breastfeeding

[gwennap]

Am I the only person who heard Jenny Hill on breakfast this morning say that babies who are white and breastfed are more likely to get rickets. She also said that powdered baby milk contains extra vitamin D. Great! some free advertising for the formula companies. I have phoned the BBC and grumbled, no doubt I'll be labelled as breastfeedin mafia, and ignored.

i am as pro BFing as you get.... but they stated facts... so i dont see how you can complain.
the point is that all children over 6m and under 5years (unless they drink a pint of formula a day) NEED vit D supplements. BFing mothers should also take 10ug of vit day per day.
children who are formula fed dont need vit D supplements because it is added to their milk.

The problem is many BFing mums arnt told they need to take vit d themselves and supplement their babies from 6m old, even though it is the official advice, hence the increased likelihood of being vit D deficient.

gwenap - nothing wrong with the BBC report (though it's babies who are black and Asian that are more at risk....maybe you misheard?) .

It's the truth - modern lifestyles may not allow babies in northern climes to get sufficient Vit D. Powdered baby milk has it added. Breastfed babies and their mothers during pregnancy and beyond may well benefit from supplements. It's not breastmilk that's deficient - it's the way we stay indoors too much :)

And I know you meant well, but when people complain about this sort of thing, it doesn't help....anyone taking your complaint, and then the people to whom it's passed on, will just roll their eyes. How does that help increase the culture's support for bf? :( :(