What Vitamins Do Newborns Need?

Your baby may benefit from taking certain vitamins and minerals as supplements. To ensure you are only giving your baby what they need, we advise speaking with your pediatrician prior to giving your baby any new supplements.

Liquid vitamins for babies make it easy for you to give your baby the nutrients they may need. You can add liquid vitamins to bottled breastmilk, baby formula, or give your baby a serving of a supplement on its own. Below are some of the best liquid vitamins to give to your baby.

Vitamin C

This antioxidant is essential for your child’s overall health and wellness. This vitamin C infant liquid may help support their immune system, limit free radical damage, and help with collagen production. Vitamin C is water-soluble, and cannot be synthesized by the body, which means your baby’s body cannot produce vitamin C on its own.

Collagen is the most abundant protein in your baby’s body. This protein provides structure to your baby’s developing teeth, skin, hair, bones, joints, and more. Without enough vitamin C, your baby’s cells won’t be able to produce collagen as effectively.

In addition to promoting collagen production, vitamin C can also help support your baby’s immune system.

However, it’s important to note that vitamin C is not a miracle cure for illnesses. Although the nutrient does play an important role in supporting a healthy immune system, it cannot be used to actually treat sickness, nor is it likely to make immediate improvements if your baby is feeling sick.

Instead of trying to use liquid vitamin C as a natural remedy if they are sick, make sure to take your baby to the doctor if they need medical care.

In addition, it’s important not to exceed the recommended daily dose of vitamin C for your baby.

The FDA recommends that infants get 40 - 50 mg of vitamin C each day, depending on the exact age. Any more than this amount may cause side effects. It’s also important to make sure not to try to give your baby a megadose of vitamin C. While larger doses of vitamin C, especially liposomal vitamin C, may be beneficial for adults, they may not be safe for infants or children – these doses of vitamin C contain over 500% the daily recommended amount for infants.

Vitamin D

This fat-soluble vitamin is essential for bone health, immune support, and emotional health. It’s also not found in high amounts in breastmilk. Because your baby may not get enough vitamin D when breastfed, a liquid vitamin D supplement can be a helpful addition to their diet.

Liquid vitamin D supplements can help your baby develop strong bones and support their immune system. However, it’s important to note that babies who are fed with formula may already be getting enough vitamin D – many baby formulas are fortified with vitamin D and other important nutrients. 

Check the nutrition facts label on your baby’s formula to see if it is fortified with D vitamins. If so, your baby could be getting sufficient vitamin D.

In addition, supplementing with vitamin D can be unsafe for a baby who is being fed with formula. If your baby’s formula already contains vitamin D, adding a supplement to their diet may take them over the daily recommended amount of vitamin D, which may potentially lead to side effects. Make sure to speak with your pediatrician to be sure you are giving your baby the correct amount of vitamin D.

Vitamin B12

This B-complex vitamin is essential for your baby’s neurological health. A vitamin B12 deficiency can cause your baby to have lower-than-average energy levels and excessive fatigue. In addition, lack of B12 in babies may potentially lead to stomach problems and anemia.

Vitamin B12 is not found in any plant-based foods, which makes the nutrient difficult for vegans to get without the use of supplements. If you are breastfeeding your baby and adhering to a vegan diet, you may need to supplement with vitamin B12.

It’s recommended that a breastfeeding vegan mother takes a B12 supplement instead of adding one into their baby’s diet. Make sure to talk to your doctor before getting started to ensure you are getting an adequate amount of B12.

Vitamin K

This fat-soluble vitamin is naturally produced by the human body, but it can also be found in foods. If your vitamin K levels are too low, you may bleed more easily. As a clotting agent, vitamin K helps to stop bleeding and can lower the risk of hemorrhagic disease in infants. 

Many babies are given a vitamin K injection at birth to aid in blood clotting and prevent a deficiency. This injection is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Because vitamin K is typically administered to children via injection, a supplement of this vitamin is usually not necessary. However, if your baby has not been injected with vitamin K, it may be necessary to feed them with fortified formula or give them a safe liquid supplement. If your baby has not received a vitamin K injection at birth, make sure to consult your pediatrician about how to proceed.

Iron

When a baby is born, their body’s iron levels are typically high enough to prevent a deficiency for the first few months of their life. However, after around 6 months of age, breastmilk does not contain enough iron to meet a baby’s daily needs in most cases. Because of this, some babies may become anemic without fortified formula or an iron supplement. 

If your baby is breastfed, you may want to talk to your pediatrician about the possibility of adding an iron supplement to their diet. Liquid iron supplements in doses of about 11 mg per day are recommended to babies ages 7 months to 12 months who are breastfed.

However, many babies get sufficient amounts of iron from formula, which is often fortified with vitamins and minerals. If your baby is being fed with formula, you should not need to add an iron supplement to their diet. If they are breastfed, they may need to start taking an iron supplement around 6 months. At this point, your baby’s iron reserves have likely been depleted, and they need to start getting iron from dietary sources or supplements to avoid a deficiency.

Can My Baby Take Probiotics?

Yes! MaryRuth’s liquid probiotic for infants is formulated for your baby, and it's a great source of gut supporting bacteria. Your baby’s gut health is essential for their ability to properly absorb nutrients from breastmilk or formula. In addition, a healthy gut microbiome plays an important role in the development of your baby’s immune system.

Your baby’s gut microbiome can be affected by multiple factors immediately after birth. These include antibiotics, medication, certain baby formulas, and even the method of delivery. If any of these factors have a negative effect on your baby’s gut, the development of their immune system and digestive system may be inhibited. 

Adding MaryRuth’s liquid probiotics for infants into your baby’s diet is a great way to support their immune system and developing gut microbiome.

While liquid probiotics are considered safe for infants, it’s always wise to consult your doctor before you give your baby any new supplement. A healthcare professional can advise you as to whether a supplement is necessary, beneficial, or safe for your baby. This rule applies to probiotics, vitamins, and any other supplements you might give your infant.

You can add MaryRuth’s liquid probiotic for infants to baby formula, or use the dropper to give your infant several standalone drops. Our infant-specific probiotic formula does not contain prebiotics, because both breastmilk and baby formula have prebiotics in them. However, the beneficial live cultures in our probiotics for infants can add a boost of gut supporting bacteria to your baby’s diet.

Does My Baby Need Omega-3s?

Omega-3 fatty acids can help support your baby’s neurological and visual development. These fatty acids may be found in your baby’s formula. However, the fatty acids added to baby formula often do not come from plant-based sources. Instead, they’re often derived from fish oil.

No matter what type of diet and regimen you plan to keep your baby on, MaryRuth’s liquid omega-3 for infants is a great option for them. Our omega-3 drops for infants contain fatty acids sourced from vegan algal oil. We get our algal oil from sustainably-grown algae, making this supplement ideal for a plant-based diet and for the environment!

The FDA does not have specific recommendations for a baby’s intake of omega-3 fatty acids. However, these fatty acids can play an important role in your baby’s development. 500-700 mg of omega-3s is generally a safe amount to give to your infant, and MaryRuth’s liquid omega-3s provide your baby with all the plant-based fatty acids that they need.

Got More Questions About Vitamins For Your Baby?

If you’re still curious about giving vitamins and other supplements to your baby, the best source of information is a medical professional. Your doctor or pediatrician can provide expert advice on how to create a safe, healthy supplement regimen for your baby to help them grow. Getting input from a professional is always wise when it comes to your choice of how you feed your baby and the supplements you give them.

To shop MaryRuth’s supplements for babies and kids, click here!