In the rickets "study" there were 30 cases of rickets diagnosed in a 10 yr period in two towns in NC. 63% of these babies were also diagnosed as failure to grow. So again this may be a case of "not enough breastmilk" and not breastfeeding causes rickets. The definition of breastfeeding used was the WIC definition. All cases were in African American babies.
The State of North Carolina is now giving all breastfed infants vit A, D and C drops ( produced by a formula company) through the WIC program. This is costing the state 14 cents a day for every baby. Once again, the formul company has developed a way to get products into the hands of new mothers, planting a seed of doubt that breastmilk is not "good" enough and associating their name with "good products". WIC nutritionists are giving out the vitamins.
My concerns are about the association between WIC and the formula companies, and whether or not these drops are truly necessary. What effects will the drops have on the babies? Will the Vit C cause gastric distress in the baby (thus making the moms give up breastfeeding in search of a formula that contains Vit D and all the "right " ingredients). Cna this amount of Vit D be harmful on top of what amounts of Vit D are in Breastmilk? Also, why did the NC Dept of Health jump on top of this? Who funded this research ( which isn't even research but a collection of reports)?
Also, I would like to know who wrote the press releases for this since the local TV stations headlined it by saying " Breastfeeding may put your baby at risk for developing rickets".


Barbara Whitehead, IBCLC
Eastern NC

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