Does my Baby need Vitamins? Vitamins for Babies.
You must want your baby to grow well. Right? So, your baby needs vitamins. Vitamins are much required for your baby’s proper growth as well as other functioning systems. So, today the post is basically on vitamins for babies. Moving through the article, you will come up knowing the importance of vitamins for your baby along with some other issues. Moreover, you will get familiar with best baby vitamins along with the best multivitamin for baby.
Recommended: List of iron supplements for Baby.
What are vitamins?
Vitamins are basically organic compounds which are essential for various stages of the development the of human body. However, it cannot be synthesized in human bodies, therefore we need to take vitamins from diet or dietary supplements. Especially, babies require vitamins to ensure their growth up to the mark. There are several types of vitamins and the benefits of the vitamins for babies will be discussed later on.
Why your baby needs vitamins?
It is true that, babies get almost all essential nutrition from mother’s breast milk except vitamin D. Therefore, for breastfeeding babies (especially those who consume less milk or get less), it is required to give vitamin D supplements to them.
With the aging of your baby, your pediatrician may suggest you to stop giving vitamin D supplements to your baby. Moreover, when your baby starts to eat solid foods, the supplement is not required as well. On the other hand, there are also exceptions. For example, if your baby is premature born, then your baby may require it.
Your baby’s necessity of vitamin D supplement depends on your health condition also. If you take certain medications, your breast milk may lose nutrition. For example, taking antibiotic for a long time may decrease the nutritional value of your breast milk. Therefore, you need to be concerned about your breast milk & How to produce Breast milk.
If you are a vegetarian, your health may fall short in vitamin B12, iron, zinc, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids. Therefore, both you and your baby require vitamin or multivitamin supplements. For your baby, you need to buy the best multivitamin supplement for baby.
If you are on a diet, then you calculate whether it affects your breast milk or not. If yes, then you can go for vitamin supplement for your baby.
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Check Popular Vitamins for babies
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| Brand Name | Price |
|---|---|
| NovaFerrum Multivitamin with Iron Supplement for Infants and Toddlers  | Check the Discounted Price |
| Zarbee's Naturals Baby Immune Support & Vitamins Supplement  | Check the Discounted Price |
| Discontinued by the Manufacturer: UpSpring: Wellbaby Iron  | Check the Discounted Price |
| Rainbow Light - NutriStart Multivitamin Powder Packets  | Check the Discounted Price |
Keep in mind when you are giving vitamin D supplements to your baby
However, you have to keep in mind that, your baby requires a certain amount of vitamins.
- When your baby starts eating solid foods, your baby may get more vitamins beyond the requirement. Especially, feeding of fortified foods contain added vitamins and other nutrients such as zinc, calcium, etc. A study shows that, feeding vitamin or multivitamin supplements to babies may ensure the certain intake of vitamins rather excessive intake.
- It is recommended to give your baby 400 IU (International Units) of liquid vitamin D a day. Moreover, consulting with the pediatrician, you have to carry it out for about 12 months. So, please remember the amount.
- You have to keep in mind that, you cannot cross the limit of giving vitamin D to your baby. If you buy a vitamin D supplement, carefully read the instructions and follow them properly.
- Most importantly, before starting any supplements or medications, consult with the doctor and do follow what he/she says.
Recommended: Iron Supplement for Pregnancy 2019.
Vitamins D for babies
Although breast milk is the only source of nutrients for babies, breast milk does not provide sufficient amounts of vitamin D. Moreover, your baby needs vitamin D to absorb nutrients such as calcium and phosphorus and vitamin D deficiency can cause rickets (fragile bones).
Sunlight is an excellent source of vitamin D. However, pediatricians do not recommend sun exposure to infants. Therefore, supplements are the best way to meet up the requirements.
With the increasing of your baby’s age, you need to give solid foods to your baby. So, you have to give foods that contain vitamins such as salmon, eggs, etc. see eggs for baby
Along with these, you also can give your baby foods that are fortified with vitamin D and other nutrients.
Side effects of overdosed vitamin D
I said earlier that, you must need to maintain a recommended dose and you can never exceed it. Moreover, you have to use the right dropper which is given with the supplement, because without using the dropper you may fail to take the correct amount. You must need to be concerned about the dose, because an overdose may lead to dangerous consequences. The side effects include:
- A higher intake of vitamin D can make your baby feeling thirsty.
