Vitamin B12 Deficiency and Pregnancy, Part II: Taking Care of Baby

Did you have vitamin B12 deficiency or pernicious anemia during your pregnancy? If you’re currently breastfeeding your baby, it’s crucial that you continue to check your vitamin B12 (cobalamin) levels. Here’s the scoop on taking care of baby with vitamin B12 deficiency.

Breastfeeding with B12 deficiency

Even after giving birth, if you breastfeed without maintaining healthy vitamin B12 levels, then your baby is at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency . Many studies have been conducted documenting the dangers of breastfeeding exclusively while suffering from vitamin B12 deficiency; in them, researchers noted some disturbing signs of vitamin B12 deficiency in infants, most of which were alleviated with immediate supplementation of vitamin B12.

Symptoms of B12 deficiency in infants

In numerous studies, exclusively breastfed infants of mothers with vitamin B12 deficiency showed the following symptoms:

Failure to thrive
Irritability
Lethargy
Low muscle tone (hypotonia)
Poor muscular coordination (ataxia)
Feebleness
Anorexia
Developmental delays
Pernicious anemia

Permanent damage caused by B12 deficiency

Untreated, vitamin B12 deficiency can cause:

Permanent neurological damage
Gastrointestinal disorders
Increased risk for heart attack and stroke
Bone loss
Death- Are Vegans in France Responsible for Breast-fed Baby’s Death?

Breast or bottle- it’s still up to you

The decision to breastfeed or bottle-feed is a personal decision, but vitamin B12 deficiency should not be the deal breaker. You can rest assured that your baby is getting all the nourishment it needs, as long as you continue to maintain healthy vitamin B12 levels. Remember, it’s not possible to take too much vitamin B12, as there are no harmful side effects. Not having enough vitamin B12 in your blood supply, however, can be detrimental, even deadly.

Please tell us…

If you have pernicious anemia, did you find out only after years of suffering, or were you warned about it from family members?

Have you been putting off having a baby because of low energy from vitamin B12 deficiency?

As always, we welcome your comments!

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