Release of Two Revised Infant Feeding Recommendations
November 2004
"Health Canada has released revised recommendations related to the duration of exclusive breastfeeding and vitamin D supplementation for breastfed infants. These recommendations will serve as updates to the statements found in Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants published in 1998. An updated version of the document Nutrition for Healthy Term Infants reflecting these two revised recommendations will be posted on our web site in the coming months. The recommendation on vitamin D supplementation for breastfed infants is based on the advice of the Dietary Reference Intake Expert Advisory Committee and input from leading Canadian vitamin D experts. The recommendation on duration of exclusive breastfeeding was informed by the Expert Advisory Panel on Exclusive Breastfeeding. Stakeholders also provided valuable input on both recommendations through a comment period held in early 2004." [The good news is, Health Canada has boosted its exclusive breastfeeding recommendations to be in line with the WHO - six months exclusive. The bad news is, the Vitamin D supplement recommendation remains for all breastfed babies. - JC]