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Raising a child is one of the most exciting and challenging experiences in our lives, full of joy and stress.
One of the most fundamental parts of raising a child is ensuring they’re well-fed and nourished throughout their lives.
It’s normal to worry if your kid is getting the nutrients they need, especially in the first few months of their lives, but is it worth buying liquid vitamins for kids?
In most cases, babies get all of the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients they need from their diet, whether baby food, breastmilk, or formula.
The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that healthy children who eat a balanced diet don’t need to take vitamin supplements, but many parents choose to give their children dietary supplements to make sure they get enough vitamins and minerals.
If your child is a picky eater or on a restricted diet (i.e. vegetarian or vegan diets), giving them dietary supplements may seem like the best way to meet their dietary needs but might not be necessary at all.
Even if you have a good reason to consider liquid vitamins for kids, you should always get an expert opinion before making any hasty decisions to medicate your (probably healthy) kid.
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Although most healthy children don’t need to take vitamin supplements, dietary supplements are a good way to ensure they get plenty of nutrients.
However, even if your kid is a picky eater or you think they could use an added boost of vitamins, you should consult with your family doctor before starting a new supplement routine.
Fortunately, there are a ton of vitamin and mineral supplements designed for children and babies available, so we’ve chosen some of the best liquid vitamins for kids to help you supplement safely:
SmartPants’ liquid multivitamins are GMO-free and contain 13 nutrients designed to support all aspects of your child’s growth and development, with an easy-to-use syringe included.
What’s more, they are free from the eight most common allergens, third-party certified, and designed by pediatricians to offer brain, bone, eye health, and immune support in one!
Garden of Life’s liquid vitamins for babies and toddlers are gluten-free, vegan and certified USDA Organic to help your kids get all the nutrients they need.
Furthermore, these supplements are vegan, meaning even kids on restricted diets can benefit from the 13 vitamins and minerals in this product.
Enfamil’s organic blend of eight essential vitamins is designed to help support your child’s growth and development and is free from most common allergens, so it’s safe for most children.
However, these supplements contain ferrous sulfate (a type of iron), so they may not be suitable for everyone.
These infant liquid vitamins are packed full of vitamin C to support your child’s immune response, iron absorption and more, with a mild citrus taste for easy doses.
However, you can get too much of a good thing, and the 45mg of vitamin C per dose (300% of the recommended daily intake for 1-3-year-old kids) could put your kid at risk of vitamin C toxicity.
Go Healthy’s multivitamin contains a wide variety of nutrients, including vitamins B1, 2, 3, and 6, to support your child’s physical and mental development.
Furthermore, these vitamins are sourced from a GMO-free blend of 35 fruits and vegetables to give your kids the benefits of a balanced diet rich in healthy foods without the hassle of trying to feed a fussy baby kale.
These great-tasting liquid vitamins for toddlers contain 14 vitamins – including vitamin A, C, D, E, Thiamin, Riboflavin, and more – is GMO-free and naturally flavored so your kids can enjoy taking their vitamins.
However, these supplements are recommended for ages 4 & up and contain xylitol, a sugar alcohol that may cause indigestion in children with sensitive stomachs, so they aren’t suitable for all families.
Babies should be getting all the energy and nutrients they need from food, and breastmilk is one of the best foods for them since it contains all the vitamins and minerals they need.
If you’re unable to (or choose not to) breastfeed your child, infant formulas are a great alternative since they are fortified with essential vitamins and minerals for your child’s development.
After six months, babies are usually ready to eat solid foods, and many baby foods are rich in fruit and vegetables that provide valuable energy and nutrition for your growing child.
Make sure to give your child plenty of fruit, vegetables, and dairy, and they should get all the vitamins and nutrients they need from their diet without the need for liquid vitamins for babies.
Vitamins are essential for growth, development, and general health, so you should try to give your kids all the vitamins they need to grow up healthy and strong.
