Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy / breastfeeding - article on BBC website

[vole3]

here is the link

They test for this in South Australia routinely now. I am Vit D deficient. I am on a suppliment & have to make sure I get out in the sun (early am, before it is too hot) as much as possible.

You wouldn't think it would be a problem here, but the Dr said so many people are using a high factor sunscreen that they are affected.

Quite common here, she tells me.

My father (well known biochemist) is just about to release a paper on this. He checks with me on a daily basis to make sure I take a multi vitamin AND give my children a daily multivitamin. And we eat an extremely healthy vegetable and fruit filled diet. And we live in Los Angeles.
There is more and more evidence that Vitamin D is extremely important in all sorts of things to do with brain function and cancer prevention. And anyone with dark skin living in a sun deprived country or even a sun filled country but who uses lots of sunscreen, should take vitamin d supplements and/or put themselves in the sun a bit.

Oh no, something else to worry about...!

My hv did mention this to me, so started necking Pregnacare again. I live in Manchester, so not much sun here...

But none of the midwives or even the bf counsellor I saw said anything about vit D, and it's nigh on impossible to get a supplement at the recommended dose (10mg, i think) - pregnacare has half that, but the hv reckoned it was better than nowt and that, along with good diet, should be enough.

What is often not mentioned is the fact that Vitamin D is often bundled with calcium and you can't take it at the same time at pregnancy vits. I'm on a morning and night routine at the minute but it's a PITA to remember to take one in the morning (without tea/coffee) and then another at bedtime.

In Europe you get vitamin D supplements for lo's anyway. dd's paed prescribed them from a month old in Switzerland as she was bfed but I thought it was added to formula anyway.

Ive just take my Sanatogen Pronatal that has vit D in. Keep forgetting to take it!

There was something about this on the radio today. i'm taking high strength cod liver oil that also contains vit d, but i was also reading in Annabel Karmel's book that bf babies should be given supplements after six months. anyone know anything about this?

An easier way to get your Vit D is to make sure you and your baby go outside on most days, without being covered up, to allow what sunlight we do have in winter to get to your skin. Sofia, your dad might even have a useful 'sum' for this....how much outside exposure you need to make enough Vit D.

We evolved as a species spending far more time outside, in all seasons, than we typically do in the 21st century in cities. It's quite credible to me that this ends up with us being Vit D deficient - and babies who go from home to car without poking their nose out when they are actually outside could probably do with the chance to get more sunlight on their skin. I think it is stored in the body, so more exposure in the summer helps with the inevitable smaller amount in the winter.

grr

My HV mentioned this a while ago, my GP said not to bother!

Can you get supplements for babies over the counter at the chemist's?

The problem is that with populations moving with the ease that they do nowadays, you get people with very dark skin that is suited to the amount of sunlight that you get at the equator, living in Birmingham where there isn't very much sunlight at all.
Tiktok, my father was concerned enough about the inability to get enough sunlight in London for me and my children (we are all fairly pale), that despite our spending a fair amount of time outdoors, he insisted that we all take multivitamins. In fact, I now live in Los Angeles and my father still wants us to take multivitamins, just to be sure. He is currently working on a paper that will recommend that that the daily requirement of Vitamin D is increased substantially.
Whomovedmychocolate...it's actually the other way around. Calcium generally has Vit D bundled with it, because you need the Vit D to be able to utilize the calcium. It's easy to find multivitamins with Vit D and without Calcium (which is what I take because the calcium constipates me).
NoviceKnitter, my understanding is that you need to start giving vitamin supplements at 6 months because that is when you should in theory begin weaning from breastmilk and since the baby will not be eating a fully rounded diet for another 6 months or so, yet will not be getting full dose of breastmilk with all its nutrients, it's a good idea to supplement with vitamins. Again, that's what my father recommended I do.
There is a school of thought that thinks that you should be able to get whatever you need from diet and lifestyle alone. And there is some validity to this theory. However, I trust my father and think that his belief that taking multivitamins is a good idea. Especially since there doesn't seem to be any downside in taking "too much" of most vitamins. The ones that do have adverse effects if you overdose on them are generally present in limited amounts in the average multivitamin.
In order to remember to take the vitamins, I give my kids theirs with breakfast and I take mine at night with my birth control pill. Try to find something in your daily routine that you never forget to do and put your vitamins next to it (ie brushing your teeth, doing dishes, etc.).

Oh, and yes, you can get liquid supplements over the counter for babies. There are two zillion different makes of them at ASDA. I'm sure they exist in other stores as well. Just make sure you read what they contain to make sure you are getting everything you need (ie that it's a multivitamin and minerals).
I give my kids the cheap copycat version of the chewable Flinstones vitamins and I take the chewable Centrum ones for adults. They can get pricey, so I wait until they are on offer and then buy loads!!
If your kids are dark skinned, you might be able to convince your gp to prescribe them for your children so you can get them for free. Go into the surgery armed with BBC article about rickets.

SofiaAmes - thank you! Before I saw your reply I went to the chemist and he said I had to get a prescription for DD (9 months old)first!

I shall try speaking to my GP again soon.