Do newborns need calcium supplements? How can newborns supplement calcium?

Do newborns need calcium supplements? The correct approach is to start supplementing calcium on the third day after birth and continue until the child can eat the same normal food as adults. Do newborns need calcium supplements? How to supplement calcium for newborns? The editor will answer them one by one for you.

Do newborns need calcium supplements?

In addition to congenital inheritance, the factors that affect height are also crucial to postnatal growth and development, and calcium plays an important role in growth and development. In the body, minerals account for about 5% of body weight, while calcium accounts for 2%. And calcium is distributed in teeth and bones in the form of solid calcium, accounting for up to 99% of the total, and the remaining 1% is distributed in blood, intercellular fluid and soft tissue. According to the "Reference Intake of Dietary Nutrients for Chinese Residents" published in 2000, it is recommended that infants aged 0 to 0.5 years old should consume 300 mg per day, and 400 mg per day is recommended for infants aged 0.5 to 1 year old. The peak growth period of infants is before the age of 1, during which the growth of bones and teeth is particularly obvious and rapid, and the demand for calcium is also greater than that of adults. If calcium is deficient, it will lead to slow development and stunted development. Late and uneven teething, late learning to walk, O-shaped legs, etc. are also closely related to calcium deficiency in newborns.

If the mother has convulsions or malnutrition during pregnancy, the baby is more likely to be calcium deficient. In addition, different feeding methods will cause different calcium absorption in babies. The absorption rate of calcium in breast milk is 55-60%. The absorption rate of cow's milk, whether it is ordinary cow's milk or formula milk, is only about 40%, so it is necessary for newborns to supplement calcium appropriately.

How to supplement calcium for newborns

The values ​​provided in the "Reference Intake of Dietary Nutrients for Chinese Residents" published in 2000 are as follows: 300 mg/day for 0-5 months; 400 mg/day for 5-12 months; 600 mg/day for 1-4 years; 800 mg/day for 4-11 years. Babies who are breastfed within 1 year old can get 225-250 mg of calcium from breast milk every day, so for babies who are breastfed within 6 months, additional calcium supplementation is not emphasized. Babies who are breastfed from 6 months to 1 year old only need a little extra calcium supplementation. In this case, if the child does not have obvious symptoms of calcium deficiency, there is no need to supplement calcium.

If your child is really calcium deficient, you can choose calcium supplements, which use calcium carbonate as the main raw material and are high in calcium. Calcium tablets also have a high calcium content. In addition, calcium absorption is also affected by other ingredients in food. For example, high salt content in the diet or eating a lot of protein will lead to calcium loss, which will affect the effect of calcium supplementation.

Vegetables such as spinach and water spinach contain annoying oxalic acid or phytic acid, which will combine with calcium to form calcium oxalate precipitates, which in turn affects calcium absorption. Therefore, it is recommended to consume calcium supplements separately from the main meals, preferably 2 hours before or 3 hours after meals.

Symptoms of calcium deficiency in babies

1. There is a circle of baldness around the head. The hair in this part grows very slowly. The more obvious the baldness is, the more serious the calcium deficiency is.

2. Often makes trouble at night, cries incessantly, and sleeps restlessly.

3. Frequent sweating (excluding reasons such as wearing too many clothes, hot weather, and high levels of activity).

How to supplement calcium for babies

1. Food supplement: Food supplement is the best method for calcium supplementation for babies, mainly because it does not have side effects like drugs. If the baby's calcium deficiency is not very serious, you can add dried shrimps, beans, fish and other foods to the usual diet. Eat less vegetables and other foods that affect calcium absorption.

2. Take calcium supplements: Sometimes babies cannot get enough calcium from eating alone. If the baby is seriously deficient in calcium, it is necessary to give the baby calcium supplements appropriately. When taking calcium supplements, it should be noted that different calcium supplements have different absorption amounts and different calcium contents. According to data, calcium carbonate contains about 40% calcium, calcium acetate 29%, calcium citrate 21%, calcium hydrogen phosphate 15%, calcium lactate 13%, and calcium gluconate 9%. Experts point out that products with high calcium content and relatively low prices should be selected. Although calcium lactate does not contain very high calcium content, it has good absorption effect and is a good choice for calcium supplementation for babies.

3. Do not mix calcium supplements with meals: Mixing them together will affect calcium absorption, especially excessive intake of oxalic acid, which will greatly affect calcium absorption. For example, onions, amaranth, etc.

4. While supplementing calcium, you should also supplement cod liver oil: Cod liver oil is rich in vitamin D, which can promote the baby's digestion and absorption of calcium, which is also very important. You can take 1-2 cod liver oils a day.

5. In addition to the above dietary and calcium supplements, a more practical method is to let your baby bask in the sun more, which can supplement vitamin D very well, so as to ensure that the calcium taken in by the baby during meals can be well absorbed. Do not let your baby bask in the sun through glass, as that will not have much effect. Also, choose the right time according to the change of temperature.

Precautions for calcium supplementation in newborns

1. Choose calcium supplements containing vitamin D

Calcium supplementation also requires comparison of absorption rates. Vitamin D can promote calcium absorption. Since calcium carbonate has a higher absorption rate in the human body, calcium supplements with vitamin D are more effective. In this way, babies do not need to take vitamin D and cod liver oil separately, and it is not easy to cause excessive intake of vitamin D.

2. Reduce the impact of food factors on calcium supplementation

Calcium absorption is also affected by other ingredients in food. For example, high salt content in the diet or eating a lot of protein will lead to calcium loss, which will affect the effect of calcium supplementation. Oxalic acid or phytic acid in food will combine with calcium to form calcium oxalate precipitation, which will affect calcium absorption. Therefore, it is recommended to take calcium supplements separately from the main meal, preferably 2 hours before or 3 hours after a meal.

3. Choose high-quality and guaranteed products

There are many different brands of calcium supplements on the market. When choosing calcium supplements for your baby, you should pay attention to details such as the manufacturer, factory address, production date, shelf life, batch number, approval number, etc. to avoid buying counterfeit products. It is recommended to choose calcium supplements with OTC labels, which will make it safer for your baby to take.

4. Calcium for infants and young children should not be too sweet

0-3 years old is a critical period for the development of the baby's taste buds. The delicate taste bud cells are very sensitive to taste changes. Excessive taste stimulation will affect the development of the baby's taste buds, causing the baby's taste buds to react slowly to food, and the baby will become picky and anorexic. Therefore, you should choose a light milk-flavored calcium supplement for your baby.