While most kids will get plenty of vitamins from their diet, breastfeeding mothers should make sure to eat a balanced diet so that their child gets enough of these vitamins to grow up healthy and strong:
Fortunately, if you’re a healthy mom who takes pre or postnatal vitamins, your breastmilk should contain all the vitamins your baby needs.
However, you should ask your doctor about liquid vitamins for babies if your baby has a medical condition, was born prematurely, or is on a restricted diet (such as vegetarian or vegan diets).
As with adults, babies should primarily be getting vitamins and minerals from their diet, including breastmilk, formula, and food.
However, many hospitals and doctors prescribe liquid vitamins for babies shortly after birth, the most common being vitamin D, as deficiencies are common in the general population.
Fortunately, most babies don’t require vitamin or mineral supplements, as they get plenty of nutrients from their diets, so there is little reason to worry about nutrition if your baby seems healthy.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), supplements are unnecessary for most healthy children, and using supplements without a prescription could increase their risk of developing side effects from taking too many vitamins or minerals.
While a healthy diet is the best way to get the nutrients you need, it can be tough to give your baby the vitamins they need in their diet, so when is the best time to start using liquid vitamins for kids?
If your child is drinking roughly 500ml of (fortified) formula a day, then they shouldn’t need any additional vitamins until they are six months old.
However, babies fed breastmilk or organic formula (which is not fortified with vitamins) will probably need vitamin D supplements since it’s a common deficiency in the US.
As such, we recommend that children between six months and five years old are given supplements with vitamins A, C, and D.
As your baby transitions to solid foods, it’s essential to introduce them to a wide variety of fruit and veg so they can get the vitamins they need from their diet.
Unfortunately, 1-year-olds can be picky eaters and refuse to eat healthy foods, making it harder to get all the nutrients they need unless you use liquid vitamins for babies.
If your child refuses to eat certain foods, has a medical condition that prevents them from eating well or is on a restricted diet, then you should try and give them supplements with these vitamins:
This vitamin supports healthy vision and naturally occurs in breast milk, so babies fed with formula may need extra vitamin A, but breastfed babies generally do not.
Vitamin D helps build strong bones and teeth and naturally occurs in breastmilk, though vitamin D deficiencies are widespread, so doctors recommend that all breastfed babies take vitamin D supplements.
RELATED: Read our blog on restoring vitamin D levels to learn more about maintaining healthy levels of this vitamin
This vitamin protects cell membranes in the lungs and eyes, and there is plenty of vitamin E in breast milk, meaning that vitamin E generally isn’t recommended in liquid vitamins for babies.
Vitamin K helps stop bleeding, so doctors and nurses will give it to all infants when they are born, though you shouldn’t need any additional vitamin K supplements after that.
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is a strong antioxidant with various health benefits, and breastmilk contains more than enough for your baby, so there is no need to give your baby supplements.
Vitamin B6 is required for healthy brain development, and your diet will affect the vitamin B6 levels in breast milk, but if the mother has healthy eating habits or takes supplements, liquid vitamins for babies are unnecessary.
Folate contributes to health and development – especially in babies – and folate levels in breastmilk are directly correlated to diet, so mothers are recommended to take folate supplements or feed their babies formula fortified with folate.
Vitamin B12 is used in cell growth and the early development of the nervous system. It’s mainly found in animal products like milk and eggs, so if you’re on a restricted diet, you should take vitamin B12 supplements or use formula enriched with the vitamin.
All B vitamins help convert food into energy and maintain your skin, eyes, and nervous system, though most healthy women have plenty of these vitamins in their breastmilk. However, if you’re on a restricted diet or don’t breastfeed your baby, it may be worth using liquid vitamins for kids.
There are many reasons to consider giving your children supplements – especially if they’re picky eaters or on a restricted diet – but you should always proceed with caution.
Most kids get enough nutrition from their diet, so giving them liquid vitamins for kids is generally unnecessary and increases the risk of vitamin toxicity, which can be more dangerous than mild deficiencies.
As with any dietary supplement, we recommend asking an expert (like your family doctor or a pediatrician) for advice before starting a new supplement regime.
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