A new study has discovered that even breast milk may have limitations, especially as the infant gets older.
The study found that children who are both eating solid food and breastfeeding are at higher risk for vitamin D deficiency.
Published today in the American Journal of Public Health, the study observed 2,508 children in Toronto, Canada.
Dr. Sarah Ronis, a pediatrician at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, said the study could help mothers make important decisions about their diet.
Ronis explained that breast milk remains an optimal source of nutrition for newborns and that the World Health Organization advises breastfeeding for up to two years for infants as long as it works for both mother and child.
However she advised all mothers to give infants vitamin D supplements until the child can drink formula or regular milk to get enough vitamin D in their diet.