In the UK, official department of health advice is to give Vit D
supplements to all babies who don't get formula after the age of 6
months (instead of advice to 'take your baby outside' every so often
).

This could be bad PR for breastfeeding - and mothers ask about it,
puzzled. No one seems to explain it to them properly. The Vit D drops
come packaged with other vitamins (A and C) and mothers are told
'because you're breastfeeding your baby needs these drops'.

I explain it thus: it's Vit D which is the official concern, not A &
C. It's not breastmilk that's missing something, it's some babies'
lives that are missing....sunlight.

  I also say 'the vitamin supplements are already added to formula at
the factory' and I think that's important to say....it's not that
formula has them because it's automatically a better 'product'.
Vitamin D is written as a separate  ingredient on the side of every
packet of formula.

Does no harm to remind people that formula comes from a factory as
well as a cow, either ; )

Heather Welford Neil
NCT breastfeeding counsellor UK

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