Re: mistype in BF babies and vitamin drops

[Guest guest]

Hmmm, it is true that formula has added vitamins and minerals and so vitamin

drops are not normally necessary. But the main concern is iron. And if

your child is eating a fairly varied diet by 6 months you don't have to

worry too much about that. And if you are breastfeeding, although the

babies stocks of iron he/she was born with are depleted the iron in

breastmilk is more bio available, i.e. it is absorbed more easily - so a

breastfed baby still getting plenty of breastmilk is ok on that score.

But it is very common for HVs to recommend vit drops from 6 months...

This is when I miss on this list. She would be able to give you

chapter and verse. anyway unless your child is keen on the nasty syrupy

stuff, more goes on their bib than down them and that is why I knocked it on

the head very early on (vit drops not bf).

FWIW normal 1st stage formula is as good as follow on so there is no need to

change unless you want to and flavoured milks are now out of favour because

of the amount of sugar they contain.

And I did a comparison in the supermarket the other day - follow on is only

5 cals more per 100ml than normal and there is no difference in cals between

normal and hungrier baby milk - so we are putting hungrier baby formula on a

hungry babies stomach to fill them up (casein is harder to digest than whey

and hungrier baby milks are based on casein)., so slowing down the number of

feeds but also reducing the number of calories per 24 hours that baby takes

in. How does that help a hungrier baby? Can someone explain?

Sue H.

who these days only gives her child vitamins when she has gorged herself on

sweets all day and not eaten properly.

[Guest guest]

>And if you are breastfeeding, although the

> babies stocks of iron he/she was born with are depleted the

iron in

> breastmilk is more bio available, i.e. it is absorbed more

easily - so a

> breastfed baby still getting plenty of breastmilk is ok on that

score.

I argued that point with her later on in the session as well.

She wasn't impressed with me for bringing it up.

> that is why I knocked it on

> the head very early on (vit drops not bf).

LOL! Our HV would probably rather you knocked bf on the head!

After all, it's so hard to work out if a baby is getting the

requisite pint a day when you're using those inconvenient

non-transparent boob things...

>

> FWIW normal 1st stage formula is as good as follow on so there

is no need to

> change unless you want to and flavoured milks are now out of

favour because

> of the amount of sugar they contain.

She recommended follow on as being beneficial because of the

extra iron. I don't know, I just sit there and listen to all

this stuff being churned out and I can't argue every single point

cause they already think I'm obstreporous...

> so we are putting hungrier baby formula on a

> hungry babies stomach to fill them up (casein is harder to

digest than whey

> and hungrier baby milks are based on casein)., so slowing down

the number of

> feeds but also reducing the number of calories per 24 hours

that baby takes

> in. How does that help a hungrier baby? Can someone explain?

it keeps them quiet, doesn't it. Well, that's what the people I

know who use it say about it.

(stroppy)

[Guest guest]

Sue wrote:

> But it is very common for HVs to recommend vit drops from 6

months...

I've read somwehre that HV's in the UK recommend vit drops to all kids

to cover those who aren't getting a good diet! I've also heard that

if you are breastfeeding and aren't sure about the vits and don't want

to give them to your child, take the pills yourself and that should

help!

There's something similar to this I think in 'Breast in Best' by the

Stanways but my copy isn't to hand right now.

> This is when I miss on this list

Ditto. Might be worth either contacting her offlist or posting to the

main list.

--

Sue whose daughter loves chewy vits but neither of us is very good at

remembering to take anything on a daily basis. God only knows how I

didn't end up pregnant when I was taking the pill (I used and abused

the extra 12 hours so often a pack would sometimes stretch for an

extra 2-3 days)

[Guest guest]

Breast is Best (p244) says that the mother should take a vitamin supplement

to ensure that her milk contains enough vitamins for the baby, according to

Dept of Health recommendations.

It goes on (p438) to say that babies/children don't need vitamins but the

DOH recommends that all children have extra vit A, C, D from age 6 months to

5 years to make sure that those who really need them get them. It says that

some breastfed babies do need supplements because of the mother has a poor

diet and/or lack sunshine. It advises contacting a doctor about this type

of situation.

It says that the majority of mothers and babies don't need vitamins but need

to make doubly sure they get a healthy diet and plenty of sunshine.

Joyce

============

http://clik.to/ourphotos

>

> I've read somwehre that HV's in the UK recommend vit drops to all kids

> to cover those who aren't getting a good diet! I've also heard that

> if you are breastfeeding and aren't sure about the vits and don't want

> to give them to your child, take the pills yourself and that should

> help!

>

> There's something similar to this I think in 'Breast in Best' by the

> Stanways but my copy isn't to hand right now.

>

[Guest guest]

> Breast is Best (p244)

Thanks Joyce. Nice to know my memory works sometimes, even if I can't

recall chapter and verse.

Trouble is I can't always recall exactly where I read things now

whereas when at school I used to 'project' the page onto a blank wall

and pretty much read down it. Came in very handy at exam time, except

the sections that were 'blurred'!

Must get the old brain cells exercising again. Perhaps I should set

up a brain cell exercise reminder....

--

Sue

[Guest guest]

> > in. How does that help a hungrier baby? Can someone explain?

>

> it keeps them quiet, doesn't it. Well, that's what the people I

> know who use it say about it.

>

In my experience it bungs them up so you just have a baby who winges about

being constipated instead of one who winges about being hungry.

Cerys

Cerys Byrne

Basingstoke Branch Chairman, Membership Secretary, Trainee PNDL, Exp Reg

holder & Region 4 Area Y Rep

Mum to 1/12/95 & Kieran 31/12/98

Wife to (Who?)

[Guest guest]

I remember being able to do this too. Can't now.

ina

> -----Original Message-----

> From: Sue Woollett

> Trouble is I can't always recall exactly where I read things now

> whereas when at school I used to 'project' the page onto a blank wall

> and pretty much read down it. Came in very handy at exam time, except

> the sections that were 'blurred'!

>

> Must get the old brain cells exercising again. Perhaps I should set

> up a brain cell exercise reminder....

>