Baby Vitamins

Submitted by Nick on February 15, 2011

Baby Vitamins

Vitamins for toddlers or even baby vitamins are usually given to babies and infants depending on whether the child is being formula fed or is being breast fed. Administering infant vitamins also depends on whether the child is healthy and full term or if the baby was born prematurely or with any health issues. Many a times baby vitamin drops are required for children who are being solely fed on breast milk as breast milk is known to contain only a small amount of vitamin D as compared to fortified formula that contains vitamin D in adequate amounts. Typically vitamin D is produced by the body when the skin is exposed to the sun. However baby vitamin drops for vitamin D are required as babies are exposed to minimal amount of sunlight especially till they are at least six months of age.

Baby vitamin supplements especially for vitamin D is not required if the child is moved to vitamin D fortified whole milk at the age of one year itself and if the child consumes at least 17 ounces of this fortified milk during the day. Baby vitamin drops should also include vitamin B 12 as it is an essential vitamin that is required for the prevention of anaemia in the child and also for the healthy development of the nervous system. It is also essential for lactating and n8ursing mothers ot ensure that they consume plenty of vitamins themselves so as to ensure that their stores of nutrients are not completely depleted.

The cost of baby vitamins usually varies depending on the form in which the vitamin is required and the type of the vitamin also. As the baby grows and his diet is gradually moved from a completely liquid diet to one that also includes solids. Many parents are keen on knowing whether their child should still be given baby vitamins.

In order to decide the need for baby vitamins one should check if the child consumes a variety of foods in the right quantities. If so, then the doctor or the child dietician will not recommend to continue vitamins for the toddler. On the other hand if the child is a very fussy eater and doesn’t consume a sufficient quantity of solid foods for his age or even if the child is known to suffer from some major health pro9blems then it is advisable for the parent to continue with the baby vitamins.

In such cases it is always advisable to consult ones doctor before administering any baby vitamins or minerals, supplements to the child. For those parents who are raising their children to be vegans, they should ensure that they babies are getting a sufficient intake of vitamin B 12 as he starts to eat solid foods and moves away from formulary or breast milk. Some of the excellent sources of vitamin B12 are yeast that has grown on a vitamin B 12 enriched medium, soy foods and even cereals.

Additionally, those children who are also not being fed any meat products should also be given sufficed amount of zinc and iron in the form of baby vitamins or through natural food sources. Typically the health care provider will recommend that the baby be given vitamin drops especially for iron as the baby grows to around 6 months and also increase the intake of fluoride which the child can then get at 6 months by drinking some fluoridated water. Till the child is an infant, the baby should ideally get all the required vitamins from the breast milk of the mother or even an iron fortified baby formula.