Does Your Baby Need Infant Vitamins?

With the recent birth of the royal baby, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are probably like all first-time parents who have questions and concerns about their infant’s nutrition. One of the most frequent questions that new moms and dads ask pediatricians is whether or not their baby needs infant vitamins.

Babies who are breast or bottle fed typically get all the nutrients they need for the first several months from breast milk or infant formula. In some cases, health care professionals do recommend infant vitamins if there is a suspected deficiency.

However, by the sixth month, babies need additional nutrients to support normal growth and development. This is around the time that solid foods are introduced. While vitamin-rich foods definitely help, there is often the need for supplementation. The following are the most common supplements that are frequently needed to ensure a baby is receiving adequate nutrition.

Iron
Iron is an essential mineral that can be found in iron-fortified cereals, dark green vegetables, and meats. Many infant formulas contain iron, as well. Babies, who are breastfed, are more likely to have an iron deficiency, and the need for supplementation should be discussed with your baby’s health care provider. Infant vitamins that contain iron are beneficial in some cases.

Vitamin K
Vitamin K is particularly important for infants because they do not yet have the ability to produce it on their own. This is why newborns receive an injection of vitamin K to prevent the possibility of excessive bleeding. Most infant vitamins contain the daily recommended amount of this essential vitamin.

Vitamin D
Vitamin D deficiency has become more common in recent years as parents have become more aware of the dangers of sun exposure. Vitamin D is produced from exposure to sunlight. Keeping infants, toddlers, and young children out of the sun is great for their skin, but it can lead to a deficiency in vitamin D. Found in fortified milk, eggs, and fish, vitamin D is not widely found in common baby foods. Infant formulas are iron fortified which can be helpful for bottle-fed babies. However, breastfed babies often require supplementation in the form of infant vitamin D drops or multivitamin drops.

If you and your baby’s doctor have determined that infant vitamins would be a good idea, your best bet is choosing a natural supplement that is sugar-free and formulated specifically to support the nutritional needs of infants, babies, and toddlers.