Do you give your kids vitamins?

[karen]

I am still nursing ds so I know he is getting nutrition from that but I am wondering if I should start giving him vitamins now. He is starting to become a bit of a picky eater. He will eat the smae thing for days and days and then suddenly, he won't like that food anymore and moves onto a new favorite food.

How old were your kids when you started giving them vitamins? What kind do you like?

[Erin Pavlina]

I started giving Emily vitamins when she was 2 years old, though I'm wishing I had done it sooner. In hindsight, I would have done it as soon as she could chew them. Such an easy way to get "insurance."

We use Kid Bear vitamins. I love them myself and steal hers quite frequently! She asks for them all the time because they taste great and are easy to chew.

Also, in case you weren't aware, you can get some free samples of Kid Bear vitamins thanks to a promotion they're doing at VegFamily.

Go to http://www.vegfamily.com/product-reviews/index.htm and click on the Kid Bear link where it says, "Request a free sample."

Also, how old is your child?

[karen]

Erin - my son is going to be 2 next month. And I just requested the free sample. :)

[veganmama]

I started when my son was about 17 months old. I give him Natures Chioce animal chewables. He currently loves all 3 flavors, but digs the tiggers best of all. I found them at Whole Foods and he takes one in the morning and one in the evening. I still nurse him twice a day, but am hoping to get that down to once a day soon. (As soon as he won't mind) For now he wants his "Mama milkies" first thing when he wakes up and last thing before bed. If I am not around at bed time he lets my husband put him to bed without nursing, but if I am there will cry till I nurse him. The fact for me is he needed to nurse for all of his nutrition till age one, but now just nurses for the comfort. Nutrition changes in breast milk as the toddler grows. He is getting less and less value from the breast milk and needs to be supplemented especially in the b-12.

Good luck. VM;)

[Katharina]

Veganmama, the World Health Organization (WHO) actually recommends breast-feeding for a *minimum* of two years (if possible) because it has been shown that health benefits continue up to that time (and later).
Don't feel as if your son is now feeding "just for comfort"- he is still getting very valuable nutrition!
I applaud all moms who practise extended breast-feeding, it is *so* beneficial for the child. :)

[veganmama]

Katharina:

Yes, I agree he is getting nutrition and I am a huge supporter of extended breastfeeding. I also quote the WHO on that too. I just know that he is not getting enough vitamins like b-12 from breast milk. I think vegan children are lucky if their moms breast feed past a year. I love nursing him. It is a very special and rewarding relationship for the both of us. I am not the type that lets him nurse all day. I feel, for me, demand nursing is best when a child is unable to get enough nutrition from eating. At 14 months I gradually switched to sippy cups during the day with no problem from him. I call nursing him twice a day the breast feeding prize. All of the hard work in the begining (pain, thrush, plugged ducts, constant nursing/cluster feeding) was so worth it when we made each goal and now have the best of both worlds. I actually would like him to self wean, but for medical reasons (infertility) I plan on helping him gently through the process by the time he is 26 months. I start medication for IVF in December or January depending on weaning him. He turns 2 in November. If I can have another baby (please pray I can) I will be letting that child self wean, since s/he will probably be our last.

VM :eek:

[GranolaMommy]

Luckily DS (19 mos) eats a pretty varied diet so I don't give him vitamins except for a sublingual B12. If he ate a less varied diet and wasn't nursing, I might consider supplementing however.