Talk to me about baby vitamins.

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Are they a must? Just wondering that's all.

Our situation is 6.5mo, weaning very well, bf, active and alert baby. HV said at weigh in today to start iron and Vit D/multi vit supplement and I'm just wondering how essential this is if he's a good eater of all things and still getting milk feeds.

Obv more than happy to give him some, just purely wondering if it's blanket advice.

I was going to ask similar as all the HV's have said to give ds 6mo abidec vitamin drops as he's bf. He's not eating a great amount, loves playing with food and throwing it on the floor but only tiny bits go down.

I think it is blanket advice, but can't comment on whether it is truly necessary. So any answers appreciated.

I know with iron it's one of the few things not carried in breastmilk. You have enough at birth to carry you 6 months and then you need more. So, I guess it depends how much solids he's eating and what types.

Vitamin D is definitely advised unless you spend a lot of time outdoors and don't use all that much sunscreen. They introduced the recommendation to try and counteract a resurgence of rickets.

No idea on the iron though.

This annoyed me with the HVs. I've not given my LG (2) vitamins. She has a balanced home cooked diet, is breastfed and spends a lot or time outdoors.

A lot of the commercial Vitamkns are poorly absorbed by the body. In fact vitamin d is better absorbed through the skin.

My LG is perfectly hyperactive and perfectly wild. No need for vits ;) if you don't want to.
PS I did a lot of research before making this decision. Xx

WiMoChi I was thinking the same about over counter vits.

DS who is 9 was never recommended vits but I thought I'd see what was generally thought as recommendations change with science, but perhaps not always without over caution.

Were about and about lots and in the winter I'll see about vit d and will ensure he gets iron rich/fortified food daily. And see from there.

There is increasing evidence that vitamin d deficiency can cause health problems, and we only have enough sun in the UK for half the year for us to make it naturally. I'm giving vitamins to both my children, and taking it myself for this reason.

HV is following NICE guidance available here www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ph56

Where I am vitamins are given out at birth. We have a very high rate of rickets here. I also know an adult (white) who has rickets, it's not fun at all.

We don't get much sun and we suncream our DC up when we do have it. So not much chance to get Vit D.

Vitamins are generally bullish!t and a complete waste of money. Vitamin D is recommended the last few years due to increase in rickets but I've never given it, just get them out in the sun a bit and without sun cream for the first 15 mins. We also use a fortified milk from 6 months.

I live in Germany and our Paedatrician advises Vitamin D from birth but nothing else.

Thank you ladies