I missed the initial question here, but I agree that formula at 10 months is
completely unnecessary, even if the baby is not breastfeeding. The *need*
to use formula to a year is pure formula company marketing, which the
American Academy of Pediatrics has taken up (or, if I will say it as I think
it, duped into) because of the iron question. But a baby of 10 months can
drink plain cow's milk, goat's milk, camel milk, mare's milk, and maybe even
platypus milk, as long as he gets a variety of other foods in adequate
amounts and gets a decent amount of iron (which is pretty easy if he eats
meat).
It was only about 15 years ago, that the Canadian Paediatric Society was
saying cow's milk at 4 months. Then until about 8 years ago, cow's milk at
6 months. Now it's 9-12 months. Based on what, all this? Formula company
support for the Society. Sure, the *excuse* is iron, but really, unlike in
the US, there was no *big* issue of iron deficiency in Canada in 6-12 months
old. You don't need formula to get iron.
Pretty soon we'll be like the Europeans, who have special formulas for
children from 1 to 3 years of age. Ross is already advertising in Canada on
using formula to 18 months.
Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC
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