Infant Fussy Baby - Allen Park, MI

I`ve been doing daycare for years and also have 3 of my own. With my experience, it was always the iron in it. I would try one with low or no iron.

Same thing happened with my first daughter...She became extremely fussy, and my doctor said it may have been due to the iron. I found some without the iron and that seemed to do the trick.

What everyone else says... no need to do the vitamins unless there is a legitmate reason. For a source to back this up read: http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/iron.html

You don't have to worry about iron for a few months yet. Breastmilk is all she needs. I'd drop the vitamins at this point. Some pediatricians are not well-informed on breastmilk. Check www.llli.org for more info. Click on Resources then the Answers section.

There is no need for a breastfed baby to receive vitamin or iron supplements as long as MOM is eating well and still taking a multi-vitamin (like your pre-natals)

Do you take vitamins/iron? If you're concerned that your baby isn't getting enough you could add it to your diet since you're nursing. Then you can skip the direct supplementing and maybe spare her a tummy ache.

Any vitamins with iron can be VERY constipating. She gets what she needs from your wonderful breastmilk. Unless she was tested and had low iron, there is no reason to give her the additional vitamins. My children were all breastfed, never had the iron vitamins and were all fine. At the time, our doc tested breastfed babies at 6 months to see if their iron was at a good level. Ask the doc why these were recommended. If he/she says that's just what they do...for no real reason, ask for a test. I truely doubt she needs the vitamins!

I'm sure it's the iron. I am curious, though, why your doctor recommended vitamins. Unless she is having some problems I can't think of, I can't imagine why a breastfed baby would need them. Your milk supplies everything she needs.

If you are exclusively breastfeeding I REALLY don't understand why the pediatrician is recommending this. Your breastmilk has all your baby needs. It is perfectly formulated for YOUR baby.

I'm guessing it is the iron. Iron can make anyone constipated, it could be giving her gas issues. Honestly, unless there are some developmental issues that the doc is concerned about... I would just stop the vitamins. I didn't start my daughter on a multi vitamin until she had completely weaned herself from breastfeeding, which was around 18 months. I did start her on Cod Liver Oil around 13 months since we don't do milk and I wanted to ensure she was getting the proper amounts of good fats.

Kids do need multi vitamins, it is difficult to ensure they are getting the proper amounts of fruits and veggies every day. But, again... not until they are more then a year old... closer to 2 and are not nursing any longer.

Just and FYI ... I LOVE LOVE LOVE Nordic Naturals for Cod Liver Oil and multi-vitamins. They are the best. 3rd party tested, pure manufacturing... it's all great.

It may be the high amounts of Iron in the vitamin.
My ped always recommended them and I never gave them to my bf babies. I have a hard time believing that the most natural food that was created especially for my baby is lacking in nutritional value. Plus your baby has a natural store of iron that lasts for about the first 6 months.
Blessings, K.

Some babies are fussy on vitamin drops. Iron can often cause discomfort for babies as well. You might want to try the drops without iron to see if it might be that. HTH S.

There may be too much iron for her with those vitamins. Does she seem to have gas?

From my own experience, I had to give my children a low iron formula. I know doctors say that is wrong that babies need the iron, but the synthetic iron bound them up and made them gassy.

They are 15 and 12 now and honor students. So the low iron did not affect their brain development.

If you are looking for an alternative liquid vitamin for your baby, let me know I can help.

Also, good for you having your daughter at 38. I was 36 when I had my son and 39 when my daughter was born. They keep me young.

Many blessings,

M.

it could be the IRON - my daughter got tummy cramps from even formula with IRON.....

My daughter was the same way. I stopped the vitamins and she stopped fussing. She'll be fine without them!

Hello M.,

the iron might be constipating her. time to look for an alternative. there is also infant vitamins from twin labs. I gave those to my kids until they were 6 years old! and YES there might be something in that particular vitamin that upsets her tummy or her behavior. Good luck and keep looking until you get the right answer for you and your baby!
~Carmen

Pediatricians in general have no clue when they recommend vitamins and supplements to their patients. Poly Vi Sol has artificial flavors and colors in their products. Children and adults bodies do not know what to do with synthetic vitamins. They are vitamins that your body cannot use. I have responded personally to your message also.

Iron can also effect bowel movements. She may be consitpated or it may be more difficult for her to go. Why did he recommend the vitamin in the first place?

Iron causes constipation in babies as well as adults. Seems the ped should have warned you of that.

Hi M.,

I too was told at my son's 4 month well child visit to give him those drops. I gave them to him for almost a month before I decided to stop. I noticed that the drops made him vomit and to me, it just wasn't worth it. Also that recommendation is a fairly new one and I think that all of the breastfed babies that came before ours and didn't use those drops, are just fine :)And if you think about it, you will start incorporating solids into her diet in the next couple of months and she'll get what they feel she may be lacking now. I personally felt as though it were an unnecessary evil so to speak. I don't recall him being any fussier than usual though. Hope this helps!

M.

After I posted my response, I read some of the others. Although the drops do have iron in them, that isn't the reason that doctors want breastfed babies to take them. It is for the vitamin D that breastfed babies don't get as much of as formula fed babies. So, it's not as though your daughter needs to be tested to see if she has an iron defeciency.

I agree that it could be the iron. It tends to be a little constipating. They do sell the vitamin drops without the iron. Give that a try and see if it makes a difference. Good luck and God Bless!

It could be the iron itself. A friend told me when her prenatal vits upset her stomach the OB ordered and low iron one. My daughter was exclusively breastfed at that age and our ped did not rec any supplements. I would ask if this was a specific rec based on something they found with your dtr or their general belief that breastfeeding does not provide all nutrients. Some peds love knowing that a child is getting everything and then some from fortified formula.