- An overdose may affect your baby’s appetite and your baby will not eat foods enough and thus he/she can lose weight.
- Calcium level may also be increased. Rising of calcium level may affect your baby’s bone and it can cause pain in the bones.
- It also can make your baby exhausted.
- Itching in the skin and pain in eyes with itching is also a side effect of over intake of vitamin D.
- Your baby can feel an uncomfortable digestion, as well as frequently vomit. Moreover, this phenomenon may lead to diarrhea.
- There are effects on normal urination, because it can cause frequent urination.
- Your baby may also feel pain in the muscles.
- Moreover, by an overdose of vitamin D, your baby may feel a metal taste in the mouth.
Health complications by overdosed vitamin D
High levels of vitamin D increase the calcium level and this phenomenon is called hypercalcemia. The term “hypercalcemia” refers to the increase of calcium in blood. It may result in loss of bones. Moreover, it can form stones in the kidneys as well as responsible for the calcification of several organs such as the heart and kidneys. The term “calcification” refers to the increase of calcium in blood vessels or organs and it interrupts regular functions of the organs.
Recommended: List of Calcium Supplement Pregnancy.
Can vitamins help kids gain weight?
Basically, there is no relation between vitamin intake and weight gain because, vitamins do not contain calories. According to the report of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, almost 4 percent of children and teenagers are underweight. Therefore, if your baby’s weight is in enough, you can give him/her whole foods or processed foods which contain a lot of vitamins along with other nutrients. Moreover, vitamin supplements do not supply calories, which increase your baby’s weight or they do not even have any impact on appetite.
Foods that help kids gain weight
Calories are important in both gaining weight as well as losing weight. Generally, calories from foods and beverages help to gain weight.
Nuts, dairy products with high fat content (full-fat milk, full-fat yogurt, cheese, butter), other foods with fats and oil such as extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil will be helpful for your baby’s to gain weight.
However, you keep in mind that, the foods should be healthy and you must not allow your baby to gain over weight. Moreover, it does not mean that, all the foods which I have mentioned can give your baby as much as possible. You have to maintain a certain amount of providing these foods to your baby for a healthy weight gain.
Six main types of vitamins for babies
- Vitamin D: Vitamin D is one of the most important vitamins required for the babies. I have discussed about vitamin D for babies earlier.
- Vitamin A: Natural food sources are the important sources of vitamin A. this vitamin helps the babies to get a greater eye vision, smooth skin as well as a strong immune system. Vitamin A is available in all dairy products, yellow fruits such as ripen mango, papaya, banana, etc. and green vegetables.
- Vitamin C: It can easily be achieved simply through diet and supplements are not necessarily required. Vitamin C also helps to get a smooth skin as well as it prevents your baby from scurvy. Moreover, it is important for baby’s immune system also. Sour fruits such as raw mango, lemon, orange, etc. and vegetables such as broccoli, radish, spinach, etc. are good sources of vitamins.
- Iron: This is also an important vitamin that your baby requires. Iron carries oxygen carrying blood cells. On the other hand, iron deficiency may lead to breathing problem. Moreover, iron helps your baby’s brain development. Iron can be found in meat, fish and poultry.
- Fatty acids: Your baby needs correct amount of essential fatty acids (EFA’s). Fatty acids have important functions in brain and eye development. Mother’s breast milk is the only source of fatty acids for the infants. Therefore, breastfeeding moms should ensure correct amount of fatty acid in lactation. On the other hand, a vegetarian breastfeeding mom may need to add fatty acid supplements in their diet.
Foods should avoid: Breastfeeding mom Also need to avoid while Breastfeeding Her baby.
- Fluoride: Fluoride is also an essential element for your baby, because it helps to make your baby’s teeth stronger as a well as it prevents the teeth from decaying. Moreover, you need to provide fluoridated water to your baby. Fluoride pesticides are used in several food products, particularly in grape products. Therefore, fluoride can be found in those food products.
In conclusion, I should say vitamins are very important elements for your baby. You need to ensure the proper intake of every essential vitamin by your baby. But, you have to remember the amount that your baby requires. Moreover, you must strictly follow recommended the rules while giving vitamin or multivitamin supplements to your baby. I hope the post will be helpful for you.
