Protein & Breastmilk

I'm following Gina Ford's guide to weaning and she says that once protein is introduced at lunchtime, it is time to drop that breast feed. This is supposedly because milk affects iron absorption. How true is this? Did you moms all religiously dropped this feed as soon as you introduced protein? I'm torn between wanting bubs to keep on taking as much nutrituous BM as possible and concerned that I am actually depriving him of iron. What are your thoughts?

the other thing to remember - is by 6 months, most people say that the natural stores of iron in BREASTMILK are actually close to depleted or depleted. (there is some contraversy on this so you'll have to trust which ever research you want to.) THis is why iron fortified cereal and poly visol vitamin drops are supposedly important.


I dropped the feed when my daughter's lunch (she was vegetarian) included tofu, egg yolks and cheese. She was fuller and less interested, and had a good 2:30 feed. (I'm the Gina Ford follower too.)

Thanks, ladies! In view of my indecision, I am basically half-dropping the 11:30am breastfeed HAHAHA.


I've asked loads of doctor / biochemist friends and nobody has said that there is an important reason not to give breastmilk and protein in the same meal. But at the same time, I do want to wean eventually, so there didin't seem any point in adamantly refusing to drop that feed. So now, I give the feed if we have time and if bubs wants it; but if we are out or rushing about then I tend not to bother. To be honest, I don't even think bubs notices the difference at this stage.

thanks for the clarification Ruth. I've read conflicting reports about the need for additional iron (various different sources) and so I have always supplemented - as I didn't want my daughters to have red meat when they were babies. But the whole protein and iron thing in one meal - not sure why both Ruth Yaron and Gina Ford use that statement.

And here's one more perspective: We are all descended from ancestors who survived before the advent of all the "how to" books telling mothers how much iron to give their babies! I think it's highly unlikely any of our well nourished babies have ever been, or ever will be, anemic! But I am also one of the moms who gave my baby mashed lamb as one of her first solids, at around 8 months of age, for both the protein and iron it provided. As for when to "drop" a breast feed? I think that's entirely up to the mom and how hard she wants to push weaning! Why feel any pressure to "drop" a feed, just drop it if you want to and don't drop it if you don't want to. Also, as Ruth points out, it's certainly worth noticing "who" is the source of breast feeding "information." There is absolutely no money to be made from promoting breastfeeding, but there is billions of dollars worth of money to be made from pushing formula. Lots of "studies" as well as "information" in fact originates from formula companies and has a strong bias both in the way the studies are set up / structured and then in terms of how that information is communicated. I will give one, specific example. It's been a long time ago now, but I remember many years ago, reading a one paragraph blurb, buried in the back pages of my Scientific American magazine, that a new enzyme had been discovered in breast milk. This enzyme, when given to babies in a large scale study, resulted in an IQ difference of about five percentage points. I thought to myself, "why is this major news not in the headlines?" Well, it took formula companies about two years beyond that time to figure out how to synthesize the enzyme and then to get approval to put the enzyme into baby formula. But as soon as it started being put into the formula, THEN there were news headlines all over the world about how a new enzyme had been discovered that boosted IQ and was now in formula and how now the formula was as good as breast milk! Until the enzyme had been put in formula, none of the publicity machines wanted to touch the news that there was objective, hard evidence that formula fed babies were missing an enzyme essential for brain development! Anyway, long story there but really just goes to show you've got to use common sense and take everything you read with a grain of salt.

there are a polyvisol with IRON

You are right not to reduce breastmilk which is the gold standard in infant nutrition. The iron in breastmilk is better absorbed than that from other sources. Iron from breastmilk is 50 to 70 % absorbed compared to 3 to 12 % in cow's milk formula.

The vitamin C and high lactose levels in breastmilk aid in iron absorption. Breastfed babies don't lose iron through their bowels; whereas cow's milk can irritate the intestinal lining (resulting in a tiny amount of bleeding and the loss of iron).



The iron in breastmilk is bound to proteins which make it available to the baby only, thus preventing potentially harmful bacteria from using it. These two specialized proteins in breastmilk (lactoferrin and transferrin) pick up and bind iron from baby's intestinal tract. By binding this iron, they


stop harmful bacteria from multiplying by depriving them of the iron they need to live and grow, and

ensure that baby (not the bacteria) gets the available iron.


Breastfeeding Clinic 2849 1500

Matilda International Hospital

Hong Kong

http://www.matilda.org

Wow, thanks for this info Matilda! You always seem to give such good info!

Wow. Thats pretty cool! I feel better now about not introducing non-veg protein at the moment. I'm really terrified to kick start another bout of allergies.


Soy is the last thing I'll try because I've heard and read that GM soy is mixed with peanut genes, and that is why there is now a rash of nut allergies... aiyaaaaah

Thanks everyone. Good to know that I'm not doing any harm in continuing with the lunchtime breast feed!

Oh my goodness!! Thanks everyone for the info. It looks like there are a lot of us out there whom aren't too sure what to do. My 6mth baby boy who is outgrowing 9-12mth clothing is still predominantely on breast milk. He unfortunately has extremely bad eczema so I have been told by my paediatrician to keep with the breast until he is 1yr. Unfortunately he has a HUGE appetite and so I have decided to keep with the breast and have introduced lunch as broccoli and butternut squash. She said that between the 2 veges and breast milk he should get all the vitamins he needs until he is 1yr. I'm not too sure, so any advice would be great:0)


PS. If anyone knows of a good paediatric nutritionist/dietician or paediatric dermatologist in HK, please could you let me know.