Need for supplements with breast-feeding
Although breast-fed babies get the best possible nutrition, they sometimes require certain vitamin or nutritional supplements to maintain or improve their health. As a precaution against rickets, Health Canada and the Canadian Paediatric Society recommend that breast-fed babies be given a daily supplement of 400 IU of vitamin D starting at birth.1 Rickets is a rare condition that can develop when too little vitamin D is absorbed.
In rare situations, healthy breast-feeding infants need other supplements that may include:
- Vitamin B12. Babies breast-fed by mothers who are strict vegans (vegetarians who do not eat eggs, cheese, or milk) usually do not get enough of this important vitamin.
- Fluoride. Infants require fluoride for healthy tooth development. Supplements are needed only if your drinking water does not contain fluoride. Most areas add fluoride to drinking water if it does not occur naturally. If not, supplements are recommended after your baby is 6 months old.
| Author: | Kathe Gallagher, MSW Carrie Henley | Last Updated: June 28, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Joy Melnikow, MD, MPH - Family Medicine Andrew Swan, MD, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine | |
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