

If your baby was premature or is getting ongoing medical care, they might need extra vitamins or a higher dose of vitamin D3. Very large doses of vitamin D3 may make your baby ill.Īsk your pharmacist, GP or public health nurse if you're not sure what to do. If the dose is correct, there are no risks to babies. The number of drops can vary, depending on the supplement you are using. Give your baby the correct dose directly into their mouth. You may need to give your baby the supplement in a different way with each new brand.

Giving your baby vitamin DĬheck the label on your vitamin D3 supplement for the number of drops or amount of liquid you need to give your baby. The cost will vary.Īsk your pharmacist how many doses you will get from a supplement and how long it will last once open.ĭepending on the supplement, you may need to buy more than 1 bottle in the year. It is not available on the medical card or Drugs Payment Scheme. You do not need a prescription to buy vitamin D. Buy supplements that are suitable for babies, and contain vitamin D3 only. You can buy vitamin D3 supplements for babies in pharmacies and some supermarkets. This can cause frequent bone fractures, muscle weakness and bone pain. Rickets in adults is known as osteomalacia or soft bones. It can cause severe bone deformities such as bowed legs and spine curves. Rickets is a condition that leads to soft bones. In severe cases, low levels of vitamin D can cause rickets or osteomalacia in children.

This is because people with black or brown skin may not make enough vitamin D from sunlight. If you have black or brown skin, for example if you have an African, African-Caribbean or south Asian background, you are more likely to have a baby with low levels of vitamin D. Research shows that vitamin D plays an important role in helping the immune system.

Use a supplement that contains vitamin D only. These are available in liquid form and can be given to your baby by dropper or by oral syringe. There are many suitable infant vitamin D3 supplements available to buy in Ireland. Infant formula now comes with vitamin D added to it.Īll breastfed babies will still need a vitamin D supplement after birth, even if: You do not need to give your baby a vitamin D supplement if they are fed more than 300ml of infant formula a day.
