I just visited a client who was told to give her healthy, exclusively breastfeeding newborn a supplement called ViSyveral. It occurs to me that this might be routine at hospitals around Bangalore, though it's the first time I've heard of it. Please note that babies do not need anything other than breastmilk for the first 6-9 months (not even water). This "nutritional supplement" has the following information on the box:
"May be administered by mixing in water, sweetened formula, fruit juices, desserts or water, cereals, soups, desserts or any other liquid or semi-liquid food."
"Ingredients: liquid glucose, sucrose, vitamins, gum acacla, coconut oil, sodium bicarbonate, disodium EDTA and antioxidants."
"Contains added flavours and class II preservatives."
?!?!?
These drops are problematic on many levels for a newborn. For starters, the directions might be confusing to some. We shouldn't be feeding newborns anything besides breastmilk, especially not desserts, soups and fruit juices! Secondly, look at the first two ingredients: SUGAR! Is it a mystery why there is a global epidemic of obesity? For more on sugar's effect on children's development and how to reduce your child's intake, click here. Don't forget that formula isn't really anything like breastmilk; click here for more on what's problematic about infant formula. Finally, food preservatives have been linked to childhood hyperactivity, and I don't even want to think about the chemicals in "added flavours"!
