Do 1 Month Newborn Babies Need Calcium Supplement?

Pediatricians do not recommend feeding supplements to newborns babies. Breast milk fulfills all their demands related to nutrients. What if the baby got congenital calcium deficiency? He will need a calcium supplement in such a condition. Premature babies also need Vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorous supplements to develop faster.

Feeding 1 month baby calcium supplement depends on whether the child lacks this mineral or not. It won’t be necessary if your child is healthy and breastfeeding regularly. Premature and calcium deficient newborns need an additional supply of this mineral.

This post will cover how to treat calcium deficiency in newborns to improve their health.

When Does A Newborn Baby Need Calcium Supplement?

A newborn child needs 200-300 mg of calcium per day. It is enough to meet the baby’s developmental needs. Breast milk provides 225-250 mg of calcium per day. It meets the baby’s calcium and other nutrient needs precisely. Therefore, The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding exclusively for the first 6 months.

Not all babies are born well. Some newborn babies suffer from hypocalcaemia from birth. It takes some time to diagnose the issue, but such infants need more calcium than normal babies. Therefore, it is quite essential to diagnose the issue and treat it with the proper calcium supplementation.   

What Are the Symptoms of Calcium Deficiency in Newborns?

Excess calcium intake can be pretty harmful to your newborn child. Parents shouldn’t even think about feeding calcium supplement if the child doesn’t show any calcium deficiency symptom.

The supplementation is necessary only when the child has calcium deficiency or hypocalcaemia. You should look for the following symptoms to diagnose the problem:

• The baby will sweat a lot and you can also spot sweat on the bed sheet or in the baby’s clothes.

• Your child will seem upset most of the time. He will appear in discomfort most of the time and this irritable behavior indicates a health issue.

• The newborn child will rarely sleep longer than 40-60 minutes. He will wake up easily and start crying for no reason.

• Some babies also lose hair at the back of their head due to hypocalcaemia. You should contact the doctor immediately if it is happening to your child.

• Newborns suffering from calcium deficiency might not eat and rest properly. It slows down their growth and affects their development during the infancy period.

The above-listed signs can also indicate other unknown health issues. Parents should always take the child to a pediatrician to diagnose the health issue. If the doctor diagnoses hypocalcaemia, he will suggest the best 1 month baby calcium supplement to treat your child.

Can You Feed Calcium Supplement Along with Breast Milk to the Baby?

Breast milk is called complete food for newborns. It has every nutrient and mineral an infant needs. Caring mothers breastfeed exclusively until it’s the right time to feed other foods. Therefore, newborns do not need calcium supplements if they are fit and healthy.

Your newborn child may look weak and fragile, but it’s not due to calcium deficiency. The baby is too small at that time to look stronger. The child can suffer calcium deficiency if the most wean off too early or stop breastfeeding due to an underlying health issue. An additional calcium supplementation will be necessary for such a situation.

Do Breastfeeding Mothers Need An Additional Calcium Supply?

Studies show that a new mother can produce up to 450ml milk per day during the first week of motherhood. Her ability to produce milk increases up to 800ml by the second week for the next two months. She can produce up to 1000ml milk per day to soothe the baby’s hunger for 3-4 months.

Breast milk is the best food a newborn child can get. Being nutrient-rich, it offers an ample supply of easily absorbable calcium to the baby. Breast milk provides 200-300 mg of calcium per day. Thus, the mother loses up to 240 mg of calcium each day.

Suppose a breastfeeding mother can’t get enough calcium from the food, it is extracted from her bones. Thus, new mothers often lose their bone tissues to meet the child’s calcium needs. New mothers should follow a calcium-rich diet or they should take calcium supplements to replenish their calcium stores.

How A Breastfeeding Mother Can Gain More Calcium?

There are four simple ways to gain more calcium if you are a breastfeeding mother:

Follow a healthy diet plan

You should consume foods rich in calcium and vitamin D. The food you consume should offer 2g of calcium and vitamin D every day. Make soy products, dairy products, eggs, shrimp, fish, and seafood a part of your daily diet.

Avoid certain foods

Certain foods reduce calcium absorption in the human body. Spinach is one of them and these foods are not good for breastfeeding mother. Avoid foods that affect your calcium absorption capacity!

Spend some time in the sunlight along with your child

Sunlight provides vitamin D for free. It is quite essential for you and your newborn child. Vitamin D speeds up calcium absorption and you also absorb more phosphorus. You will absorb more calcium from your food if you get more vitamin D. So, start spending some time in the sunlight.

Get the necessary supplements

You should start taking calcium supplements if you can’t follow a strict diet plan. Consult with your doctor to know how much additional calcium you need. Get the recommended dose of calcium supplement and you will be healthier.

How to Increase the Calcium Absorption Rate In Babies?

The baby will easily absorb calcium if he gets ample vitamin D. A baby can gain vitamin D in two ways, which are as follows:

Through sunlight

Sunlight contains ultraviolet rays which irradiate the skin to turn 7-dehydrocholesterol into vitamin D. Not all parents take their newborn babies into the sunlight because it can damage the baby’s skin.

You don’t need to put the baby in the sunlight for hours. Just 5-10 minutes are enough to meet your child’s vitamin D demands. Keep your child’s legs exposed to the sunlight for 5-10 minutes. That would be enough to meet your child’s VD needs.

Through food

Newborns can only consume breast milk or formula milk. These foods provide a very little amount of VD. Your baby may soon lack vitamin D if he solely relies on food for his demands. Therefore, it is not a good option.

Take your child in the sunlight during the morning time. It’s the best time to sit in the sunlight comfortably and get some fresh air.

What Are Some Frequently Asked Questions About Vitamin D?

Can I feed a vitamin D supplement to a newborn child?

Healthy and normal babies usually don’t lack vitamin D. Infants suffer from calcium deficiency when the VD deficiency is severe. It is time to take your child to the doctor to get the right supplement. Your baby will need 400IU vitamin D per day. A high-quality supplement can easily meet that demand!

When you can start feeding Vitamin D supplement to the child?

You can start feeding the supplement when your child is 2 weeks old. He will show the symptoms of calcium deficiency by this age. It will be a signal for you that the child is also lacking vitamin D. Thus, you can start VD supplementation after consulting with the doctor.

Is it necessary to supplement the baby if the mother is already taking Vitamin D supplement?

Increased VD levels in the mother won’t increase its levels in the child. She can only breastfeed the baby to nourish him properly. The baby himself needs all the nutrients to avoid issues like hypocalcaemia. Therefore, both the mother and the child need a daily supply of VD.

Is there a specific time to feed the vitamin supplement?

There is no specific time to take this supplement. You can take a walk in the sunlight and gain Vitamin D to be ft.

What the Leading Health Experts Say About 1 Month Baby Calcium Feeding?

Not all doctors recommend calcium supplementation for newborns. Most health experts believe that the baby should get all the required nutrients from his food. Breast milk is the only food infants consume for the first 6 months after birth. It provides an ample amount of calcium to aid in a child’s development.

Health experts suggest adding immunity booster and calcium-rich foods into the child’s daily diet after 6 months. It is the time when a baby grows quite fast. A steady supply of vitamins, calcium, protein, carbohydrates and other nutrients will keep your child fit and healthy. Consider supplementation only when your infant is diagnosed with calcium deficiency.

Conclusion

It is possible to feed a 1 month baby calcium supplement. Parents should consider this option only if the child has a severe calcium deficiency. Take your baby to a pediatrician when he shows hypocalcaemia symptoms. Get the best treatment and supplement to boost calcium levels in your child’s body. Thus, he will not face any health problem due to a lack of calcium.  

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