Urbanmom

Has anyone's pediatrician told them they must give their child vitamins if they are breastfed? I know there is new concern about ricketts and Vitamin D deficiencies, especially since so many people shun the sun now, but I'd rather get my child some natural sunlight over giving vitamins. What about iron supplements for an otherwise healthy babe? I just can't figure out why it's becoming normal advice now.

myboo

I would think so long as you aren't deficient yourself it wouldn't be a problem. After all what you eat baby eats. I think perhaps they are assuming everyone eats poorly and thus isn't getting adequate nutrition and vitamins.

Lullaby

I have been 'strongly suggested' by the baby's paediatrician that I should be giving a vitamin with iron, vitamin D and fluoride because I only nurse. Why?! Breast milk is the best! And we get sunshine and are not dark skinned.

The iron will constipate. The fluoride is an industrial waste that can cause tooth problems in too great an amount and is linked to cancers. And the vitamin D just seems unnecessary. So why should I be giving this?

Lullaby

Oh no I should have checked first-I just started an almost identical topic. Hopefully a mod will see and merge the two threads-my apologies!

alexis

It has been merged, don't worry sometimes it happens to the best of us.

I would not give my baby girl supplements and I don't breastfeed, you can be perfectly normal going out in the sun (safely) without having to deal with those supplements. Doctors tried to put me on them as a teen and I refused.

izoeltea

Hi everyone..

pediatrician said that

In addition to supplements, children can receive Vitamin D from exposure to sunlight, which stimulates Vitamin D production in the skin. Because dark skinned children and those that aren't exposed to enough sunlight have always been thought to be at risk of rickets, it has always been recommended that they receive Vitamin D supplements if they weren't drinking formula (infants) or Vitamin D fortified milk (older children), but it wasn't thought that most other kids needed extra Vitamin D.

hopes helpfully

by izoel
Gizi Bayi