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General health

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Original poster

vitamin drops/tablets

13 replies

Joe · 19/05/2001 13:34

Does anybody know why it is recommended to give breastfed babies vitamin drops from 6 months and how many of you do? Surely we provide everything our babies need. My hv hasnt mentioned it.

OP posts:

Robinw · 19/05/2001 20:42

message withdrawn

Chairmum · 20/05/2001 00:14

The iron contained in breast milk is more easily absorbed than other iron, so it is unecessary to have the high levels seen in other foods. The baby should be getting sufficient iron from BM.

Bloss · 20/05/2001 10:10

Message withdrawn

Original poster

Joe · 20/05/2001 13:40

A dietician (is this how you spell it??) mentioned it and I saw it in a leaflet that I got somewhere in my pregnancy stuff but I have never heard anybody giving them. I still take iron tablets myself and try and make sure my son has iron rich food ie veg etc.

OP posts:

Kmg · 20/05/2001 17:31

My HV did mention this to me, and I did give both my sons vitamin drops from 6 months. (They were not getting any formula milk at all at that time). But I can't remember the reason! - but it wasn't iron, as the drops didn't contain iron. The vitamin drops came from the clinic, and were very cheap - c. 50p for a month's supply. I am not at all sure how vital it is, especially if your child is getting a good range and quantity of fruit and veg in his solids, but I guess it can't have any negative impact, so why not.

Twink · 20/05/2001 17:35

I was 'issued' with vitamin drops (A,C & D) at the 8 month developmental check (after the HV had picked herself up off the floor when I said I was still breastfeeding !) which I dispensed until the bottle ran out.

Also, at a recent meeting, I've been advised to give them again 'just in case' as my 20 month old is going through a phase of conservative eating - I must admit I'm not bothering this time as I'm convinced that although dd is eating a fairly limited range of stuff, it is still a well balanced diet.

Azzie · 20/05/2001 18:05

I've read about vitamins being recommended, but my HV never mentioned them at all. I breastfed child no. 1 until 7 mths (when he gave up) and child no. 2 until 9 mths (when she had to stop because I needed medication). I've never given either of them vitamins, just a varied and healthy diet - both are absolutely fine, and full of beans (too full, sometimes!) so it doesn't seem as though they needed them.

Pupuce · 21/05/2001 08:32

I breastfed until my son was 8 months old (he also chose to give up!) -we were never told about vitamins but in several other European countries they do recommend vitamins of all kinds of sorts. And I would have thought some of those have better overall diets (less chips more veg!)...
I recommend that you give your child a very good diet. I can recommend a book called "What should I feed my baby" by Susannah Oliver. Among other things it lists iron rich foods. I found the book very useful and much more nutrion focused than A. Karmel's.
Good luck

Tel · 21/05/2001 11:51

You're right Pupuce - I was given vitamin drops for my newborn in Spain but I have to say I didn't bother, as most of the time it was really hard getting them down my son. As the paedatrician recommended dosing between feeds,and he was feeding fairly constantly to begin with, I gave up. Plus the drops I had smelled like burnt marmite and always got spat out.

Aubergine · 22/05/2001 19:30

I asked my HV about vitamin drops since I read that they should be given to breastfed babies after 6 months and the first one said that yes I should be giving them. However, a different HV suggested giving them during the winter and stopping once we started getting more sunshine - they contain Vits A,C & D. I actually tried giving them but they were such a hassle they were only given for a day. I then decided that H is probably getting sufficient A and C in her diet and is outside plenty every day, so not to bother with them. Although there is no iron in them, the Vit C does help absorption of iron from solid food.

Original poster

Joe · 24/05/2001 08:21

Aubergine - Did your HV say why they recommend them to be given.

OP posts:

catyc · 14/07/2003 16:49

I know it's an old thread, but does anyone out there give their baby vitamin drops? It's recommended in the 'Birth to Five' book my HV gave me when DS was born, but as nobody's ever suggested it, I haven't worried about it. DS (8.5 months) is mix-fed - bottle in the day, breast at night and gets a wide range of fresh & jar foods so he's not lacking in variety.

Furball · 14/07/2003 17:08

I think it's once they are off formula milk, as that is packed with all the nutrients. Ds (23 months) always has a 'squirt' in his morning milk and has done since being on cows milk at about 12 months, though none of my friends do with their children. The drops only contain a few vitamins (A,C,D), I also read this in the 'Birth to Five' book.

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