Vitamin D and Breastfeeding | Breastfeeding special circumstances | CDC
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Sept. 23, 2025
Vitamin D supports healthy bone development. It helps prevent rickets, a condition that causes weak or deformed bones. Learn more about vitamin D considerations for breastfed infants.
Do infants get enough vitamin D from breast milk?
No. Breast milk alone does not provide infants with enough vitamin D. Shortly after birth, most breastfed infants will need an additional source of vitamin D through a supplement.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that breastfed and partially breastfed infants receive 400 International Units (IU) of vitamin D daily beginning in the first few days of life.
Families who do not wish to provide a supplement directly to their infant should discuss the risks and benefits of maternal high-dose supplements with a health care provider.
All children need vitamin D beginning shortly after birth.
Children younger than 12 months old need 400 IU of vitamin D each day.
Children 12 to 24 months old need 600 IU of vitamin D each day.
Why are breastfed infants at risk for vitamin D deficiency?
The risk for vitamin D deficiency increases when there is limited exposure to sunlight or when an infant is not consuming an adequate amount of vitamin D.
Other factors that decrease the amount of vitamin D a person can make from sunlight include:
Living at high latitudes (closer to the polar regions), particularly during winter.
High levels of air pollution.
Dense cloud covering.
The degree to which clothing covers the skin.
Use of sunscreen.
Darker skin types.
Because adequate sunshine exposure varies and sunshine exposure may increase the risk of skin cancer, vitamin D supplementation is recommended for breastfed infants.
Sept. 23, 2025
Content Source:
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP)
