Pregnant women
Healthy Start Vitamin tablets continue to be available free for all pregnant women. These vitamins contain the vitamins you need to support you and your developing baby. They contain 400 micrograms of folic acid and 10 micrograms of vitamin D, as well as 70 milligrams of vitamin C. Folic acid (400 micrograms) is recommended if you are planning to become pregnant and for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. If you haven’t been taking folic acid before finding out you are pregnant it’s not too late to start.
Where to get Healthy Start Vitamin tablets
Healthy Start Vitamin tablets should be taken prior to pregnancy or as early as possible.
Your midwife will supply you with Healthy Start Vitamins to last you the duration of your pregnancy.
After you’ve given birth
Breastfeeding women
If you are breastfeeding, it’s recommended you take a 10microgram vitamin D supplement daily. You will be offered free vitamin D tablets (containing 10 micrograms) from your midwife and health visitor.
Where to get vitamin D tablets
You will receive your first supply of vitamin D tablets on discharge from the maternity unit. If you have a home birth, your midwife will arrange these for you. Further supplies will be provided by your health visitor or family nurse during home visits or appointments.
If you’re not breastfeeding, please follow Public Health Scotland’s advice available on the ‘Vitamin D and you’ leaflet.
Babies
It is recommended they have a daily supplement of 8.5-10 micrograms of vitamin D to help them develop healthy bones. Babies who are breastfeeding (or taking less than 500ml infant formula per day) will be offered free vitamin D drops (containing 10 micrograms) to take daily. Babies taking 500ml or more of infant formula per day do not require additional vitamin D supplements as infant formula has vitamin D added to it.
Vitamin D drops should be given to babies from a clean spoon as per guidance, not directly from the pipette.
Where to get vitamin D drops
You will be given vitamin D drops (if required) when you are discharged from the maternity unit. Home births will have these arranged by their midwife. Further supplies will be given by your health visitor or family nurse during home visits or appointments (if required).
As your child gets older
Children up to 3 years will be offered free vitamin D drops, you can get these from your health visitor or family nurse at routine appointments.
Vitamin D drops should continue to be given via a clean spoon as per guidance, not directly from the pipette.
Children over 3 years
Vitamin D, or multivitamins containing vitamin D, can be purchased for older children in pharmacies and supermarkets. There is no need to buy expensive vitamins. The main thing to look out for is getting the correct dose, which is 10 micrograms of vitamin D.
Higher doses of vitamin D
High doses of vitamin D should be avoided by adults and children unless recommended by your GP or medical team. Information on maximum doses can be found at www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-d/.
Further information
For more information on vitamin D, check out the ‘Vitamin D and You’ leaflet online on the Public Health Scotland website. This leaflet is available in English, Arabic, Polish, Traditional Chinese and Urdu. It can be requested in alternative formats such as large print, braille and audio versions.
