When You Should Consider Infant Vitamin Drops for Your Baby

Like many new parents, you may be concerned that your baby isn’t getting enough nutrients from breast milk or infant formula. If you have a fussy baby, you may be particularly worried. Are infant vitamin drops the answer? Here are some guidelines to help you determine if your baby’s diet needs a nutritional boost.

Experts often disagree on whether or not babies need infant vitamin drops – especially for those who don’t show any particular signs of a deficiency. The naysayers believe that babies don’t need additional vitamins and minerals beyond what is provided in breast milk or formula. The vitamin proponents feel that vitamin drops for infants can work as an insurance policy to ensure that gaps in nutritional requirements are bridged.
Most pediatricians tackle the vitamin issue on a case-by-case basis, and believe that infant vitamin drops that contain vitamin D can be particularly beneficial. For babies who are breastfed beyond the age of six months, this is especially the case.

Beyond multivitamins, calcium supplements can also be beneficial. After a baby has reached 12 months, most start drinking milk. However, not all children like or can tolerate milk. This can cause a deficiency in calcium that can lead to potential health problems. The calcium requirement in toddlers ages one to three is 500 mgs per day. Both milk and calcium-fortified foods can contribute to a baby getting enough to support proper growth and development. A calcium supplement can also help. It’s important to note that vitamin D is necessary to facilitate the absorption of calcium.

Of course, there is a wide range of vitamins and minerals that a baby needs to thrive, and to obtain these, a balanced diet is necessary either through breast milk, infant formula, solid foods, or a combination of the three. Babies who are fussy eaters are often lacking in a variety of nutrients, and infant vitamin drops are a convenient way to provide these. Animal Parade Baby Plex liquid vitamins are a favorite of many parents of babies because of the superior quality, flavor and convenient dropper applicator. Because they are hypo-allergenic, gluten-free, and vegetarian, they can be administered safely to nearly every baby to help ensure balanced nutrition.

Can Children's Multivitamins Help Kids Who Have Failure to Thrive

Children’s multivitamins are often prescribed to kids who have been diagnosed with failure to thrive (FTT). This is a common condition that can often be corrected with prompt diagnosis and intervention to prevent malnutrition and developmental problems.

Both medical and social factors often contribute to FTT. However, it is often not identified unless there is careful attention to plotting of growth parameters at routine checkups.  Typically a child who has been diagnosed with failure to thrive need additional calories and nutrients provided in children’s multivitamins to catch up in growth.

There are both organic and nonorganic classifications of FTT. The medical disorder can be caused by feeding problems, family stress, inadequate absorption, excess metabolic demand, or defective utilization. Very often, stress and psychosocial factors contribute to FTT.

The first action when FTT is suspected is to identify the underlying cause and correct it. This can be managed by nutrition intervention, including the introduction of children’s vitamin supplements, as well as feeding behavior modification. Some medical experts recommend choosing a children’s multivitamin with zinc as the mineral helps to reduce the energy cost of weight gain during catch-up growth.

The condition is very important to treat because there are serious consequences to not treating it such as short stature, behavior problems, and developmental delays. Early diagnosis is optimal, and with the correct course of treatment, there is a good chance of a good outcome.

If you suspect that your child may be suffering from FTT, it’s important to seek a physician’s care. They can provide you with the best advice and will often recommend a multidisciplinary approach that incorporates the help of a nurse, dietician, social worker, and psychologist. A recommendation of children’s vitamin supplements and a high calorie diet is usually also prescribed.  Learn more about Failure to Thrive.

Four Reasons Why Your Baby Might Need Baby Multi Vitamins

Whether you have a baby who is exclusively breastfeeding or a toddler who is refusing to eat green food, it can be confusing and downright worrisome for a parent who is concerned about ensuring their child’s nutrition. Even moms and dads who are lucky enough to have tots who eat what’s in front of them wonder if they should be also providing baby multi vitamins.

