What volume of vitamin D3 supplement contains 400 IU for a healthy newborn?

Vitamin D Dosing: Volume Calculation for 400 IU

The volume of vitamin D supplement containing 400 IU depends entirely on the concentration of the specific product you are using, as different formulations contain different amounts of vitamin D per mL (typically ranging from 400 IU/mL to 5,000 IU/mL or higher). You must check the product label to determine the exact concentration before calculating the dose.

Standard Dosing Recommendation

• All healthy term infants should receive 400 IU of vitamin D daily starting at hospital discharge, regardless of feeding method 1, 2
• This dose is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and multiple international guideline societies 1, 3

How to Calculate the Volume

To determine how many mL contains 400 IU, you need to know your product's concentration:

• If your product contains 400 IU/mL: Give 1 mL (this is the most common concentration for infant vitamin D drops) 1
• If your product contains 1,000 IU/mL: Give 0.4 mL
• If your product contains 5,000 IU/mL: Give 0.08 mL

Critical Safety Considerations

• Always verify the concentration on your specific product label before dosing - this is the most common source of dosing errors 1
• Avoid extremely concentrated high-dose formulations (such as 50,000 IU/mL products intended for adults), as these significantly increase the risk of accidental overdose in infants 4
• The maximum safe daily dose for infants 0-6 months is 1,000 IU/day, and for infants 7-12 months is 1,500 IU/day 1, 2

Special Populations

• Preterm infants may require 200-1,000 IU/day (or 80-400 IU/kg/day) depending on their clinical status 5, 1
• Formula-fed infants should continue 400 IU/day supplementation until they consistently consume at least 28 ounces (840 mL) of vitamin D-fortified formula daily 1

Common Pitfall to Avoid

The single most dangerous error is using adult-strength concentrated vitamin D drops (such as 2,000-5,000 IU per drop) and giving the same volume as infant drops - this can result in severe vitamin D toxicity 4. Always use products specifically labeled for infant use with clear dosing instructions.