3 MinYour baby's first 12 months are a real growth spurt! During this period, your child undergoes the most rapid development. It is remarkable to see how they develop on almost nothing but breast milk and formula. In this blog, you can read about which vitamins and minerals your baby needs.
In this article, you can read
- How quickly your baby develops in the first year
- The importance of vitamins D and K
- How much vitamin D and K your baby needs
- An overview of other important vitamins and minerals for your baby
Vitamins D and K
- Vitamin D:
Babies need extra vitamin D for growth from week 1 onwards. Vitamin D3 is important for bone formation, good muscle function and natural resistance.
Vitamin D also promotes the absorption of calcium and phosphorus from food. Babies do not get enough vitamin D from breast milk, so from week 1 onwards, it is recommended to give 10 mcg of vitamin D per day. - Vitamin K:
Vitamin K contributes to normal blood clotting and plays a role in bone formation. Babies only start producing vitamin K themselves after 3 months. That is why it is important to give babies up to 3 months of age an extra 150 mcg of vitamin K.
This applies to babies who are breastfed or receive less than 500 ml of formula, because vitamin K is added to formula.
Read this blog if you want to learn more about vitamins D and K for your baby.
Other vitamins
Curious about the other vitamins? Below is a table that shows how much of each vitamin your baby needs per day. If there is a dash, it means that the RDA (recommended daily allowance) is unknown.
Vitamin | 0-5 months | 6-11 months |
A | - | 300 mcg (retinol) |
B1 | 0,2 mg | 0,2 mg |
B2 | 0,4 mg | 0,4 mg |
B3 | 2 mg | 2 mg (nicotinezuur) |
B5 | 2 mg | 2 mg |
B6 | 0,12 - 0,2 mg * | 0,2 mg |
B8 | 4 mcg | 6 mcg |
B11 - folic acid | 50 mcg | 60 mcg |
B12 | 0,4 mcg | 0,5 mcg |
C | - | 20 mcg |
D | 10 mcg | 10 mcg |
E | - | 10 mcg (alfatocoferol) |
K | 150 mcg ** | - |
* = For fully breastfed babies, 0.12 mg per day applies; for bottle-fed babies, 0.20 mg per day applies due to the higher protein content in bottle-fed formula.
** = Based on full breastfeeding or less than 500 ml of bottle-fed formula per day.
Minerals
And now for the minerals:
Mineral | 0-5 months | 6-11 months |
Calcium | 210 mg | 450 mg |
Magnesium | - | 80 mg |
Potassium | - | 1100 mg |
Phosphorus | - | 420 mg / kg |
Iron | - | 8 mg |
Zinc | - | 5 mg |
Copper | - | 0,3 mg |
Iodine | - | 50 mg |
Selenium | - | 15 mcg |
Chromium | 0,2 mcg | 5,5 mcg |
Manganese | - | 0,02 - 0,5 mg |
Fluoride | - | 0,4 mg |
Molybdenum | - | 10 mcg |
Conclusion
In your baby's early years, everything revolves around growth, development and good health. Vitamins and minerals play a crucial role in this important phase. By ensuring sufficient vitamin D and K, as well as other essential nutrients,you give your little one the best chance of a healthy start. With the right care and attention, your baby can explore the world with confidence!
