Does everyone give vitamin drops from 6 months?

[Anticyclone]

It seems to be the prevailing advice from everyone including the NHS. But I've always viewed vitamin supplements for adults with suspicion, so am finding it hard to get used to the idea!

I looked at them, because DS's diet was v. limited apart from BF milk until long after he was a year old. They have peanut oil in though, so I left it until he was old enough to have a proper vitamin tablet, as his dad has a nut allergy.

Hmm, even more confused.

This is the NHS advice

www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/vitamins-for-children.aspx

It recommends vits A, C and D.

6 month old DS is EBF, and we've bought some Vitabiotics "WellBaby". Normally I am highly sceptical of Vitabiotics and their ridiculous supplements for every ailment under the sun, but it's the "official" advice...

It's the rickets issue, there's been an increase in cases in recent years and it's a way of trying to address it.

No, DD is 15 months and has never had them. She eats a good, varied diet.

We are also outside for a couple of hours every day so I'm not worried about vitamin D.

No.

My DCs have a healthy varied diet and play outside for up to two hours a day.

I heard increase in rickets is linked to pregnant mothers not having had vit d

PeterParker I'm pretty sure one of the brands is now peanut oil free.

Think it's the Wellbaby ones

Yes. It's mainly for vit D as posters above have mentioned. Even if you're outside lots in our climate it's difficult to get enough vit D.

The NHS healthy start vitamin drops are cheap and available AF our local drop in clinic.

Never have.

Yes, dd has Abidec. I started giving it to her when she stopped breastfeeding at 13 months as her diet isn't great despite my best efforts.

I do for them all.

In my work, I check Vitamin D levels very regularly and have, quite honestly, seen only a handful of people with normal vitamin D levels. We just don't get enough sunshine in this country.

You probably need to be outside in decent sunshine in the middle of the day in summer (the sun is too low in winter) for at least 20 minutes with arms, face and neck bare.

There is a lot of evidence that shows an association with low vitamin D levels and a host of diseases. It isn't necessarily causative but I think the harm is negligible whereas the potential benefit is very significant.

We were given vitamin drops for our prem twins when we left the nicu. They told us to give it to them from 8 week until they turn five. We have always got ours on prescription.