Vitamin D helps us to build and maintain strong bones and teeth.
Our bodies can make vitamin D from the sun. But babies cannot safely get the vitamin D they need from the sun.
Your baby needs vitamin D because:
- Their skin is very sensitive to the sun and should not be in direct sunlight
- Their food (breast-milk or solid foods) may not have enough vitamin D in it
- Between 0 to 12 months babies grow very quickly and have a greater need for vitamin D to form strong bones
Research shows that vitamin D plays an important role in helping the immune system.