Breast milk is perfect enough for needs up to 6 months but after that it needs more. After 6 months, breast milk needs supplementing (and it is natural to do so) as is low in iron, zinc and Vit D for example.
[There are any number of refs below showing analysis of breast milk and these deficits. Compare with this:
REF: Institute of Medicine, Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. 2003, National Academies Press: Washington, D.C.]
If you try to meet an infant's iron requirement on breast milk alone, she would have to consume between 4 and 13 liters of breast milk per day, depending on the baby’s efficiency of iron absorption from breast milk (estimates range from 15-50% absorption). Most exclusively breastfed babies don’t consume much more than 1 liter of milk per day.
There is a theory (for which I also included refs below) that the low iron in breast milk helps babies resist bacterial infections as bacteria need a lot of iron. However by 6 months, babies DO need proper iron, and breast milk alone is not enough nutrition.
Iron deficiency during infancy increases the risk of cognitive, motor, and behavioral deficits that may last into the teens, even with iron treatment.
Specific deficits that have been identified include impaired motor development at 18 months
[REF: Sherriff, A., A. Emond, J.C. Bell, and J. Golding. Should infants be screened for anaemia? A prospective study investigating the relation between haemoglobin at 8, 12, and 18 months and development at 18 months. Arch Dis Child. 84(6): p. 480-5. 2001.]
Mental retardation is found at 10 years old
[REF: Hurtado, E.K., A.H. Claussen, and K.G. Scott. Early childhood anemia and mild or moderate mental retardation. Am J Clin Nutr. 69(1): p. 115-9. 1999.]
There is increased need to repeat a grade, and increased behavioral and attention problems.
[REF: Lozoff, B., E. Jimenez, J. Hagen, E. Mollen, and A.W. Wolf. Poorer behavioral and developmental outcome more than 10 years after treatment for iron deficiency in infancy.Pediatrics. 105(4): p. E51. 2000.]
Some other refs:
REF: Meinzen-Derr, J.K., M.L. Guerrero, M. Altaye, H. Ortega-Gallegos, G.M. Ruiz-Palacios, and A.L. Morrow. Risk of infant anemia is associated with exclusive breast-feeding and maternal anemia in a Mexican cohort. J Nutr. 136(2): p. 452-8. 2006.
REF: Hopkins, D., P. Emmett, C. Steer, I. Rogers, S. Noble, and A. Emond. Infant feeding in the second 6 months of life related to iron status: an observational study. Arch Dis Child.92(10): p. 850-4. 2007.
REF: Calvo, E.B., A.C. Galindo, and N.B. Aspres. Iron status in exclusively breast-fed infants.Pediatrics. 90(3): p. 375-9. 1992.
REF: Hallberg, L. and E. Bjorn-Rasmussen. Measurement of iron absorption from meals contaminated with iron. Am J Clin Nutr. 34(12): p. 2808-15. 1981.
REF: Fomon, S.J. Assessment of growth of formula-fed infants: evolutionary considerations.Pediatrics. 113(2): p. 389-93. 2004.
REF: Dewey, K.G. and C.M. Chaparro. Session 4: Mineral metabolism and body composition iron status of breast-fed infants. Proc Nutr Soc. 66(3): p. 412-22. 2007.
REF: Bullen, J.J., H.J. Rogers, and L. Leigh. Iron-binding proteins in milk and resistance to Escherichia coli infection in infants. Br Med J. 1(5792): p. 69-75. 1972.
REF: Baker, R.D. and F.R. Greer. Diagnosis and prevention of iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia in infants and young children (0-3 years of age). Pediatrics. 126(5): p. 1040-50. 2010.
REF: Gera, T. and H.P. Sachdev. Effect of iron supplementation on incidence of infectious illness in children: systematic review. BMJ. 325(7373): p. 1142. 2002.
REF: Dewey, K.G., M. Domellof, R.J. Cohen, L. Landa Rivera, O. Hernell, and B. Lonnerdal. Iron supplementation affects growth and morbidity of breast-fed infants: results of a randomized trial in Sweden and Honduras. J Nutr. 132(11): p. 3249-55. 2002.
Namaste,
Irene
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Irene de Villiers, B.Sc AASCA MCSSA D.I.Hom/D.Vet.Hom.
P.O. Box 4703 Spokane WA 99220.
www.angelfire.com/fl/furryboots/clickhere.html (Veterinary Homeopath.)
"Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt one doing it."