One more post-pediatrician visit question regarding vitamins

Sorry for the multiple questions. I'm a rookie mom and I second guess everything. I always feel better when I run things by you guys for opinions!

Last visit, our doctor recommended vitamins for the twins (12 weeks, born at 35w6d gestation, spend almost exactly 2 weeks in the NICU mainly for feeder/grower issues). We dutifully bought infant vitamins and gave them to them for three days. The vomited them up -- it was beyond spitting them up, definitely more violent than spitting up. We called the NICU and had them look at our charts to see if vitamins were recommended at discharge, and they weren't -- the NICU nurse we spoke with said if the doctor didn't recommend them, we didn't need to administer. We happily stopped giving them since they were obviously disagreeing with them. At this month's visit, she urged us again to start giving them. The babies are on a 1/2 breastmilk (expressed), 1/2 formula (Enfamil Lipil for premature babies) regimen.

Do you feel vitamins are essential? Since we've got two dissenting medical opinions, we're confused. Although we're inclined to go with the NICU doctor, since it seems like they're a bit more informed to preemie needs.

Thanks for your help.

 

I know my boys were prescribed some vitamin, or we were told to get it. I do remember Annabella was as well. And to be honest, I'm really bad at giving it to them. In fact, I'm horrible at it. I have gummy ones for the boys now and Annabella still has the prescription. If I remember twice a week I'm quite impressed.

My boys are 3 1/2 and are doing pretty good in my opinion!

 

We never did vitamins until they were a couple years. But we never had a recommendation from a doctor to do so either.

 

our pedi recommended the vitamins as well - I think b/c I was breastfeeding... I was really poor at remembering... after a while I asked if we were supposed to still be doing them, and she said no, it was something about when they were babies.

but here's a great kellymom article basically saying bf'd babies don't need them...

kellymom article

I would educate yourself so that you can ask the right questions to your pedi next time.

 

Thanks everyone -- your replies make me feel better!

Maybell, I did have information regarding the need for vitamins in breastfed vs. formula-fed babies...in addition to the info from the NICU. But when I asked the doctor about the info I gathered she insisted that we should be giving vitamins. Part of the reason I've asked so many questions today is she seems to give conflicting information to what I've read/researched. We're not really sold on her but I'm trying to figure out if it's just new mom paranoia or if we should maybe change doctors.

Thanks again!

 

My twins had to take it until they were 6 months. It did increase the puke up though. If you still wanna give them vitamin, I suggest give them with bm not with formula, do it at night feeding. You can decrease from 1 to 1/2 dropper. You can mix it in the last 1-2oz of milk in bottle.

 

our NICU put the babies on vitamins and like Meaghan I was HORRIBLE about remembering to do them. When I did I just put it in their bottles and that helped. At their 4 month check up they checked their iron levels and told me we could stop the vitamins.

 

We never did vitamins. At the 9 month check up, Royce was anemic, so he went on iron drops, but we never did the poly-vi-sol. Still really don't do vitamins, but my two eat a variety of foods over the week.

 

our pedi didn't recommend them till a year old and they gave my kids gas so bad I had to discontinue them!!! They get gummy vites now and are doing well!

 

We give our twins vitamin D. We live in New England area. Twins did not get much sun during the winter. It was too cold to take them outside very often. I believe vitamin D is very good for them. My twins are 100% breastfed too.

 

We were told to give them for the first 6 months or so...I NEVER gave them straight...they stink to high heaven I can't imagine what they taste like. We just mixed them in with a bottle once a day and they did fine with it. Some days I even put it in the formula I made for the day...then poured bottles...so there was very little of it in each bottle, but they got the amount they were supposed to have for the day.

 

Our pediatrician recommended them daily. - Poly Vi Sol - until they were 3000kg's. Then just Vitamin D since they are BF.
Also he said because they were preemie (and I've read this in Todays Parent), you are supposed to give them Iron for 1 yr.
We follow this and have had no problems!

 

What vitamins were you recommended? Sorry I skimmed the text above.

Mine get Vit D and iron daily. Vit D is recommended because of how grey it is here in BC and the iron because they were premature and breastfed.