Vitamin D while breastfeeding: how much for you, and your baby

How much do you need while breastfeeding

Ten micrograms a day, every day, for as long as you are breastfeeding. Vitamin D supports the normal function of the immune system and helps maintain normal bones, teeth and muscle function, and in the UK the reason it is a standing recommendation is simple: for much of the year there is not enough sunlight on your skin to make what you need. A daily supplement is the simple way to cover it.

What your breastfed baby needs

Breast milk is naturally low in vitamin D, so a breastfed baby needs their own supply. The NHS advises 8.5 to 10 micrograms a day, given as drops, from birth to one year, whether or not you are taking your own. This is a separate supplement from yours, not something that passes across in enough amount through milk. Your health visitor can recommend suitable infant drops.

Formula-fed babies

If your baby is having 500 millilitres or more of infant formula a day, they do not need extra vitamin D, because formula is already fortified with it. Once formula drops below that amount, the drops come back into the picture. If you are combination feeding, your health visitor can help you judge it.

Free Healthy Start vitamins

If you qualify for the Healthy Start scheme, the vitamins are free and cover this ground. The women's vitamins include vitamin D, and there are children's vitamin drops with vitamins A, C and D. It is worth checking your eligibility, because it covers the cost for both of you.

Can you take too much

Vitamin D is one of the few you can overdo, so it is worth knowing the ceiling. For adults, the safe upper level for everyday use is 100 micrograms a day. The 10 micrograms the NHS recommends sits comfortably below that, and a standard supplement is nowhere near the limit. If you are considering a much higher-dose product, speak to your GP first.

Keeping it simple

If you want your daily vitamin D as part of one new-mum capsule rather than a separate tablet, our postnatal includes it alongside the other nutrients of this stage. If you would rather take vitamin D on its own, a straightforward D3 does the job. Either way, your baby's drops are separate.