The benefits of giving babies cod liver oil, at what age to begin, how to administer, and the daily dosage as recommended by the experts.
Should babies get cod liver oil as a supplement? If so, how young should this age-old traditional food be started? Are all brands of cod liver oil the same, or are there some that are vetted to be of higher quality?
The short answer is yes, babies need cod liver oil even if they are exclusively breastfed. More on this recommendation, timing, and dosages as suggested by the Weston A. Price Foundation below. (1)
Which Cod Liver Oil is Best for Babies?
Dr. Weston A. Price was very clear about the type of cod liver oil to give babies and children. It should be the high vitamin variety.
Unfortunately, almost all companies that produce cod liver oil have cheapened their manufacturing process over the years to either remove natural vitamins A/D and replace them with synthetic versions, reduce the amounts of A/D, or both.
In other words, most brands of cod liver oil are no longer considered high vitamin. Only a few quality ones remain on the market!
For example, Carlson’s brand of cod liver oil used to be recommended by the Weston Price Foundation only to be dropped from the list because the company started removing some of the natural vitamin A.
A few companies refused to cheapen their products and stopped using Norwegian manufacturers because the natural vitamin A/D was replaced with synthetic versions. A method for producing a high vitamin cod liver oil by fermenting the cod livers (not the oil!) was developed.
The resulting product is produced with no heat or solvents. However, this form of cod liver oil contains some beneficial lactic acid which can produce a mild burning sensation on the back of the throat for about 10% of folks who take it.
In those cases, extra virgin cod liver oil is a good option (such as this brand). This type of cod liver oil is raw and produced without heat or solvents. Additionally, it contains no lactic acid, which is easier for some to tolerate, especially babies and young children.
Health and Developmental Benefits
The benefits of adequate (natural) vitamin A and D from cod liver oil in a growing child’s diet are significant. Two of the most important are naturally straight teeth and improved learning at school.
Other benefits include the development of healthy bone structure, higher IQ, increased lung capacity, lowered risk for autoimmune disease, and markedly reduced risk for respiratory infection among many others. (2)
Appropriate Age and Dosage
What is the appropriate dosage for a young child given that the daily recommended intake of vitamin D has increased significantly in recent years?
When my children reached 3 months old, I started giving them 1/4 tsp of high vitamin cod liver oil daily with an eyedropper. All were exclusively breastfed. Incidentally, I was taking high vitamin cod liver oil myself on a daily basis as well. Moms need natural A/D too!
For example, Sally Fallon Morell, President of the Weston Price Foundation, told me that her grandchildren received 1/2 tsp of cod liver oil on a daily basis when they were babies. They started receiving this supplement at age 3 months and experienced no problems.
This is double the dose that I gave my own children! But, the appropriate daily dosage of vitamin D for children has increased significantly in recent years as scientists uncovered additional information about this remarkable nutrient.
Krill or Fish Oil Not a Good Substitute
It is important to not use krill oil or fish oil as a substitute for cod liver oil. Krill oil contains no vitamin D and very little vitamin A.
Similarly, plain fish oil is not a desirable substitute as it is a highly industrialized product (processed at high temperatures) and contains no natural vitamin A or D whatsoever. Â
High vitamin cod liver oil (this is the brand I’ve used since 2015) is far superior to other forms of marine oils on the market.
How to Give Babies Cod Liver Oil
There are several ways to ensure a baby is getting the proper amount of cod liver oil for optimum growth.
Eye Dropper
The easiest way to give babies cod liver oil is to put the 1/4-1/2 tsp daily dosage in a bottle of expressed Mother’s milk. You can also eye dropper it into the baby’s mouth a drop at a time if you aren’t pumping.
Formula
If you are not nursing, consider using this homemade baby formula developed by a PhD in Nutritional Sciences. It contains high vitamin cod liver oil as one of the key ingredients.
Skin Method
Another option is to apply cod liver oil to the skin. It absorbs quite well this way. For babies, try rubbing some on their bottom during a diaper change.
Note that old-time brands of diaper rash ointment used to contain cod liver oil!
Older Children Â
As children get older, a spoon can be used. My children all take high vitamin cod liver oil right off the spoon and chase with water. My youngest transitioned to this approach at weaning age with no trouble.
This video shows you how to give children cod liver oil based on my own experience over the years and coaching others on Traditional Diet.
If you have a creative way to get cod liver oil into your babies and children that would be helpful to share, please add in the comments section.  I would be very interested to hear of your experiences as I’m sure others would as well.
References
(1, 2) Weston A. Price Foundation: Cod Liver Oil
My twins’ pediatrician recommended cod liver oil to me for our babies, too. He actually said the dosage should be 1 tsp. Anyway, there was no need to get creative in giving the oil to my boys – they suck it down readily from a dropper and seem to really like it. I started giving it to them at 7 months after they had been experimenting with solid food for a month. So far so good.
