To all My husband just drew my attention to an article in the Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, Spectator. It is an advice column intitled " Vitamins: Do your children need them?" I was first irritated by the article because it gave no author except to say it came from the Spectator wire service. Amongst other things it said about children it stated that < Breast milk is deficient in vitamins A, D, and C, however: At the first visit to the pediatrician, breast-fed babies may be given a tri-vitamin supplement for daily use to bolster the levels of these vitamins.> Then it goes on to say < Iron is also important for babies. As long as the mother takes prenatal vitamins that are fortified with iron, a breast-fed baby will get what he/she needs.> It finishes by saying < The formula fed to babies usually contains all the vitamins they need. Most doctors suggest that the formula provided at birth contains iron.> Every implication is that formula is best. My guess is that the report came from a formula or pharnmaceutical company. You have all covered the iron in breast milk issue quite nicely but how will I respond to this fairly widely read paper in a nice professional way, that breast milk needs none or little fortification? Attie. <[log in to unmask]>