Vitamins for babies

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Healthy, full-term babies get most of the vitamins and minerals they need from breast milk or formula. If you're breastfeeding and following a complete, varied diet, you'll be sure to get all the nutrients your baby needs. When your baby starts eating solid foods, include a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and protein-rich foods.

1. Vitamin supplement for baby

From birth, all breastfed infants should receive a daily vitamin D supplement (8.5 to 10mcg). But if your baby drinks more than 500ml of formula per day, there is no need to add all the infant vitamins, because the formula is fortified with vitamin D.
When the baby is six months old. age and until the child is 5 years old, it is advisable to choose a vitamin supplement for the baby such as: vitamins A, C and D daily, unless the child has the first 500ml of formula per day or more. When buying supplements that contain vitamins for your baby, be sure to read the labels to check that they are age-appropriate.

2. Vitamins for babies

2.1. Vitamin D Vitamin D plays a role in helping the body absorb and retain calcium and phosphorus, both of which are important for building strong bones. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to rickets, a disease that softens bones and affects children in the United States usually during the first two years of life. Because breast milk does not provide enough vitamin D, all breastfed babies must be fortified with this vitamin. Vitamin D is found in a number of foods, but cannot be provided in sufficient quantities by the addition of raw foods, such as: oily fish and eggs.
The best source of vitamin D is the summer sun on our skin. But it's also important to keep your baby's skin safe in the sun. Children should not be exposed to the sun for too long in hot weather. Remember to cover or protect your baby's skin before it turns red or burns.
Young children should still take vitamins, even when they are out in the sun. Children 1 to 4 years of age should be given a daily supplement containing 10μg of vitamin D.
2.2. Vitamin A Among the baby vitamins, vitamin A is very important for babies and children. Vitamin A strengthens a child's immune system, helps their vision in dim light conditions and keeps their skin healthy.
Good food sources of vitamin A include: dairy products, fortified fats, carrots, sweet potatoes, dark green vegetables, such as: spinach, cabbage, and cotton broccoli.
Vitamin supplements containing vitamins A and C are recommended for infants and children aged 6 months to 5 years, unless the infant is taking more than 500ml of formula per day.

2.3. Vitamin C Vitamin C is very important for your child's general health and immune system. Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron effectively. Good food sources of vitamin C include: oranges, kiwi fruit, strawberries, cotton, broccoli, tomatoes, peppers...
2.4. Vitamin K The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all babies get a vitamin K shot soon after birth to reduce the risk of hemorrhagic disease. Because, vitamin K is needed by the body to help activate certain molecules that help blood clot.
2.5. Vitamin B12 Vitamin B12 keeps the body's nerves and blood cells healthy, and helps make DNA, the genetic material in all cells. A lack of vitamin B12 can cause a type of anemia called giant cell anemia that makes people tired and weak.
Vitamin B12 is not found in plant foods, so breastfeeding mothers who follow a strict vegan diet will need to add vitamin B12 in their diet to ensure that both themselves and their baby receive it. adequate levels of vitamins.
Signs and symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency in infants include: vomiting, lethargy, anemia, growth retardation, hypotonia, and growth/regression. Breastfed babies can be vitamin B12 deficient at 2-6 months of age, but symptoms may not be apparent until 6-12 months. And breastfed infants can develop clinical signs of vitamin B12 deficiency before their mothers develop one.
In addition to the vitamins mentioned above, an important and indispensable mineral component for babies is iron. Because breast milk is low in iron, most babies are born with enough iron stores to protect them from anemia, at least until they're four to six months old. If you have poorly controlled gestational diabetes or your baby is born prematurely or less than 2500 grams, your baby may not be getting enough iron during pregnancy.

The AAP recommends that exclusively and partially breastfed infants receive 1mg/kg/day of liquid iron supplements starting at 4-6 months and continuing until solid iron-containing foods are introduced at about six months old. You need to talk with your pediatrician about iron supplements for children.
As you introduce your baby to solid foods, choose foods that contain iron, like fortified cereals, meat, fish, beans, soybeans, lentils, spinach, garbanzo beans, navy beans, Swiss peas, kidney beans, tofu, black beans, beef and eggs and vegetables...
The above are very important baby vitamins to help support your baby's good development in the early stages of life and even later. In case if you are worried that your child's diet is lacking in nutrition or your child refuses to cooperate, you can take your child to Vinmec International General Hospital for examination, screening and advice. effectively, avoid abuse affecting the health of children. The examination process is always performed by doctors and experts with many years of experience, so parents can be assured of the medical quality at Vinmec hospital.
Vitamin deficiency can cause dangerous complications for children's health and mental health, so parents need to observe and timely supplement sources of these important vitamins.
In addition to dietary supplements, parents can give their children support foods containing essential vitamins and micro-minerals such as zinc, lysine, chromium, selenium, vitamin B... to help meet their full needs. meet the nutritional needs of children. At the same time, these essential vitamins also support digestion, enhance nutrient absorption, help improve anorexia, and help children eat well.
Please regularly visit Vinmec.com website and update useful information to take care of your baby and family.
Reference source: nhs.uk