Vitamin D is essential at all ages for supporting many aspects of general health. It is just as necessary for babies as it is for people who are older. Vitamin D deficiency can cause problems for infants, but too much vitamin D is not good either. For example, you may ask, based on stories that you’ve heard, “Does vitamin D constipate babies?” It can, but only if given in excessive doses. Stick to the recommended daily dose, and your child should not experience any adverse effects.
Recommended Daily Intake of Vitamin D
To avoid giving your baby too much vitamin D, you first need to know what the recommended dose is. The recommendation is that children less than 12 months old should receive 400 international units of vitamin D per day. Children older than 12 months should receive 600 IU of vitamin D per day, which they may be able to receive from fruit vitamin gummies. However, infants cannot chew gummies and need vitamin D in the form of liquid drops.
The recommendation of 400 IU of vitamin D per day for babies includes vitamin D from all sources, including what they eat. Baby formula has vitamin D added, so if your child consumes 32 ounces of formula per day, supplementation probably isn’t necessary. However, if your child is exclusively breastfed, or receives a combination of formula and breast milk, you may need to administer a vitamin D supplement. You should consult your doctor for the exact dosage. As your child transitions to solid food, consider feeding foods that are naturally rich in vitamin D, such as eggs and some fish. Ask your doctor if vitamin D supplementation is still necessary at this point and, if so, whether you need to adjust the dosage.
How much of the solution you need to give your baby depends on how concentrated the vitamin D is. Sometimes, a single drop provides a full dose. Be sure to read the instructions on the package to see how much of the liquid vitamin D your baby should receive on a daily basis.
Benefits of Vitamin D for Infants
The main benefit of organic infant vitamin D drops is support for bone growth and development. As you probably know, bones need calcium for strength. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and use it correctly. Therefore, both calcium and vitamin D help support bone health.
This is especially important for infants and children as their bones are still developing. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a condition called rickets that causes the bones to become soft and brittle. It can cause bowing of bones in children so that they become bowlegged or knock-kneed.
It is normal for young babies to have bow legs. It has something to do with the curled-up position they have to maintain in the womb. As the child grows, the legs should gradually straighten. If the bowing persists after your child’s second birthday or gets worse, vitamin D deficiency may be to blame.
In addition to bone health, vitamin D also supports the brain and immune system. Vitamin D drops are available for purchase online.
