5 Best Vitamin D Drops for Babies, Breastfed Infants, Kids

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends all parents supplement their children’s diets with vitamin D supplements. Babies up to 12 months should have at least 400 IU of vitamin D every day.

You might be wondering why vitamin D is so important, especially for babies.

Infants are still in their developmental stages, so they should be as nutritious and healthy as possible! Vitamin D is one supplement that’s a MUST for the proper health and strength development of their bones and bodies!

In this list, we picked the best vitamin D drops for babies on the market. These are all affordable, convenient to store, and also give your baby enough daily vitamin D to stay strong and healthy!

Our Top Vitamin D Picks for Babies

1. Nordic Naturals Baby’s Vitamin D3

This supplement is our best vitamin D drops pick for good reason.

This product is unique because it has an award-winning formula. It’s the official baby vitamin D by the American Pregnancy Association!

It’s also verified by a third party to be pure and exceptionally fresh. This Vitamin D supplement is recognized and trusted to get the job done!

It has a gluten-free and dairy-free formula, and vitamin D is made from the natural form of vitamin D which is cholecalciferol D3. This gives better body absorption compared to vitamin D2.

This source of vitamin D3 is also sourced from organic lichen, not lanolin.

The only other ingredient besides the actual vitamin D is organic extra virgin olive oil. This gives additional health benefits and contributes to better cardiovascular health for your baby!

With one drop, your baby will get 400 IU of vitamin D3. This is the daily recommended dosage for any baby.

This comes with a dropper for easy and accurate dosage, and the 0.37 fl oz bottle will last for about a year.

2. Baby Ddrops

You’ve probably heard or seen these vitamin D drops before. This is a popular product that doesn’t disappoint!

These baby drops are only made of two ingredients. One is vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), and the other is coconut oil.

Coconut oil is a wonderful substance that’s used in a lot of personal care products. Coconut oil is linked to promoting better heart health and cholesterol levels!

Rest assured that this vitamin D supplement is SAFE for your baby.

What makes these drops for babies great is that it’s tasteless. It’ll be easy to administer directly on your baby’s mouth, and you can sneak it in any milk or formula too!

These vitamin D drops are certified to be non-GMO. It’s also awarded by the Mom’s Choice Awards and is Parent Tested Parent Approved (PTPA) too!

This product is free of wheat, sugar, dairy, corn, soy, peanut, and gluten. One drop has 400 IU, which is enough vitamin D for your baby’s daily dosage.

On the downside, some parents reported that these drops for babies caused gassiness. If your baby has a sensitive stomach, you may want to try a different product instead.

It also only has 90 total drops (0.08 fl oz) per bottle. This is a lot lower than other vitamin D drops in this list.

3. Carlson Baby’s Super Daily Liquid Vitamin D3 Drops

These liquid vitamin D drops for babies also have a ton of positive reviews, and the option to get it in a 2-pack, 3-pack, or 4-pack is convenient for families with more than one baby.

It’s perfect for those who have twins or triplets!

This liquid vitamin D product provides the recommended daily dose of vitamin D3 of 400 IU with one drop. Each bottle contains 365 drops, which means you can use this every day for a year!

You’ll be set for the entire year for all your children with one purchase!

These baby drops are formulated with 3 simple ingredients which are vitamin D3, coconut oil, and palm oil. When consumed, coconut and palm oil have been linked to brain and heart health.

What also makes this baby drops product great is that it has NO artificial sweeteners, preservatives, and dyes. This also means it’s tasteless, making it easy to administer to your baby.

You can just apply a drop to your finger or breast and have your baby suck on it, or mix it in with any formula. To get one drop, Carlson Baby recommends you hold the bottle upside down for around 10 seconds.

4. Zarbee’s Naturals Baby Vitamin D Supplement

This is another great vitamin D drops product that’s easy to recommend! It has thousands of positive reviews on Amazon, and we’re sure that a lot of parents love these baby drops!

This formula is specially made for breastfed babies, and it’s made of two main ingredients. The first ingredient is vitamin D3, while the others are medium-chain triglycerides derived from coconut oil and palm kernel oil.

This is formulated to be gentle for any baby, so don’t worry about it causing any problems!

These drops for babies are also free of gluten, dairy, egg, and peanut. It’s also free of harmful chemicals like alcohol, artificial sweeteners, and dyes.

The unique and easy-to-use syringe is what we love the most about these vitamin D drops. You can easily give these drops to your baby, and you can directly administer them to their mouths or mix it with any food or formula!

Each serving gives 400 IU, which is enough vitamin D for babies up to 12 months.

On the downside, despite being more affordable than other baby drops on this list, it only has 56 servings. Expect this to run out after 2 months.

5. Mommy’s Bliss Vitamin D Organic Drops

These baby drops are made with two main ingredients and one additional vitamin. It has vitamin D3 and organic sunflower oil and is enriched with vitamin E to maintain freshness.

Sunflower oil has been linked to promoting heart health, better digestive system, and strengthens the immune system!

