As a pediatrician practicing in the USA, I am taking some issue with Dr. Jack
Newman's recent post.

I agree wholeheartedly that WIC (and any similar program in Canada) should
promote breastfeeding through and beyond the first birthday as the normal and
optimal feeding for infants, with appropriate foods introduced after about six
months.

However, for those infants who are not breastfed, I feel that the use of iron
fortified formula is quite appropriate through most of the first year of life.
We have seen the incidence of iron-deficiency anemia almost vanish in our
formula-fed infants since this policy change has been implemented.  Although
Dr. Newman is quite correct in stating that meat or legumes can be used as
iron sources for infants, the reality is that prior to the implementation of
the extended use of iron-fortified formulas for non-breastfed infants, we
still saw quite a bit of iron deficiency in the second six months of life,
especially in economically disadvantaged populations.

Perhaps the solution is to continue to work to promote breastfeeding as the
normal and optimal feeding, since iron deficiency among breastfed infants is
rare.

Linda L. Shaw MD FAAP