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]>