Breastfeeding and baby nutrition

Breast milk and iron

Although both the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that babies be exclusively breastfed up to the age of 6 months, whether or not breast milk contains enough iron to sustain them has long been the subject of debate.

However, a new study carried out in India and published in the International Breastfeeding Journal, shows that babies fed on breast milk alone do have sufficient iron levels at 6 months – and it’s not just down to the iron stores they’re born with. Although breast milk is fairly low in iron compared to formula milk, the iron it contains is much more easily absorbed than it is from formula.

This reinforces expert advice that babies don’t need to start on solid foods until the age of 6 months – and sticking to this guideline reduces the risk of food allergies as well as ensuring your baby benefits from your breast milk for as long a possible. It also suggests that it’s unnecessary to give breastfed babies iron drops before the age of 6 month – the only exception is premature babies, as their iron stores at birth are usually depleted and they do often need supplemental iron.

Other research from Japan suggests that there may be a link between lack of vitamin D in and softening of a baby’s skull bones, which could cause problems later on. Your baby gets most of her vitamin D from exposure to sunlight but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies receive a vitamin D supplement in case she doesn’t get enough sun – a common problem nowadays, as moms are encouraged to limit exposure in young children.

Without exposure to the sun, your baby relies on the vitamin D contained in her milk. Formula milk is fortified with vitamin D but if you’re breastfeeding the levels contained in your milk may be low if you’re deficient in vitamin D yourself – a possibility if you live in the northern latitudes, as these areas don’t get constant sunlight. If you’re breastfeeding, boost your intake of vitamin D by consuming fortified fruit juices; salmon, tuna and mackerel; and eggs. A good shortcut is a tablespoon of cod liver oil a day if you can stomach it – if not, take a capsule.

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