<<  A pediatrician at our facility is up in
 arms that breastfeeding mothers need to drink whole milk to prevent vitamin
 deficiency in their infants.  I have the reference from
 Auerbach/Riordan...but, are their any physician related documents that we can
 toss her way?
 TIA,
 Sharon Lemon, IBCLC
 Chicago burbs >>

Let her toss YOU some studies that show what she is saying.  First of all,
her knowledge of basic nutrition is appalling!

This woman has seen a few too many of those "got milk?" billboards!  How
about the nutritional listing on the milk carton for references!  She will
see that the vitamin are the same in whole milk versus skim milk.  Yes, there
is something missing in low fat milk or fat-free milk -  that would be the
FAT!

Besides that, what about the fact that millions of lactating women cannnot
drink cow's milk products due to lactose intolerance?  There are whole
continents of people that cannot do this, let alone the millions of other
women who simply choose not to consume dairy.

How about these studies?  These show that only only under famine conditions
will a mother's nutrition even begin to affect her milk supply or the
composition of her milk.

Perez-Escamillia, R et al.  Maternal anthropometric status and lactation
performance in a low-income Honduran population:  evidence for the role of
infants.  Am J Clin Nutr 1995, 61(3):528-34

Prentice, A. et al.  Body mass index and lactation performance.  Eur J Clin
Nutr 1994; 48 Supple 3: S78-89.

As for Vitamin D, if a malnourished mother and her baby are dark-skinned and
got for "months" without sunlight then a vitamin D supplement may be
indicated.  I would hardly doubt that a bit more of milk of any kind would
help at that point.  And, of course, if mom is dark-skinned, statistically
she would have a higher risk for lactose intolerance anyway!  For most
babies, exposure to sunlight for just a few minutes per day provides plenty
of vitamin D.

Sills, I. et al.  Vitamin D dificiency rickets:  reports of its demise are
exaggerated.  Clin Pediatr 1994; n:491-93.

Specker, B. Do North Amierican women need supplemental vitamin D during
pregnancy or lactation? Am J Clin Nutr 1994; 59(Supl):484-915.

Specker, B. et al.  Sunshine exposure and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D
concentrations in exclusively breast fed infants. J Pediatr 1985; 107:372-76.

Although this is a woman who can't compare milk cartons - I don't hold out
too much hope for her interpreting research!

Regards,
Nancy

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