To clarify for those who may not know this, cows milk can actually cause
anemia by causing intestinal bleeding.  It actually is quite frequent that
cow milk causes micro tears or intestinal fissures leading to bleeding in
the intestine.  This is not rare, but mostly undetected.  Breastmilk does
NOT do this.  The practitioners who think they are one and the same may
conclude the both cause anemia.

Now, onto the next part...the IRON in breastmilk is absorbed at a rate of
50% of the total, whereas the iron-fortified formula and rice cereal iron
is only absorbed at a rate of 5-8%.  Even red meat iron is only absorbed at
15-20%.  Thus, for example if a serving of brst milk started out with only
half the iron, the baby would STILL get way more iron.  This concept is
known in the nutrition literature as BIOAVAILABILITY.  : )

: )Chris Hafner-Eaton, PhD, MPH, CHES, IBCLC  email: [log in to unmask]  : )
: )HSR & Health Educational Consultant        voice/fax: 541 753 7340   : )
: )------------**CHANGE THE WORLD, NURTURE A CHILD!**------------------ : )