Lucy Upton, The Children's Dietitian, talks vitamins and supplements

The world of vitamins and supplements is confusing enough when we’re looking for ourselves – trying to understand what the best option is for your baby or child can feel even more overwhelming. So, we asked paediatric dietician and feeding therapist Lucy Upton to answer some common questions about them.

Does my baby need extra vitamins? 

Yes. Additional vitamin supplementation is recommended throughout the early years to reduce the risk of any deficiencies impacting a baby or child’s health.

Depending on a child’s age, and feeding method the following recommendations are made:

Under 6 months:

• Breastfed babies - supplementation with 10ug/400IU of Vitamin D is recommended daily from birth.   
• Breastfeeding mums should also have a Vitamin 10 supplement daily (10ug). 
• Formula or combination-fed babies - will not require additional supplementation unless they have <500mls of formula milk per day.

Over 6 months of age up to 5 years of age:

• Breastfed babies - supplementation with a combined Vitamin A, C and D supplement* is recommended daily from 6 months of age onwards. This should be continued through the toddler years.
• Formula or combination-fed babies - supplementation with a combined Vitamin A, C and D supplement* is recommended from 6 months of age once a baby has <500mls of formula milk per day. This should be continued through the toddler years  

*This supplement should ideally contain 10ug Vitamin D, 20mg of Vitamin C and 200ug of Vitamin A. 

What about if my child has specific dietary needs? (e.g allergies or a plant-based diet) 

As well as the above, additional vitamin and mineral supplementation may be recommended if a child has restrictions to their diet or dietary differences e.g. multiple food allergies, or are following a vegetarian or vegan diet. 

In these cases, discussion with a Paediatric Dietitian is recommended. They can advise on specific supplements required for your child, based on their unique circumstances, age and dietary intake. 

We hope this helps you feel confident to know what you’re looking for when it comes to vitamins.  

You can find out more about Lucy and her business, as The Children’s Dietitian, on her website.  

Hear more of our fascinating chats with Lucy on our Podcast episode ‘Avoid mealtime meltdowns’ and the bonus episode ‘Avoid choking hazards’ — find the podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen by following this link.