Iron and breastfeeding

Given the importance of iron nutrition during the first year of life, there are relatively few true randomized controlled studies addressing this issu e; however, it appears that iron deficiency is unlikely to occur in the ful l-term breastfed infant during the first 6 months of life because the infan t's body iron stores are sufficient to meet requirements. After this time, many infants exhaust their iron stores and become dependent on a secondary dietary iron supply. Although iron deficiency is a significant nutritional problem worldwide, most of the adverse effects of iron deficiency in this a ge group are hypothetical and rely on extrapolation from animal studies or studies at different ages. This, however, is also true of most of the adver se effects of iron excess in this age group. Given this uncertainty, it see ms prudent to use the lowest dose of iron that prevents iron deficiency ane mia. Currently, the best evidence is that this is achieved by prolonged bre astfeeding, avoidance of unfortified formulas and cow's milk, and the intro duction of iron- and vitamin C-fortified weaning foods at approximately 6 m onths of age.