dietary sources of other vitamins/minerals so no need to supplement.

News to me. I only knew about vitamin d and when I last saw the HV she only mentioned those ones too, i take supplements myself while breastfeeding. Ill get my youngest some for when weaning.

My other children take them but were vit d only when born. They had formula too in the end though so didn't need drops.

Yes I knew - have given DS vit d since birth and the rest (via wellbaby) since 3.5 mths.

I was told this when ds1 was a baby
He's almost 16. We couldn't ever seem to actually get any though so he rarely had them.

I can remember babies being given vitamin drops a very long time ago, I mean forty five or more years ago. However most are eating proper food from six months. I didn't give mine any extra vits whilst feeding or when he was having 'dinners',etc. It probably wasn't so much the thing at that time and we were fortunate that he always had a healthy appetite with plenty of variety.

Can't do any harm though and there are some kids who aren't interested in food.

I was told to give vit D from birth, which we have been doing a bit haphazardly. Didn't know about the other ones.