I also am an exclusive breastfeeding mom who never uses bottles. Anyone have any other way to give this to babies? That would just be a pain for me to do it that way. I don’t even own any bottles!
I don’t use bottles, either. An infant dropper – such as those that come with baby tylenol – worked for us.
I don’t use bottles either. I use a syringe, I suck the CLO up in it and spray it into her mouth. Easy
I have found that putting the spoon way back in my throat (so the FCLO only touches the back of my tongue when I swallow) and then immediately taking a couple sips of orange juice seems to be the fastest way of clearing the flavor out of my mouth.
Hi Sarah, my son is unfortunately on commercial baby formula. I really want to get him the fclo. My only concern is the mention of high vitamins in the fclo and isn’t he getting enough vitamins from the formula, I don’t want to overdose him with too much vitamins. And I also think I saw you tell another reader to also get the butter oil, what does that do? Thank you so much.
I’m very new to this way of living and still trying to transition over. I just found out about GAPS and want to use it to help my son’s allergies. But in regards to the FCLO I have a baby 8 months. I BF but don’t pump or do any bottles. Due to an older child I have with food allergies (milk, eggs, nuts, sesame, and the dr told us to avoid sea food though he has no known allergy to them) I’m waiting to introduce solids to the baby. Should I just try to use a dropper to get it in her. What about just rubbing it on her skin after a bath? Would it absorb that way?
Should I try a small pea size amount on my sons wrist to see for an angry red allergic reaction? He has had an anaphylaxis reaction to nuts. Hence how we discovered the allergy. So I don’t want to do anything that would be more harmful to him.
I don’t understand the fuss about the fermented CLO!
Call me crazy, but in my opinion FCLO mixed with the high vitamin butter oil tastes good! I think people are having a mental block. I remember hating CLO when I was a kid which reminded me more of clear motor oil in texture and consistency than food. It was probably refined and/or rancid. I’m also a person who has loved whole canned sardines, since I was a kid, and grew to love whole fried fish when I lived in Spain and there they don’t cut the heads off either! The FCLO is no where near as strong tasting as the fish guts parts of eating tiny fish whole. I also like raw salmon roe from Japanese restaurants.
I gave my 7 month old the FCLO mixed with butter oil, (at 6 months his second food after the egg yolk was some mashed sardines that I like to eat for breakfast – I was waiting for liver from our grassfed beef rancher) and he didn’t even flinch or make a face! He almost choked trying to re-lick the spoon! Of course he’s been eating fish via me since before he was born and via nursing…
Crazy suggestion, but maybe if you take it and make a genuinely pleased or neutral face, your kid will take it and also be pleased? I’ll take the taste of FCLO over fake grape/fish flavored gummy fish any day of the week.
Hey Sarah,
I give my 14mo old twin girls nortic naturals childrens DHA (with a dropper.) Any thoughts on this product?
Also, they were borderline anemic at their 12mo visit so i give them poly vi sol with iron. But im so skeptical – im not sure if this product does more harm then good, but i want to make sure they get adequate iron.
any thoughts would be great!
Barb
Nordic Naturals has virtually no vitamin D. I know that brand very well and I do not recommend it. They use soy as a source for vitamin E. If you can afford Green Pasture just buy it. Even their colours are different let alone the natural vitamins.
Hi Regina!
Good question – I give my wee one D3 drops as well. I’m about ready to order a new bottle of green pastures – I THINK it’s the third one down but will be curious to hear if this is the correct product:
http://www.greenpasture.org/public/Products/CodLiverOil/index.cfm
I’m going to place an order along w/ some of their coconut oil – I’m going through it so quickly these days!
I
Hi Sarah,
I need some help to clarify on FCLO intake for my 10-month old son. I just got high vitamin butter/FCLO blend in cinnamon flavor…is it ok to give it to the baby ? How much ? Also, his ND is recommending high doses of D3 vitamin to strengthen immunity…Is this safe combined with FCLO ?
I saw your post about giving only plain FCLO antioxidant free to babies….Can you please send me exact name of the product if you think I need to give this product instead of what i bought ?
Thank you in advance…
Hi Sarah,
Is it absolutely necessary to take butter oil capsules if you eat plenty of butter in your diet? We buy Kerrygold butter, and I eat approximately 4 T. per day. Just trying to see if the butter oil is something I could opt out of since the FCLO is expensive enough as it is. Thanks!
Hi Charlene, you should get local grassfed butter and make ghee. Kerry Gold is not good enough quality IMO. It’s a nice cooking butter, but that is it. This is not expensive to do and taking 1/2 tsp of the homemade ghee WITH your FCLO will make a huge difference.
Sarah–
Is this what you would recommend for babies too? (taking the butter oil)? I am starting the FCLO with my 5 month old but was not planning on doing the butter oil too unless I should be doing that? I was thinking maybe the fat in the breastmilk would be enough, but we are getting donated breast milk (adopted baby) so I can’t really say for sure how fatty it is. What would you suggest?
Thanks!!