Vitamin D is both a nutrient we eat and a hormone our bodies make. It is a fat-soluble (meaning it can build up in the tissues if taking too much) vitamin that has long been known to help the body absorb and retain calcium and phosphorus; both are critical for building bone. Thus, it’s very important that you and your infant are receiving adequate levels of Vitamin D for proper growth.
One study reviewed showed that 81% of women of childbearing age have insufficient levels of Vitamin D. The vitamin D levels of a pregnant and lactating mother most definitely impact the vitamin D levels of a baby at birth. While sunscreen and sun protection are a good thing at large, the con is that sunscreen also blocks the rays of sun that are necessary for us to convert sunlight to vitamin D through our skin. These precautions have resulted in significantly low Vitamin D levels in moms and babies. In today’s age, many of us find ourselves inside a majority of our days due to work or lifestyle preferences. Furthermore, there are few foods naturally containing vitamin D, making supplementation the easiest way to accomplish sufficient levels.
To avoid developing a Vitamin D deficiency …..
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend breastfeeding and partially breastfed infants to be supplemented with 400 IU per day of vitamin D beginning in the first few days of life. “The recommendation is based on the following well-established facts:
- Vitamin D deficiency can occur very early in life, mainly because many pregnant women have deficient blood levels of vitamin D.
- Vitamin D levels (measured by a blood test for 25-OH-D) of unsupplemented breastfed infants are often below 20 ng/mL, particularly in the winter and latitudes farther from the equator, probably due to maternal deficiency.
- Adequate sunlight exposure for sufficient manufacture of vitamin D in an infant is difficult to assess and often not achieved.
- Optimal vitamin D levels in breastfed infants can be maintained with supplementation of 400 IU/day of vitamin D. Most commonly, multivitamins are prescribed for infants.”
If you do not wish to supplement your baby, you can take 6400 IU daily, and your infant will get what they need through your breast milk. Remember to pair your Vitamin D with vitamin K2 for optimal absorption.
Here are some supplement options we encourage:
For Infants – Genexa Infants Vitamin D
For Mom’s – Mary Ruth’s Vitamin D3 Gummies