There are varying opinions about baby vitamin supplements. Parents must consult with their babies’ pediatricians in order to be advised if they have to give baby vitamin supplements or not. Usually the breast milk or the infant formula has everything that the baby needs from birth up to four or six months. However, there is a need for vitamin D supplement for babies who are breastfed or who drink a lesser amount of infant formula in a day. By the time they reach four to six months old, pediatricians may recommend baby vitamin supplements as they start with their first solid foods.
In some cases baby vitamin supplements are necessary such as among premature babies because they usually have lower birth weight. Breastfeeding or infant formula may not be able to provide all of the vitamins that they require to catch up with the rest of the babies their age. It is also necessary to consider the health of the mother even during before pregnancy. Mothers who have been taking medications may have lesser nutrient content that are in their breast milk. Mothers also have to know about the proper diet that they need to be able to provide for the nutrient needs of their babies.
The baby vitamin supplements that may be needed include Iron, vitamin D, Vitamin B12 and Omega3. There may still be other baby vitamin supplements that pediatricians may recommend to parents depending on the vitamin deficiencies or needs of the babies. Although breast milk and infant formula contain Iron, babies would need more of it by the time they start eating their first solid foods. Parents need to see to it that they are given iron-fortified baby foods such as pureed meats and some kinds of legumes and beans. Iron supplements may be recommended if babies are not able to get enough from the food that they are given.
Vitamin D is one of the baby vitamin supplements that are recommended to newborns. Mothers may only transfer a small amount of vitamin D from their breast milk. This vitamin is produced through the help of sunlight. However, babies cannot be exposed too long to the sun each day. Vitamin B12 is also necessary especially in developing the nervous system as well as to prevent the occurrence of anemia. Likewise, omega3 fatty acid is important for developing the brain and the eyes. Omega3 may however be recommended when the mothers do not eat the right foods that provide this nutrient that can be transferred through their breast milk. These are some of the baby vitamin supplements that may be recommended for the proper developments of babies.
