From the Pediatrician: Vitamin D for Breastfed and Formula-Fed Infants

By Fred Tega, MD, FAAP
Board-Certified Pediatrician and Founder of DocVites

Vitamin D guidance in the first year is one of the clearest examples of why feeding history matters.

The practical rule

The CDC recommends 400 IU (10 mcg) of vitamin D each day for children younger than 12 months. Breast milk usually does not provide all the vitamin D an infant needs, so babies who receive only breast milk—or both breast milk and infant formula—need a 400 IU daily vitamin D supplement beginning shortly after birth.

For babies receiving only infant formula, the answer depends on volume. Infant formula is fortified with vitamin D. The CDC states that additional vitamin D is not needed when an infant drinks about 32 ounces or more of infant formula per day. If intake is below that amount, supplemental vitamin D is generally still needed.

Why age matters

Cow's milk should not replace breast milk or infant formula before 12 months. After the first birthday, vitamin D needs increase to 600 IU per day, and diet begins to play a larger role.

Bottom line: do not decide from the bottle alone. Consider the baby's age, how the baby is fed, and how much fortified formula is actually consumed.

Educational information only. For questions about a specific infant's feeding pattern or supplement use, follow the child's pediatrician and the product label.