Vitamins For Newborns: Essential Nutrients For Healthy Growth

Breast milk and formula contain almost all the nutrients a newborn needs for the first six months of life. However, newborns may require additional vitamins to fill in nutritional gaps. For example, breastfed babies may not get enough vitamin D and iron from breast milk. Vitamin D is essential for building strong bones, and iron is necessary for healthy blood cells and brain development. Doctors recommend that all breastfed babies get 400 IU of vitamin D per day in the form of a supplement. Additionally, babies born prematurely or with certain health conditions may require multivitamins to supplement their diet.

Vitamin D

The most common way to administer vitamin D supplements is through liquid drops, which can be applied directly to the mother's nipple before breastfeeding or syringed into the baby's mouth or bottle.

It is important to note that giving more vitamin D than prescribed will not improve a baby's development and could be harmful. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any vitamin supplementation for your newborn.

Vitamin K

Newborns are often given a vitamin K shot within six hours of birth. Vitamin K is important for blood clotting and preventing bleeding. While older children and adults get most of their vitamin K from bacteria in the gut, newborns have very little vitamin K in their bodies at birth. This is because vitamin K does not cross the placenta to the developing baby, and the gut does not have any bacteria to make vitamin K before birth.

Without enough vitamin K, small cuts can continue bleeding for a long time, and large bruises can occur from minor injuries. Bleeding can also occur in other parts of the body, such as the brain, causing a type of stroke or brain damage. This bleeding is known as haemorrhagic disease of the newborn (HDN) or vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB) and can be fatal.

While vitamin K can be given orally, this method is not as effective as an injection. A single intramuscular injection of vitamin K is highly effective in preventing HDN and VKDB. Some newborns may experience slight soreness at the injection site for a day or two.

Vitamin B12

The recommended daily intake of vitamin B12 for adults is 2.4 µg, and this increases to 2.6 µg during pregnancy and 2.8 µg during lactation. These higher levels are necessary to ensure that the developing fetus receives sufficient amounts of the vitamin.

Infants born to mothers with adequate vitamin B12 levels will typically have enough vitamin B12 stored in their bodies to last for several weeks after birth. Breastfed infants can continue to receive vitamin B12 through their mother's milk, provided the mother maintains a healthy vitamin B12 status. However, it is important to monitor the vitamin B12 levels in both the mother and infant to ensure there is no deficiency.

For mothers who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, it is especially important to ensure adequate vitamin B12 intake during pregnancy and lactation. This can be achieved through supplements or fortified foods. In some cases, it may be recommended for the infant of a vegan or vegetarian mother to also take supplements or consume fortified foods to prevent vitamin B12 deficiency.

Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency in infants include vomiting, lethargy, anemia, failure to thrive, hypotonia (low muscle tone), and developmental delay or regression. If a vitamin B12 deficiency is suspected, healthcare providers can perform blood tests to confirm the diagnosis. Treatment options include intramuscular or intravenous injections of vitamin B12, as well as oral supplementation for both the mother and infant.

Iron

Newborns acquire their iron stores from the mother's blood while in the womb. Breastfed babies usually get enough iron from their mother's milk for the first six months. However, full-term babies who are breastfed may need iron supplements around four months of age, as their fetal iron stores start to deplete. On the other hand, bottle-fed infants typically receive iron-fortified formula.

Once a child starts eating solid foods, they might not be consuming enough iron-rich foods, putting them at risk for iron deficiency anaemia. This is why it's important to introduce iron-rich foods into a child's diet as soon as possible. Iron-rich foods include red meat, poultry, seafood, dark green leafy vegetables, and iron-fortified infant cereals.

It's recommended to consult a doctor about a child's iron needs, especially if the child was born prematurely, has a mostly vegetarian or vegan diet, or is a picky eater. Doctors can advise on the appropriate iron supplements and their correct dosages. It's important to note that too much iron can be toxic, so supplements should always be kept out of a child's reach.

Vitamin A

Newborns are born with low vitamin A stores and are dependent on external sources, most importantly breast milk. In settings where vitamin A deficiency is common, infants may not receive adequate amounts of vitamin A from breast milk due to poor maternal nutritional status. Vitamin A deficiency can cause visual impairment in the form of night blindness and increase the risk of illness and death from childhood infections, including measles and diarrhoea.

Good sources of vitamin A include fortified fat spreads, carrots, sweet potatoes, mangoes, dark green vegetables such as spinach, and cabbage. Vitamin A is also found in dairy products, fish, poultry, meat, and infant formula.

It is important to ensure that newborns receive adequate amounts of vitamin A to support their overall health and development.

Frequently asked questions