Do 6 month+ old breastfed babies really need vitamin drops as HV says or is she just saying that as we are veggie?

[Warwickmum]

Went to clinic today to discuss how weaning going and HV said that I should get some vitamin drops for DS. She said that all breastfed babies need them from this age on (but formula fed don't as already in milk, which I guess makes sense). Is this REALLY the case if I can get him to eat a varied diet, even at the start of weaning? I guess using them can't hurt, but wondering if what she said about breastfed babies really true.

Hmm, I vaguely remember reading something about this when DD1 was this age (she's now 2). I think BM has less or no Vit D than is 'recommended', but there are questions surrounding how easily the supplements in formula are absorbed compared to BM (hence lower levels not necessarily that bad). But don't quote me - it was some time ago!

However, no HV ever told me to use vitamin drops (and we were also under a dietician for DD's allergies). Common sense would suggest that BM+healthy solid diet+sufficient fresh air and exposure to sunlight = healthy baby, otherwise the human race would never have got anywhere!

If your DS is a healthy happy chap then I would just use your common sense... (generally the best response I find to whatever wierd ideas HVs come up with )

i was told exactly the same for my ds2 (now 10 months) who also has no formula, only breastmilk along with his solids. she tolds me it was necessary for iron as bm has no/little iron and the iron stores deplete by 6 months old. however, the supplement she told me to give has no iron and i have yet to find one that does. i am doing the same as i did with ds1 which is to give no supplements but plenty of iron rich food (including loads of dried apricots and meals with lentils combined with plenty of vit c rich foods to aid iron absorbtion)

i am not medical but agree with pp that a good, healthy diet should do the trick.

Yes, I did wonder if it was depletion of baby iron stores that she was getting at, but also failed to find any supplement that contained iron - I hope that she realises that iron is not a vitamin?? I'm sure I had seen somewhere that breast milk contains lactoferrin which is a form of iron that is easily absorbed by the baby. If that is the case you would hope hv would know that???

Ah yes, iron, that well known vitamin ! It is true I think that the solid diet needs a good supply of iron, but I assumed that, being veggie, you were already well versed in what to give instead of meat!

I always find the info on kellymom helpful when trying to decide what advice I should and shouldn't ignore....

www.kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/iron.html