HELP - won't take vitamins - Poly Vi Sol w/Iron

wondering if anybody has some suggestions what I could do...

my 2 months old twins won't take the vitamins they have to take, we are exclusively breastfeeding now and pedi gave us vitamins for them, from Enfamil, they are called Poly-Vi-Sol with Iron.
they really taste aweful, I tried, and babies smell terribly out of their mouths, only with the 2 drops I managed to get in them.

after trying, babies scream so much and pass gas for an hour, I can barely breastfeed them at that point.

needless to say, I need a solution, I called pedi and they said to give the drops in 1oz of apple juice.

so I am suppose to give to each of my babies an ounce of apple juice each day? it just seems not right to me...

any suggestions?

thanks for help.
alexa

 

Those vitamins are so nasty! I pumped and supplemented with formula so I put the vitamins in the bottle with their milk. It turned the bottles greenish. They also used to spit up a lot after taking their vitamin bottles.

Could you mix it with nursery water instead of juice? It might taste pretty bad so I don't know if they'd suck the bottle. Are you pumping at all? Could you put it in a bottle with expressed milk?

 

Do they take a bottle? I used to put those vitamins mixed with some formula (not even an ounce). Maybe try that with your BM. If you don't pump, try the apple juice but you don't have to use a whole ounce.

 

I wouldn't do apple juice either!

We just put a dropper full in about 1/4 oz of breastmilk and feed them that before nursing. They take it right down without any problems.

 

My girls were on that vitamin from 2 weeks old until 11 months (when they switch to Poly Vi Flor (floride for teeth)). We always put it in the girls' morning bottle. Can you pump a little and give them a small bottle of EBM with the vitamin or do they refuse the bottle? It does taste awful and I could never give it to the girls' straight. Could you try water with a splash of apple juice and the vitamin? Sorry I can't be more help. Since my girls have always had it they've never fought us on it. :hug99:

 

hello all,

thanks for quick replies!

I did try to give them EBM with the drops, about 20cc, and it does just make the BM taste terrible, after I did that, Liana did not even take the bottle with just BM for 2 feedings, she was so upset.

I guess I'll try a tad of juice watered down with the drops...we'll see...

I did also research and it says that a healthy newborn does NOT need vitamin supplements at least for 6 months...I guess I ask my pedi again what's going on, my babies were born at 37 weeks.

alexa

 

I EBF'd my DD and she hated them. I found the best way to do it was in the tub and I would just put the syringe in the side of her cheek and go for it. She eventually got used to it and it became less and less of s struggle over time. But I did not do it everyday.

 

Our girls are supposed to take those and I just don't give them :blush:

 

QUOTE(alexafaeh @ May 5 2008, 11:38 AM) [snapback]756465[/snapback]
I did also research and it says that a healthy newborn does NOT need vitamin supplements at least for 6 months...I guess I ask my pedi again what's going on, my babies were born at 37 weeks.

alexa


My pediatrician told me the same thing; that healthy newborns don't need extra vitamins, it's just a ploy from the formula companies (many of whom make the vitamins) to make mothers feel that their breastmilk doesn't contain everything their baby needs. If you decide your babies DO need vitamins, you could try the Tri-Vi-Sol vitamins. Tri has everything the Poly has except for vitamin B, and the vitamin B is what makes it taste and smell awful. You can find the Tri at local pharmacies next to the Poly.

 

The only reason my babies get Tri Vi Sol is because they were preemies. My pedi said there was no need to give vitamins to my first child since he was a healthy term baby, and I exclusively breast fed him for 6 months.

 

I find it very strange that your pedi would recommend this so early. My boys were born at 35 weeks 6 days and were in the nicu for over a week and are EBF and my pedi didn't suggest them until 6 months. Even then he said it's not a big deal if I don't give them. Honestly I wouln't worry about it this soon.

 

I remember giving them to my older DD who was breastfed....but I don't think I gave them that early? I think the issue is getting enough iron into the baby -- but, they're born with iron stores, and I think breastmilk contains enough for at least six months.

I'd be tempted to just skip it....or, try the Tr-Vi-Sol like a PP mentioned.

EBM is too precious -- I would hate to waste it by putting the vitamins in, and then have the babies reject it! And personally, I'd hate to have to give apple juice so early. (Although my DS did have pedialyte at that age, which isn't exactly good for you.)

 

They threw up all over me every time I tried to give them those darn things. I tried all kinds of different ways and finally gave up because I was so tired of green vomit everywhere and them refusing to eat for the next six hours. I told the ped what was going on and he said we should try again. I didn't. But we do supplement with formula so I figured it is fortified. I just don't get why breast fed babies suddenly need this now in modern times but didn't prior. My Ped said it was mostly for the Vit D so I just got them outside or in front of a window for a bit every day.

Good luck with it. I hope you find something that works for you or make your peace with it somehow. :hug99:

 

I had to give this to my oldest twin, but I formula feed. Try mixing in more EBM (I know it's liquid gold, but give it a shot, it might help drown out the taste.) I used to put it in 4 oz and never had any problems... He had to have it because he was mildly anemic (and slightly premature- born at 35.4 weeks) He has a low red blood cell count due to a bit of ttts at birth (his brother has a high count of red blood cells and was actually very red at birth while he was very pale.) He was able to stop taking it at 4 months once his iron levels reached a certain number. Have you asked your pedi why he's taking it- does he have a low iron level?? My understanding is that iron helps deliver oxygen to the brain (something I didn't want to mess with Good luck!

 

Unless your babies had problems like IUGR, they do NOT need the vitamins! Agree with pp - it's just a ploy from the formula companies to make you buy more stuff and doubt the awesomeness and perfection of your own milk.

QUOTE
Vitamin and mineral supplements are not necessary for the average healthy, full-term breastfed baby during the first year. Breastmilk is all that your baby needs for at least the first six months of life. Studies have shown that vitamins, fluoride, iron, water, juice, formula and solid foods are rarely beneficial to healthy breastfed babies during the first six months, and some can even be harmful. There are certain cases where a vitamin supplement may be needed for a breastfed baby during the first year, but these cases are the exception, not the rule (see below for specifics).

The American Academy of Pediatrics (Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk) states:

No supplements (water, glucose water, formula, and so forth) should be given to breastfeeding newborns unless a medical indication exists... Exclusive breastfeeding is ideal nutrition and sufficient to support optimal growth and development for approximately the first 6 months after birth.


source

QUOTE
Anemia is uncommon in breastfed babies for several reasons

Healthy, full-term babies have enough iron stores in their bodies to last for at least the first six months. The current research indicates that a baby's iron stores should last between six and twelve months, depending upon the baby.

The iron in breastmilk is better absorbed than that from other sources. The vitamin C and high lactose levels in breastmilk aid in iron absorption.


source

Long story short? Ditch the vitamins! They don't need 'em. Your milk is perfect.

 

Another ditto to throwing out those vitamins. The only supplement that BF babies *may* need is Vit D - and only if you live in a place where they can't get 20 minutes of sunlight every day. We had to give all our babes Vit D, because they were born in Canada and the Netherlands, but if we had been somewhere will a sunnier climate it wouldn't have been necessary. Your BM is all they need until at least 6 months. After that they may need some iron supplementation if you are still EBF.