No iron deficiency in breastfed babies

Exclusively breastfed babies born after 37-42 weeks of gestation are less prone to iron-deficiency at the age of six months. It is believed that breast milk in itself provides adequate nutrition for the first 6 months of life of most infants. Although breast milk is low in iron, infants can absorb it much more easily than they absorb the iron in a fortified formula. In general, it is recommended that breastfed babies start on iron-fortified foods, like infant cereal, at about 6 months after birth. To assess the role of breastfeeding in preventing iron deficiency, researchers in Delhi followed 129 full-term babies born to 68 mothers with normal iron stores or to 61 mothers with iron- deficiency anaemia. The mothers took iron and folic acid supplements as their obstetricians advised, but their infants were exclusively breastfed, without supplemental iron. Iron parameters were measured in the cord blood at 14 weeks and 6 months. Breast milk iron and lactoferrin were measured at the same intervals. The results showed that at 6 months of age, none of the babies were iron-deficient, regardless of whether their mother had been anaemic or not. Iron parameters in babies of both groups were within normal limits at birth, 14 weeks and 6 months. Mean breast milk iron and lactoferrin in both groups of mothers were not different on day one or at other times. Besides this, no relationship was found between breast milk iron, lactoferrin and iron status of the babies. Therefore, there is no need to add iron supplements to the diets of exclusively breastfed full-term infants before the age of 6 months.