There are many differing opinions when it comes to baby multi vitamins. And, even the American Academy of Pediatrics doesn’t take an official stand on the subject. Thus, it’s always a good idea to start with your child’s pediatrician to find out if multi vitamins for babies are something you should be incorporating into your child’s diet or not.

What is agreed upon is that there are clear nutritional situations that do warrant supplementing with baby multi vitamins. The following are some of the most common of these:

Your Baby Is Breastfed Exclusively
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all infants have a minimum intake of 200 IU of vitamin D per day. Babies who are exclusively breastfed are getting a host of nutrients from their mothers’ milk. However, they are not getting ample enough amounts of vitamin D which is commonly found in infant formula. Vitamin D is also produced by the body when the skin is exposed to the sun, but babies are typically kept out of the sun to protect them from potential sun damage. To ensure that a baby is getting enough vitamin D to support healthy bone growth is to provide a daily baby multi vitamin.

You’re Breastfeeding and You Are a Vegan
Babies get a wide range of vitamins from their mothers including vitamin B12, iron, zinc, calcium, and omega 3 fatty acids. These nutrients are often lacking in vegans, and thus, their babies are also at risk of having certain nutritional deficiencies. If you follow a vegan diet and are pregnant or breastfeeding, it’s wise to tell your baby’s pediatrician to determine if there is a need to supplement with baby multi vitamins. Often, a liquid drop multi vitamin can bridge that nutritional gap.

Your Baby Won’t Eat Iron-Rich Foods
While there is iron in breast milk, the level of it drops significantly after six months of breastfeeding. At this point, most babies are beginning to eat solid foods include iron-fortified cereals and legumes. For premature babies and those who can’t or don’t want to eat iron-rich foods, iron supplementation is sometimes required. A simple blood test can determine if your baby is iron deficient.

Your Baby Is Crying Excessively
A recent study from the Public Health Service in the Netherlands has shown a link between babies of mothers whose blood contained low levels of vitamin B12 and prolonged episodes of crying in their babies. Some experts now believe that the lack of B12 in babies causes the sleep hormone melatonin to not be released fully resulting in longer bouts of crying. Thus, a baby multivitamin formula that contains the daily requirement of B12 may help make up for a deficiency that might be linked with sleeplessness and crying.

Vitamins for Babies Can Help Support Early Brain Development

Prenatal vitamins are highly encouraged during pregnancy for women. Doesn’t it simply make sense to continue to provide vitamins and minerals to your baby after birth?

Yes, breast milk provides most of the nutrients needed for a growing infant or baby. However, vitamins for babies can also help support brain and body development especially during the crucial early stages of life.
Vitamins B12, C, and D are particularly important for early brain development, and many pediatricians are now prescribing these vitamins for babies to complement either breast milk or formula.

Interestingly, a baby is born with over one hundred billion brain cells. Because of this, balanced nutrition is vital for healthy brain development. The following vitamins for infants and babies are vital for getting the right nutrition to support a growing baby’s brain.

Folic Acid
One of the eight B vitamins, folic acid is a must for expecting mothers. It’s also one of the most important vitamins for babies. Why? It helps support the healthy development of the brain and spinal cord.

Vitamin C
Also known as L-ascorbic acid, vitamin C helps produce neurotransmitters enabling the brain to transmit information from one neuron to another. It also supports the development of intelligence, cognition, and even eyesight. New studies are showing that vitamin C can even help prevent behavioral problems. Nearly all multi vitamins for babies have at least 100 percent of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C.

Vitamin D
Deficiency of vitamin D is becoming an increasing problem as parents are minimizing sun exposure for their babies. This vitamin that is necessary for the development of the cerebrum is derived for the most part from the sun’s rays. Without it, a baby can suffer from problems with memory, motor control, and learning development.

Of course, it’s important to discuss vitamins for babies with your pediatrician before administering any supplement to your child. If a nutritional supplement such as a multi-vitamin can be beneficial, choose a natural, sugar-free formula like Nature’s Plus Animal Parade. It’s a high quality, multivitamin liquid drop that is balanced for optimal absorption and formulated for supporting development during these early stages of life.