Vitamin D Foods For Babies

Vitamin D Foods for Babies

May 12, 2011 | By Laura Niedziocha

Vitamin D is crucial to the proper development and formation of your baby's bones. Rickets, a vitamin D deficiency, occurs when the bones become too soft and weak to support the weight of your child. Symptoms of rickets include bowed legs and a protruding abdomen. The National Institutes of Health recommends that infants from zero to 12 months take in 400 IU of vitamin D everyday.

Formula

Infant formula is a special blend of the nutrients, vitamins and minerals that your infant needs. This includes vitamin D. Formula makers try to simulate their product as closely as possible to breast milk, but most formulas are fortified with extra vitamin D. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, an infant fed formula contains enough vitamin D to satisfy the child's needs.

Milk

As your baby begins to eat food, you may shift from nursing or formula to foods containing dairy and whole milk. Most milk sold in the United States is fortified with vitamin D, containing about 100 IU per cup. Adding in whole milk, yogurt or cottage cheese to your baby's diet can also help supply him with vitamin D.

Vitamin D and Nursing

One word of caution concerning vitamin D and nursing. Breast milk, though very much recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, does not contain enough vitamin D for your baby. Therefore, it is necessary to supplement your breast milk with vitamin D. Vitamin D is available in liquid form at most pharmacies. Give your child a drop of vitamin D each day until he is weaned from nursing and begins to drink either formula or milk.

Fortified Cereal

Fortified cereal is another way to help give your baby the vitamin D she needs. Cereal, whether it is rice or oats, are usually one of baby's first foods. It is gentle on her stomach and fortified with various vitamins and minerals that makes it healthy enough to take the place of breast milk or formula. Rice cereal contains about 20 percent of the daily intake of vitamin D for your child in just one serving.