Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy / breastfeeding - article on BBC website

[vole3]

here is the link

When I had DS1 in Germany in 2003 it was standard to give him a vitamin D tablet every day for his first 12mths. Of course no such recommendations over here in Oz - more of a challenge to keep bub out of the sun . We actually have a prob with the elderly keeping out of the sun toooo much and having health problems as a result.

I posted on the thread in breast/bottle feeding.

They tested me for Vit D [am in Oz & 11 weeks preg], I was deficient & now have to have a suppliment each day.

It is a new thing to test here in South Australia & alot of people ARE vit D deficient.

This may seem like a really stupid question sandcastles, (so forgive me!) but I thought you had loads of sunlight even in south oz, which would supply you with a more than adequate source of vit' D - is this not the case then? My sister in law lives in Melbourne and says they get plenty of sunshine, at least better than southern England which is where we live. Is there that much variation in temp' between Melbourne and proper south then? Sorry if stupid question!

Unfortunately the 'slip slop slap' campaign has been too successful in the respect that in order to avoid skin cancer people now habitually use high factor sunscreen which reduces the vitamin D obtained through exposure to sunlight.