These drops for babies are completely organic and have NO artificial substances and allergens. You won’t find any colors, flavoring, gluten, soy, dairy, alcohol, and petroleum-based substances!

Since this has no taste, it will be easier to administer to your baby.

You just have to turn the bottle upside down 2-3 times and wait for a drop to form at the tip. You can drop this on your finger or breast or mix it in with milk and other baby beverages.

Each drop gives your baby 400 IU, which is enough vitamin D3 for the recommended daily dosage!

On the downside, this comes in a rather small bottle. Each bottle contains about 90 servings, so expect this to last for about 3 months.

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that’s related to having strong and healthy bones, a stronger immune system, heart function, and protects us from developing harmful conditions in the body. It also helps our bodies absorb calcium better!

There are two main types of vitamin D.

The first is vitamin D2, which is found in plant-like foods like mushrooms. The second and more common one is vitamin D3. You can find this in foods like salmon, cod, egg yolks, milk, and even orange juice!

This is an essential vitamin that your baby should have every day. As growing babies, they’re at a period where they will be exploring and using their bodies for the first time.

You want to ensure that your baby can grow properly and perform physical activities without having any problems related to vitamin D deficiency. You also want to make sure that your baby maintains strong bones and teeth!

For any baby, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends a dosage of 400 IU per day. Once they go over 12 months, the recommended dosage will increase to 600 IU per day.

Babies and kids aren’t the only ones who need a healthy dose of vitamin D every day, so here’s a nifty chart that can help you out.

Vitamin D Dosage Age Chart

Are Vitamin D Supplements Safe for Babies?

When used properly, Vitamin D supplements are completely safe for babies. Just make sure to follow manufacturer instructions before administering them to your baby!

It’s also important to only use the dropper that comes with your chosen vitamin D supplementation.

Using any other dropper can be inaccurate and this could lead to overdosage or under dosage for your baby!

When Should I Start Giving My Baby Vitamin D Drops?

You should already use vitamin D supplements for your baby’s first few days of life. Breastfed babies should receive the daily recommended amount of 400 IU until they reach 12 months old.

Many different foods are fortified with vitamin D like milk, yogurt, cereal, and orange juice. However, some infants only consume breast milk every day without eating other kinds of food.

This won’t be enough for vitamin D, so the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) strongly recommends that babies receive vitamin D supplements to make up for this.

And like with any other medicine and supplement, just make sure you always consult your pediatrician before letting your baby try anything new.

What Happens if I Forget to Give My Baby Vitamin D Drops?

Moms and dads don’t exactly have it easy when it comes to parenting.

Infants have a lot of baby needs, and when they grow older, your baby will learn to be more active and playful. This can make things even harder to handle!

It’s normal to forget about a lot of things, including giving vitamin D supplements to babies.

It’s okay to forget to give your baby a vitamin D supplement for one day. However, if it becomes a reoccurring thing for a long time, you’re already in danger of giving your baby a vitamin D deficiency!

As much as possible, you should give your baby a vitamin D supplement daily. If you consider yourself a forgetful person, then you can ask your significant other to take care of administering the vitamin D drops instead.

You can also set a daily alarm on your phone and strictly follow it every day!

Do Babies Really Need Vitamin D Drops?

Yes, babies really need vitamin D drops.

Breastfed infants don’t receive enough vitamin D from breast milk alone. Your baby should receive the right amount of vitamin D for their proper childhood development!

However, there are a couple of things you should know more about when it comes to the other sources of vitamin D for your baby.

Vitamin D in Breast Milk

Breast milk actually contains vitamin D, but as we previously mentioned, there isn’t enough vitamin D for the recommended daily dosage for your baby.

A mother with normal levels of vitamin D contains less than 50 IU per quart. For partially breastfed babies who receive less than 1 liter (32 oz) of milk formula every day, vitamin D drops are a must.

Despite being one of the most nutritious sources of food for infants, it doesn’t make the cut for the best source of vitamin D.

If the mom has vitamin D deficiency, then the breast milk will probably have even less vitamin D.

However, that also means that a mother with enough vitamin D can have sufficient amounts in their breast milk!

If a mom takes 6400 IU of vitamin D daily, then that will be plenty for her breastmilk to be rich in vitamin D. This is a great way of avoiding buying vitamin D drops for your baby altogether!

On the downside, 6400 IU of vitamin D is WAY OVER the recommended maximum dosage of 4000 IU for adults. If you’re planning on doing so, you have to consult with your doctor first just to be safe.

Sun Exposure

One of the best ways to get enough vitamin D is through sun exposure.

However, some of you might think that vitamin D comes directly from sunlight. This isn’t exactly true, but it’s still the cause of getting more vitamin D.

When your skin is exposed to ultraviolet light (UVB rays) from the sun, the rays actually enable vitamin D synthesis in your skin cells.

You also don’t need to get direct sunlight on your skin, especially for long periods. Being outdoors under the shade will be enough to get the benefits of sun rays in the atmosphere.

