Unless your baby has special nutritional needs (for example, a tiny premie), you don't need to give vitamin supplements. When fed by a healthy mother, a healthy, full-term baby who is getting enough breastmilk does not need vitamin or iron supplements.

In the past, there has been concern about possible low levels of different vitamins and minerals in mother's milk, including vitamin D and iron. This led to the routine prescription of vitamin supplements for breastfeeding babies. Newer research has shown that sufficient amounts of these nutrients are found in human milk, in forms readily used by infants.

In rare situations, where mothers and babies receive very little exposure to the sun because of religious or cultural clothing choices that keep their skin covered nearly all the time, babies may need vitamin D supplements. And, mothers who are vegans (they eat no animal foods at all) will need to take a vitamin B12 supplement while nursing.

When you decide that you are done breastfeeding, giving a multivitamin such as Dr. Sears’ Little Champions is a good idea.