Breastfeeding and Vitamin D

Vitamin D is known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’ because our bodies make it when our skin is exposed to sunlight. Unlike other important vitamins it is only found in a small number of foods and food alone does not provide the amount of Vitamin D our bodies need to keep our bones healthy.

In the past, sun exposure has been the main source of Vitamin D but we aren’t spending as much time in the sun due to changes in lifestyle and knowledge about the dangers of sun exposure (e.g., sunburn, skin cancer). This means we are at higher risk of Vitamin D deficiency (low levels of Vitamin D).

Pregnant people with risk factors 

Sufficient Vitamin D levels in pregnancy (particularly in the third trimester) help support bone health in infants.

Vitamin D supplements (400 IU-800 IU per day) can help ensure pēpi is born with sufficient amounts of Vitamin D and may reduce the risk of pregnancy conditions such as pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes, especially if the pregnant individual has any of the following risk factors: 

• Naturally darker skin 
• Lives south of Nelson/Marlborough and is pregnant during winter or spring 
• Doesn’t have much sun exposure for any reason, including not spending much time outside for religious, personal or medical reasons 

Talk to your midwife or doctor about a prescription for Vitamin D if you have any of the above risk factors.

Breastfed pēpi under one year of age 

Breastmilk is the ideal food for pēpi and has many benefits, but it often does not contain enough Vitamin D to meet all the needs of pēpi under one year old.

• Oral Vitamin D supplementation is recommended to all exclusively and partially breastfed pēpi until age 12 months to reduce the risk of rickets (a bone disorder caused by lack of Vitamin D that causes bone deformities, growth problems and developmental delays) and support bone health 
• All exclusively and partially* breastfed pēpi should be given Vitamin D drops – one drop per day (400IU or 10 micrograms) until they reach their first birthday 

Talk to your midwife or doctor about a prescription for Vitamin D drops.

* Infant formula is fortified with Vitamin D, so pēpi who are fully formula fed or drinking over 500ml of infant formula per day do not require Vitamin D supplementation.