Sugar in baby vitamins

[HannahWales]

Are there or should there be rules about clear packaging when baby products contain sugar?
I have religiously been avoiding sugar in my babies diet only to discover that his vitamin liquid - Wellkid Baby and Infant - lists sugar as its second ingredient! This is in very small print on the base of the box.
I'm shocked, surely this should be clearer? What is a company providing vitamins to babies doing adding sugar anyway? Baby medicines are sugar free.

No, baby medicines are not sugar free.
And tbh, I always go for the sugar medicine where an non-sugar is available. I'd rather sugar than some sweetener any day.
Can I ask why you are giving your baby a vitamin supplement in the first place?

True but some would rather have sugar than sweeteners

I think we just need to remember to always read the ingredients listings. At least they are listed nowadays

Surely vitamins shouldn't have sugar or sweeteners?
I think some baby medicines are sugar free, e.g. Calpol.

Hurley - the health visitor told me to give him a vit. supplement as I'm still breastfeeding at 9 months and not using formula (which she said is already supplemented with vits and minerals).

but 'sugarfree' = horrible sweetners

sugar = better IMHO - at least you know where you are with sugar

Your HV is talking bollocks. I still feed my 24 month old, have never been told to supplement and nor would I.

Although our health visitors do have the propensity to talk "bollocks" in this case she was going on the advice of the food standards authority who recommend vitamin drops from 6 months for vitamins A, C and D.

I have found some called "abidec" that are sugar and sweetener free. They don't have the range of the Wellkid (e.g. they don't contain iron or Omega 3) but at least I'm not rotting his teeth!

I would assume that they contained sugar if I was buying them. It's sweetners you should be avoiding.

I still maintain that your HV is full of shite. Sorry.
I'm sure she will be horrified if you're not weaning yet too. My ds (the 2 year old who is stil bf) didn't show interest in food for a good 10 months, much to the disgust of my HV. We did baby led weaning, and he eats like a trouper now, compared with some of his peers who are still spoon fed and still on things with no lumps
You really do need to trust in your body's ability to provide for your baby. Your HV is trying to undermine you by saying your milk is essentially inferior to formula, and tbh, that makes me mad
And a bit of sugar really is not the end of the world. I think, in the nicest possible way, you need to stop worrying so much. Giving too many vitamins is potentially more harmful than giving none afaik. No otherwise healthy baby should need topping up.

the hv is simply stating the guidance given by the food standards agency:

Once your baby is over six months, you should start giving them vitamin drops containing vitamins A and D. However, if you are giving your baby infant formula, you don?t need to start giving them vitamins until they are having less than 500ml of formula a day. This is because infant formula already contains added vitamins and minerals.

You can buy children?s vitamin drops containing vitamins A and D from your local pharmacy. Check the label to see if they are suitable for your child?s age. Ask your health visitor or GP where else you can get vitamins in your area.

If you or your family get Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker?s Allowance or Child Tax Credit, you may be able to get free vitamin supplements through the Welfare Food Scheme or Healthy Start. Check with your health visitor or GP

I agree that sweeteners are worse than sugar. I would love sugarfree things to contain no sugar and no sweetners either. Why does everything needs to taste sweet nowadays?

I give my DS the Wellkid Baby and Infant vits, I don't think a bit of sugar will do any harm if the child is being bf and eating a balanced diet.

(Before anyone start lecturing me on not giving supplements, I give my DS vitamins because he is mixed race, dark skinned and needs to get his vitamin D).

Why would anyone lecture you, Tasala?

Sugar might not do any arm but why add it or sweeteners to pretty much everything? WHy does everything that is aimed at children need to taste so sweet?

Good lord, that FSA advice is rather insidiously suggesting that breastmilk is inferior to formula isn't it?

Yes SoupDragon, the opposite of what the government were hoping to promote last week. I do think babies may need extra vitamin D, we're all so paranoid about avoiding the sun I can imagine lots of babies don't have enough.

SandyBits - I'm not worrying, I just think it's wrong to put sugar in vitamins. I'm with gorionine, I can't see why everything needs to be sweet. Interestingly, my son is taking the abidec vitamins with no argument even though they're unsweetened and taste vile!

For goodness sake get a grip. 2 tiny drops of sugar in a 24 hour period!!! Anyone would think its arsenic !!!

"Are there or should there be rules about clear packaging when baby products contain sugar?"

This really is the issue I think Beameupscotty, because too many products aimed at children contain sugar that they really do not need to, and medecine is just one of them. 2 tiny drops+2 tiny drops can end up being a farly big quantity of sugar that is not needed.

I agree with gorionine, in the last few days it's been reported that by 2050 over 60% of the population will be obese - that's just crazy. I'm not saying a spoonful of sugary vitamins will cause obesity but it all adds up and when it's not clear from the packaging what something contains, it makes it hard for people to make the right decisions.

If its written on the box then I can't see what the problem is. (I also can't see what the problem with having sugar is although I religiously avoid sweeteners.)

My ds has abidec and doesn't seen to mind the taste. I have suplemented all my dcs as it is the advice from the WHO (as well as the FSA) and it means that I don't have to be anxious about newly weaned babies getting enough vitamins from their food.

Apparantly it was labelled as containing sugar! If you can't be bothered to read the full list of ingredients yet are that neurotic about sugar, you shouldn't be posting ridiculous moans like this. All foods must be labelled with the full list of ingrediants, its up to parents to READ them to avoid sugar rich foods and obese children.
If you are that bothered about vitamin deficiency ensure a good healthy diet, cooked fresh and therefore no labels to read! I cannot believe how precious you are being about an infinitesimal amount of sugar!! Probably no more than 20 calories worth. What about antibiotics, most of them are loaded with sugar or sweetners because they taste vile. I've never seen a mum yet refuse them for a sick child.
There are babies dying from malnutrition, children neglected and abused, parents coping with sick and disabled babies. This post is so incredibly petty it makes me despair.

Why are you giving a baby vitamin liquid anyway?

Sorry. I've seen that you've answered that one but really, I agree with beammeup....read the label before you give things to your child and try and out this into perspective a bit.

Ooooh ladies, deary me we've hit a nerve! I'm very sorry if I've upset you and that you think the post is petty, however, it is important to me as I strongly believe in the wider issue of poor labeling, especially when it comes to children's products. Childhood obesity is becoming a major issue and will be responsible for the premature death of thousands. If this is petty then so be it.
I did make an assumption that vitamins would not contain sugar and should have read the box (albeit that the writing is tiny and on the base), but all the hype about sugar you just assume that it it won't be in a children's health product. It is slightly different to antibiotics, unless you're giving your children penicillin every day.
As this is my first Mumsnet discussion, I have found people very aggressive. Everyone has the right to a view and an opinion but putting points across in such a manner is unnecessary, I have found it quite upsetting as I thought Mumsnet was a place for Mums to find support and understanding.
I won't post again.