HC Deb 04 May 1973 vol 855 c369W
Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he recommends national dried milk for babies as a sufficient food alone, or the taking of vitamin drops in conjunction with it.

Sir K. Joseph

It is best for a mother to breast-feed her baby, if she possibly can even if only for the first month. As national dried milk has been fortified with vitamins C and D an additional vitamin intake is not essential if the baby is given the full amount of milk for its weight and age, but it is valuable to establish the habit of giving vitamin drops because they will be necessary when the baby changes diet to ordinary cow's milk. The recommended dosage of vitamin drops for babies taking national dried milk is lower than that for breast fed babies or for those fed on ordinary cow's milk. The apprcpriate doses are shown on the bottles of vitamin drops.