What happens if I dont give my breastfed baby vitamin D?

The Importance of Vitamin D for Breastfed Babies
Breastfeeding is widely recognized as the optimal source of nutrition for infants, providing essential nutrients and antibodies that support healthy growth and development. However, one critical nutrient that breast milk lacks is vitamin D. This vitamin plays a vital role in various bodily functions, particularly in the development of strong bones and a robust immune system.
Risks of Vitamin D Deficiency
If a breastfed baby does not receive adequate vitamin D, the consequences can be serious. Vitamin D is crucial for calcium absorption, which is essential for bone mineralization. Without sufficient vitamin D, infants are at a heightened risk of developing rickets, a condition characterized by soft and weak bones that can lead to deformities and growth issues.
Rickets can manifest in various ways, including delayed growth, pain in the bones, and skeletal deformities such as bowed legs or a curved spine. The condition is particularly concerning during the early months of life when rapid growth occurs, making adequate vitamin D intake even more critical.
Long-Term Health Implications
Beyond immediate bone health, vitamin D deficiency in infants can have long-term implications. Research suggests that insufficient levels of this vitamin may lead to chronic health issues later in life, including an increased risk of autoimmune diseases and respiratory infections. The immune system relies on vitamin D to function optimally, and a deficiency can compromise an infant’s ability to fend off infections.
Recommendations for Supplementation
Given the risks associated with vitamin D deficiency, health organizations recommend that breastfed infants receive a daily supplement of vitamin D. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that infants should receive 400 IU of vitamin D daily, starting shortly after birth. This supplementation is particularly important for exclusively breastfed infants, as they may not get enough sunlight exposure, especially in regions with limited sunlight during certain seasons.
Conclusion
In summary, neglecting to provide vitamin D to a breastfed baby can lead to significant health risks, including rickets and long-term developmental issues. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to consult with pediatricians to ensure that their infants receive the necessary vitamin D supplementation to support their health and development. By taking proactive steps, families can help safeguard their children’s future well-being.

What happens if a breastfed baby doesn’t get vitamin D?

Vitamin D is essential to your newborn’s health. Babies who don’t get enough vitamin D can develop Rickets. Rickets is a disease that softens your bones. Young children who don’t have enough vitamin D can end up with bowed legs as they grow, delays in crawling and walking, and soft skulls.

Do you really need to give baby vitamin D?

All children need vitamin D beginning shortly after birth. Children younger than 12 months old need 400 IU of vitamin D each day. Children 12 to 24 months old need 600 IU of vitamin D each day.

How long do breastfed babies need vitamin D drops?

The Department of Health and Social Care recommends: Babies from birth to 1 year of age who are being breastfed should be given a daily supplement containing 8.5 to 10 micrograms of vitamin D to make sure they get enough. This is whether or not you’re taking a supplement containing vitamin D yourself.

Is it too late to start vitamin D drops for babies?

These should generally be given from a dropper that provides 400 IU each day from a single dropper. Begin the drops in the first week or two of life. Then, at 4 months of age (sooner if a baby is born at less than about 5 1/2 pounds), make sure the drops have both vitamin D and iron.

What happens if you forget to give baby vitamin D?

How often do I give the vitamin D drops? You should give the drops once a day, every day. But, if you forget one day, it is all right. The vitamin D is stored in the baby and there will be enough in the baby’s body to prevent rickets.

How much vitamin D does a breastfeeding mom need?

400 to 600 IU/d
The current IOM recommendation for vitamin D intake during lactation is 400 to 600 IU/d, yet historical data suggest that this level of maternal supplementation does nothing to increase the vitamin D content of her milk8,17,53 and/or support adequate nutritional vitamin D status in her nursing infant.

What are the symptoms of low vitamin D in babies?

Most people with a vitamin D deficiency do not have any symptoms. If they do, common symptoms are muscle weakness or cramps, bone pain, feeling tired or being depressed. Vitamin D deficiency can cause babies and children to get rickets. Rickets is a disease that causes thin, weak and deformed bones.

Do breastfeeding moms need to take vitamin D?

Although some people choose not to take a supplement during the summer months when they are exposed to adequate sunshine, people who have a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women, are being advised to take a supplement all year round.

What are the main symptoms of rickets?

Symptoms of rickets

• pain – the bones affected by rickets can be sore and painful, so the child may be reluctant to walk or may tire easily; the child’s walk may look different (waddling)
• skeletal deformities – thickening of the ankles, wrists and knees, bowed legs, soft skull bones and rarely, bending of the spine.

How much vitamin D does a breastfeeding mom need to take?

400 to 600 IU/d
The current IOM recommendation for vitamin D intake during lactation is 400 to 600 IU/d, yet historical data suggest that this level of maternal supplementation does nothing to increase the vitamin D content of her milk8,17,53 and/or support adequate nutritional vitamin D status in her nursing infant.