I think nature probably 'expects' us to spend a lot of time outside,
in all seasons, all climates and all weathers, from infancy, and not
necessarily wrapped up from head to toe, either. I think in far
northern latitudes we find traditional diets include comparatively
high levels of Vitamin D which bf mothers will pass on to their
nurslings.
Modern lifestyles have changed, and so nature's 'expectations' are
somewhat thwarted....how on earth is a baby gonna get the sunlight he
needs going from house to car to nursery care or supermarket and back
again, with just his nose peeping out his clothing? Ditto his mother.
In the UK, this issue is surrounded by confusion. Reading the
literature it seems clear to me that here, where there are no massive
extremes of climate, some bf babies over 6 months (whose intake of
breastmilk and therefore Vitamin D *may* be lowering, as mothers
introduce solids) who don't get the chance to be outside often
enough, will benefit from supplements....which may be easier to
introduce than a change of lifestyle. Official guidance is that all
bf babies of 6 mths should be offered these, but because of poor
training, it's often presented as breastfeeding not being
enough....which is sort of true, because breastfeeding cannot be
expected to make up for every 'gap' in modern-day behaviour. Give us
a few more thousand generations and it might adapt, of course :)
As a result of the poor marketing, some bf supporters and mothers get
very irate at the idea of supplements, which should simply be offered
alongside education and a good explanation, IMHO.
Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc, tutor, UK
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