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Healthy Home Economist / Archives / Healthy Pregnancy, Baby & Child / Should Babies Get Cod Liver Oil?

Should Babies Get Cod Liver Oil?

by Sarah Pope / Affiliate Links ✔

Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
  • Which Cod Liver Oil is Best for Babies?
  • Health and Developmental Benefits
  • Appropriate Age and Dosage
  • Krill or Fish Oil Not a Good Substitute
  • How to Give Babies Cod Liver Oil+−
    • Eye Dropper
    • Formula
    • Skin Method
    • Older Children  

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.

baby getting cod liver oil with an eyedropper

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.  

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  

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

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Category: Healthy Fats, Healthy Pregnancy, Baby & Child
Sarah Pope

Sarah Pope MGA has been a Health and Nutrition Educator since 2002. She is a summa cum laude graduate in Economics from Furman University and holds a Master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

She is the author of three books: Amazon #1 bestseller Get Your Fats Straight, Traditional Remedies for Modern Families, and Living Green in an Artificial World.

Her four eBooks Good Diet…Bad Diet, Real Food Fermentation, Ketonomics, and Ancestrally Inspired Dairy-Free Recipes are available for complimentary download via Healthy Home Plus.

Her mission is dedicated to helping families effectively incorporate the principles of ancestral diets within the modern household. She is a sought after lecturer around the world for conferences, summits, and podcasts.

Sarah was awarded Activist of the Year in 2010 at the International Wise Traditions Conference, subsequently serving on the Board of Directors of the nutrition nonprofit the Weston A. Price Foundation for seven years.

Her work has been covered by numerous independent and major media including USA Today, ABC, and NBC among many others.

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Reader Interactions

Comments (258)

  1. Rashmi karki

    Sep 29, 2016 at 11:09 am

    Hi, I have started to give my boy (5 yesrs) cod liver oil from today. But here in Nepal we don’t get the barns you said so what should I do

    Reply
  2. Joe

    Sep 28, 2016 at 2:54 am

    Hi Sarah, my wife and I just had twin girls on Sunday. We are still at the hospital in fact. May I ask why you say to wait 3 months before giving Green Pastures FCLO/high vitamin butter oil blend? I wanted to give it to them asap as I am a firm believer in its healing properties.

    Joe

    Reply
    • Sarah

      Sep 28, 2016 at 8:47 am

      What the babies need right after birth is colostrum from breastfeeding. Stick with that until they are 3 months old then you can use tiny amounts of cod liver oil.

  3. Ana Paula

    Sep 23, 2016 at 9:22 pm

    Hello! I just read your article and really liked it! I will buy the fermented cod liver next time. My baby is almost 4 months and I started the cod liver oil today. The fermented one is only online and I had already looked into the brand you mention, however, I bought the Nordic Naturals baby DHA. What do you think about this one? It is Non GMO and says it does not use synthetic additives. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Sarah

      Sep 24, 2016 at 8:16 am

      Nordic Naturals is unfortunately not a good brand of cod liver oil as some of the vitamin A/D is removed during processing. Here is another fantastic brand to look into: http://www.radiantlifecatalog.com/product/dropi-extra-virgin-cod-liver-oil/fish-butter-oils/?a=58537

  4. mphikelei

    Sep 14, 2016 at 11:53 am

    Ma baby is 16 days so it is safe to g ontove him a cod liver oil

    Reply
    • Sarah

      Sep 14, 2016 at 12:27 pm

      As mentioned in the article, cod liver oil should not be started until a baby is 3-4 months old.

  5. Darla

    Aug 7, 2016 at 11:22 am

    Hi Sarah, my baby is 3 weeks old today and his pediatrician (a wholistic doctor) is recommending I give him vitamin D drops. She says that vitamin D does not pass through breastmilk well. What do you recommend before they are 3 months? I am taking 2 tsp of green pastures fermented cod liver oil daily.

    Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Sarah

      Aug 7, 2016 at 11:59 am

      Cod liver oil should start for babies about 3-4 months old. I would skip the vitamin D drops as vitamins in isolation are not a good idea.

  6. Monica

    Apr 14, 2016 at 8:54 am

    Hello I put green pastures fermented cod liver oil in mash bananas and my 14 month old doesn’t know the difference:)

    Reply
  7. Martins

    Feb 12, 2016 at 3:44 am

    can my baby of one month take seven sea cod liver oil and is it safe. thank you

    Reply
    • Tubor

      May 6, 2016 at 4:02 am

      I am exclusively breastfeeding my baby and I started giving my baby fresh pure sevenseas cod liver oil,abidec multivitamin drop,vitamin c,woodward’s gripe water,paracetamol for pains.is it advisable and those it affect my exclusive breastfeeding.

  8. Amanda June

    Oct 11, 2015 at 3:30 am

    I mix it in his baby food… 2.5ml daily… he is 3 months

    Reply
  9. Ashley

    May 1, 2015 at 11:31 am

    My baby is 8 months old – can I try a flavored fermented cod liver oil or should i stick to the unflavored? My son who is 2 takes the chocolate one and loves it, but I wasn’t sure if a “flavor” should be avoided at such a young age?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist

      May 1, 2015 at 4:21 pm

      Stick to the plain. No flavors until at least after age 1 and probably best to wait until 18 months – 2 years old.

  10. Lauta

    Feb 21, 2015 at 4:52 pm

    Thanks for the article. I just have read as I am wanting to start my four boys on cod liver oil. A couple of questions… Do I stop giving them their D3 drop due to the vitamin d in the CLO? Also, do I still take and give to 5 month old if he is still breastfed? Thank you!

    Reply
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