How Much Vitamins And Minerals Does A Baby Need?

Babies need a variety of vitamins and minerals in order to grow and develop properly. Deficiencies may result in delayed growth and other health problems, which are easily prevented by proper feeding and nutrition. Consult your doctor if you are concerned about your baby's intake of vitamins and nutrients, and to discuss the best feeding options.

Dietary Reference Intake

Dietary Reference Intakes, or DRI, are developed by the National Institute of Medicine's Food and Nutrition Board. According to Womens Infants and Children, or WIC, DRI for infants and babies is based on research on healthy infant nutrition, such as measurements of vitamins and minerals in breastmilk, and vary from baby to baby. However, they do provide a helpful general reference to determine your baby's nutritional needs. Dietary Reference Intakes are divided into several groups, including Recommended Daily Intake, or RDI, which represents the average amount of a given vitamin or nutrient for 97 to 98 percent of a population, as well as Adequate Intake, or AI, which is used when there is not enough evidence available to specify an RDI.

Breastfed Babies

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of your baby's life. Nursing should continue until at least the end of the first year for optimal health benefit. Breastmilk is easily digested by babies and contains antibodies to protect your baby from sickness. However, according to Dr. Frank Greer of the American Academy of Pediatrics, breastmilk does not contain vitamin D. Although vitamin D is naturally produced by the body during sunlight exposure, many doctors recommend that babies receive little sun exposure in order to prevent skin disease. Therefore, your doctor may recommend giving your baby a vitamin D supplement if you are exclusively breastfeeding.

Formula-fed Babies

Most formulas contain all the vitamins and nutrients your baby needs. However, there are a few that you should be especially careful to include in your baby's diet. Iron-fortified formulas are preferable to products with low iron content, according to Ask Dr. Sears. Formulas that contain DHA, an important fatty acid that contributes to brain development, may also be a healthy choice for your baby. However, according to Dr. Frank Greer, these formulas are relatively new to the market and may not be beneficial for all babies, so consult your doctor before using DHA-fortified formula.

Other Recommendations

Some doctors recommend that babies receive fluoride supplements of 25 mg per day starting at six months of age if tap water contains less than .3 ppm. If you breastfeed your baby and are a vegan or vegetarian, or if your older baby receives only plant foods, vitamin B-12 is also recommended. Babies age 0 to 6 months should receive .3 mcg each day, and babies older than 6 months should receive .5 mcg each day.