# Do babies need vitamin drops? | Clever Mum

> NHS advice: breastfed babies need daily vitamin D drops (8.5–10 micrograms) from birth. Formula-fed babies don’t until they’re on less than 500ml a day

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#  Do babies need vitamin drops? 

    
 
Quick answer — Do babies need vitamin drops? 

 
NHS advice: breastfed babies need daily vitamin D drops (8.5–10 micrograms) from birth. Formula-fed babies don’t until they’re on less than 500ml a day, because formula is fortified. From 6 months to 5 years, all children should have vitamins A, C and D unless drinking 500ml+ of formula. Healthy Start vouchers cover them for eligible families.

   
## The rules, by feeding method

* **Breastfed (fully or partially):** daily vitamin D drops of 8.5–10 micrograms from birth. Breast milk is superb at most things; vitamin D isn't one of them, and UK sunlight can't fill the gap for most of the year.
* **Formula-fed:** no drops needed while baby takes 500ml+ of formula a day, because formula is already fortified — adding drops on top would double up.
* **From 6 months to 5 years:** daily vitamin A, C and D supplements for all children, again unless they're still drinking 500ml+ of formula daily.

## Practicalities

Own-brand baby vitamin drops from supermarkets and pharmacies meet the NHS-recommended doses for a fraction of heavily-marketed brands — check the label for the microgram amounts rather than the packaging claims. Give drops at the same point in the routine (first morning feed works) so they actually happen.

## Free through Healthy Start

Families receiving qualifying benefits (and all under-18 parents) get free Healthy Start vitamins, plus the prepaid card for milk, fruit and vegetables — many eligible families never claim it. Check the Healthy Start site; it's genuinely quick.

   
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