This is why spending a considerable amount of time outdoors every day is recommended.

However, the amount of time recommended for sun exposure can vary depending on skin tone, location, and diet.

Sunscreen use is also important and recommended if you’re expecting to stay under the sun for a long time.

Baby Guidelines for Exposure to Sunlight

For baby sun exposure, there are a couple of things you should take note of for your baby’s safety.

Newborn babies still have extremely delicate skin, so you shouldn’t expose their precious baby skin to the sun. Until they reach 6 months of age, it would be best to use supplements for your baby instead.

The sun is at its peak and hottest points at 10 AM and 4 PM. You should avoid these peak hours as much as possible if you want to protect your baby’s skin from harsh sun rays.

You should also avoid direct sunshine as much as possible. We recommend staying under the shade or using an umbrella when you take outdoor walks with your baby.

It would also be best for infants to wear lightweight and sun-protective clothing. This can help reduce the chances of harsh sunburns, and this applies more to those living in hotter and tropical climates.

As a last defensive measure, you can also use baby-safe sunscreen for added protection. Just make sure that your baby sunscreen isn’t riddled with harmful chemicals and substances that will do more harm than good!

How Can I Tell if My Baby is Vitamin D Deficient?

Physical Development Issues

Babies grow fast, and you should notice strides in physical development throughout their first two years. They should know how to sit, crawl, stand, and do other activities that require strength and agility.

If you notice your baby lacking in any of these aspects, or if it’s taking them quite a while to learn how to hold themselves up, then it could be a sign of vitamin D deficiency.

Muscle and Bone Pain

If your baby is often fussy, uncomfortable, or cries whenever they do physical activities, it could be more than just being hungry.

Their cries could be because of muscle or bone pain. If you’re suspecting that this is the case, you should have a check-up with your doctor as soon as possible.

Vitamin D deficiency is related to fatigue, bone pain, and mood changes. Make sure to figure things out as quickly as possible to ensure your baby’s safety!

Soft Bones/Rickets

Rickets is a skeletal disorder that’s caused by vitamin D deficiency. Without this supplement, your baby’s bones won’t be as strong and healthy as they should be.

This could lead to soft bones, stunted growth, and even major skeletal deformities.

Rickets is most common in babies aged 6-36 months. This is why it’s super important to take vitamin D drops and ensure that your growing baby is getting all the vitamins needed for healthy growth!

Other Body System Issues

Some of these issues aren’t really something you can physically identify, but it’s still worth mentioning.

Infants who have low vitamin D levels are linked to having an increased risk of respiratory infections and type 1 diabetes.

On the other hand, a high vitamin D level was found to help infants with neurodevelopmental disorders like ADHD and autism. Having a good intake of these vitamins also showed improvements to conditions like eczema and food allergies!

Factors That Put Your Baby at Risk for Vitamin D Deficiency

Location

The location matters more than you think when it comes to getting healthy amounts of vitamin D.

People living in colder climates with limited exposure to the sun usually have lower levels of this, and wearing clothes that cover the skin is also a factor.

This is why people living in the cold are more prone to vitamin D deficiencies.

Mom is Deficient in Vitamin D

We also mentioned this before, but moms who are deficient in vitamin D will also mean that their breastmilk will have fewer amounts of it.

It would be a good idea to take vitamin D yourself; just make sure that you consult a doctor first before planning on taking high doses!

Vegetarian and Vegan Diet

This applies to breastfeeding mommies and older kids.

If your diet doesn’t include rich sources of vitamin D like fish, eggs, meat, and milk, then it’s probable that your daily dose of vitamin D won’t be enough.

It would be best to include these foods in your diet, but it’s also fine to use a vitamin D supplement instead.

Darker Skin Types

Darker skin doesn’t react as strongly to sunlight compared to those with lighter and fairer skin. This means that darker-skinned babies won’t produce as much vitamin D when exposed to the sun.

Those with darker skin would also have to spend more time under the sun than those with lighter skin to benefit.

The standard recommendation would be 15 minutes, but if your baby has darker skin, then you might have to bump it up to 40-45 minutes instead.

Conclusion

Our top pick for the best vitamin D baby drops on this list is Nordic Naturals Baby Vitamin D3.

This product is recognized as the official vitamin D supplement of the American Pregnancy Association.

It’s verified to be pure and fresh too! This supplement will last for an entire year, so you’re getting great value for a dropper that won’t disappoint.

A popular choice that a lot of moms can vouch for, Baby Ddrops is a baby vitamin product you can count on.

It’s recognized by the Mom’s Choice Awards and PTPA, and it’s tasteless and easy to administer! You can use this for as long as 90 days, and each drop will give infants all the vitamin D they need.

For those with twins or have multiple babies, picking up the Carlson Baby’s Super Daily Liquid Vitamin D3 Drops will be the most convenient. Each bottle will last for 365 days, and you can conveniently buy them in multiple packs.

In one easy purchase, you’ll be set for the entire year for all your children!

FINAL TIP: For the best baby probiotics, check out this buying guide!