HV comments on extended breastfeeding?

[TomRipley]

Not a BF v FF debate.

DS had his 1 year check over the phone yesterday. Questions about his diet, milestones etc.
Than asked about his milk intake. When she hears he's breastfed she asks if he's drinking any other milk which he isn't. I said I've tried cows milk in a sippy cup a few times but he doesn't seem to like it.

She then says 'oh, well he really should be drinking another milk by now as breast milk isn't enough for him. There's no iron or calcium in breast milk past 6 months' then went on to suggest I try oat, soya or aptamil milk as it has everything in it. Or, if I'm just going to feed him breast milk I should be give him a multivitamin.

Am I right in thinking this is really shitty advice and not at all true?
I challenged her of course as we'd already spoke about his food diet and how well and varied he eats and expressed no concerns about his health or development.

Her response was that it was up to me but that's what is recommended?!

She is wrong.

Vitamin d is the only supplement needed I think?

So, so wrong. Keep doing what you are doing.

Bullshit.

As pp vitamin D

Absolute bollocks. You'd think HVs would actually bother to learn about bfing.

As long as he has a good diet he only needs a vitamin D supplement (most of us in the UK do, FF babies don't as it's already in the formula).

She sounds terribly uneducated on BF and nutrition in general, I'd be complaining to the local health authority.

No iron or calcium??? There might be less than in formula but to say there's none is spectacularly misinformed. You should be giving a Vitamin D supplement but I don't think the NHS recommends anything else. Also if he eats cheese or yoghurt or has milk on cereal then all of these count as a portion of calcium.

Oh, and well done for carrying on breastfeeding, you're doing the absolute best for your baby.

Complete crap. You should complain because other more trusting or vulnerable people will believe the bullshit she’s spouting.

Breast milk and a balanced diet with a vitamin supplement is the absolute best thing for your baby.

How can there not be calcium in milk?

Iron? Presumably he is weaned on solids and meets his iron intake via that route?

Or are formula fed children relying on milk to meet all their nutritional needs?

It's wrong, of course.

But it is relevant how is diet is generally. She at be clumsily making the point about need for calcium, vitamin intake from food (rather than milk). If he's b/f & eating cheese, yogurt etc, then that's all fine.

Of course continuing to b/f beyond a year (I've done so too) is great; it is also important to be naturally reducing breast milk in favour of food.

It honestly enrages me when I hear the bullshit about breastfeeding being basically pointless beyond 6 months.

What do those people think babies had before formula was invented? Oh yes, for those not breastfed massively unsuitable food and drinks and a high infant death rate.

does your HV not understand that WHO and UNICEF recommend breastfeeding for up to two years and beyond?

I’d put in a complaint. She needs re-educating and sounds like the type to tell a first time mum struggling to establish BF to top up with formula when what she needs is some positioning support, a tongue tie evaluation and some emotional support

I'm pretty sure the current recommendation is that babies aged over 6 months who aren't having formula should take supplements of vitamins A, C and D (i.e. not just vit D), but that's not what your HV said!

I'm not sure why someone bfing at one would be any less likely to be feeding their dc with enough solid food than anyone ffing.
The HV's comments seem to have been about the milk not the food.

Have a look at the KellyMom website. There maybe less calcium in breast milk compared to cow’s milk or formula milk but the calcium in breast milk is absorbed more easily.

Mine have always had multi vitamins. They need vitamin D, but if they are having that they might as well get a multi vitamin.

At that age one of mine didn’t drink milk other than breastfeeding, but she had yoghurt, cheese and other dairy.

Spike I've just looked on the NHS website and that is what it says, yes.
My dc is still in primary school but had no similar advice, though I'm sure I gave vitamin d. because there's no sun where I live

@TomRipley ooh how frustrating!! My daughter is 13 months and we recently had to get her seen by a doctor for a high temperature and he was really pleased I was still breastfeeding, I actually got a (non patronising) well done. I have been giving her vitamin d and have started recently on a multivitamin, I just pop it in a yoghurt so she doesn't know she is getting it. I'm planning on feeding her until at least 3 months after my second covid vaccine just in case I can pass her any anti bodies.
I have tried her on some cow milk and she isn't too keen, but I'm offering it to her every now and again

How annoying. Dd is 13m and bf and I give her multivits (when I remember...) but otherwise she doesn’t drink other milk.

Iggi999 my HV told me that as long as I took my vitamins my breastfed baby didn't need any supplements at all - this was only last year and the guidance definitely hasn't changed since then so I think some of them aren't totally up to speed in that regard! I had been given d drops in one of the freebie packs so went to check the guidance for myself after the HV visit, which is the only reason I knew to add A and C supplements after 6 months.

Ignore, ignore, ignore. When my HV found out I was planning to EBF to 6 months (she was trying to give me wening advice at 4 months), she said 'Nobody does that!' When she found out I was still breastfeeding at 18 months, she said 'Oh, you're on of those mothers...' I was astounded at her attitude to BF and her lack of knowledge. The fact that yours has said that there's no calcium in breastmilk just shows that she's clueless as well :(

I BFed my dc until he was nearly 2, and he was under dietitian because of his severe allergies. She recommended addition of fortified milk too, and we did. As I understand, that breast milk is not nutritious enough after certain age.

What an idiot.

I'd report her too.

She is seriously lacking in knowledge. As are most posters on this thread. NHS and WHO suggest bf for a minimum of 2 years. As long as lo are having 3 meals a day and snacks there is no need to ready the number of bf.

NHS guidance is all children from the age of 6 months to 6 years who have less than 17oz of formula should be on a multivitamin. There is very little iron in bm but this is the same situation as fm and cw, so he needs that from food. Bm is a great source of calcium. Our paediatric dietitian said if lo is down to 2 feeds a day then it’s time to ensure she is getting enough calcium from other sources. Even then there is no need to drink milk, calcium can come from food - yoghurts, cheese, forfeited bread and there is a cereal which is forfeited too.

• some posters not most!

She’s completely wrong, I’d be inclined to report her for dangerous misinformation. If she’s this ill informed, what other bullshit is she spouting?