Frederick Jace
Your baby’s first year of life will have her going through rapid developmental stages and growing into a toddler. Most of your baby’s nutrients can come from breastmilk or formula. One nutrient that breastmilk or formula may not provide enough of is Vitamin D. This essential vitamin offers growing babies many benefits and may protect them from some diseases. Some parents choose to offer supplements, like Wellements organic Vitamin D drops for baby, to give their child a great start.
Strong Bones
The best reason to add Vitamin D to your baby’s diet is to help her build strong bones. Vitamin D helps the body effectively absorb calcium. It also offers some protection against diseases and illnesses, such as Ricketts disease. Along with calcium, Vitamin D keeps your baby’s bones strong and healthy and may help during the healing process if a bone is injured or fractured. Vitamin D drops baby benefits include healthy teeth development as well.
Sunshine
One way that people can get enough Vitamin D to stay strong and healthy is through the sun. Going outside and spending time in the sun helps the body absorb the recommended daily dose of Vitamin D. Unfortunately, going outside in the sunshine for hours at a time can come at a cost, especially for babies with sensitive skin. The sun’s rays can also cause sunburn and harmful damage to the skin, making it more difficult to get the necessary Vitamin D.
Wholesome Diet
There are also lots of Vitamin D-rich foods that can be added to a diet to get enough of this essential nutrient. Young babies may not be ready for solid food if they are still exclusively breastfeeding or drinking formula. When babies are ready, at around six months or older, parents can start introducing Vitamin D-rich foods, such as cheese, yogurt, cereal and fatty fish. Some of these foods are fortified with Vitamin D to make them more nutritious.
Supplements
One of the best ways to get your baby’s recommended daily dose of Vitamin D is through supplements. If you want to try using a supplement in your baby’s diet, consult your child’s pediatrician to find the right product. Some vitamin drop supplements include other essential nutrients, such as iron. Drops can be easily digested with babies on their own or added to formula when your baby takes her regular bottle.
Recommendations
The current recommendation for Vitamin D is that babies under one year of age should get about 400 IU per day. Children older than a year should get between 600 and 1,000 IU of Vitamin D. What does IU mean in vitamins? This is an abbreviation for international units, which is a standard measurement for vitamins. If your baby’s formula is fortified with Vitamin D, she may not need supplementation.
Keep your baby growing strong and healthy and protect her bones with Vitamin D supplementation. Give her the right building blocks to grow into a healthy, vibrant child, and talk to your pediatrician for more information about how to supplement your child’s diet.
