I wonder if the meds that are used to lower stomach acids in cases of  
reflux could possibly be a problem.

Carolyn Schindewolf, IBCLC
On Feb 17, 2008, at 2:06 AM, Marie Farver wrote:

> Subject: blue baby syndrome
>
> 	"Nitrates are naturally occurring nitrogen/oxygen "chemicals" found  
> in almost every vegetable that we eat. Nitrates are also laboratory  
> formulated and used in fertilizers. Nitrates are ingested either  
> from vegetables or drinking water.
> Around the age of three months, an increase in the amount of  
> hydrochloric acid in a baby's stomach kills most of the bacteria  
> that convert nitrate to nitrite. Nitrites hinder proper oxygen  
> transportation in the red blood cells. “Once in the blood, nitrite  
> oxidizes iron in the hemoglobin of red blood cells to form  
> methemoglobin, which lacks hemoglobin's oxygen-carrying ability.”
> By the time a baby is six months old, its digestive system is fully  
> developed, and none of the nitrate-converting bacteria remain. In  
> older children and adults, nitrate is absorbed and excreted. Babies  
> who are over the age of 6 months old have developed the stomach  
> acids necessary to fight the bacteria that helps nitrate conversion  
> and subsequent nitrate poisoning.
> 	In general, large quantities of beets, carrots, and spinach  
> should not be given to infants under 6 months of age because of the  
> high content of nitrate in these vegetables. Due to an undeveloped  
> intestinal system, young infants have low stomach acidity and can  
> convert nitrate to nitrite. Nitrite can displace oxygen in  
> hemoglobin and, under extreme circumstances, this can lead to ‘blue  
> baby’ syndrome. By age 6 months, stomach acidity increases and  
> nitrate overload is less of a problem."
> http://foodsafety.wisc.edu/wffoodfactsforyouaug2003.htm
> THUS another GOOD reason for the health of our children to wait  
> until AT LEAST 6 months before introducing nonhuman sources of food:  
> they are just not designed for it.
> Marie Farver
>
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