(October 16, 2008) La Leche League International encourages all mothers to recognize the importance of vitamin D to the health of their children. Recent research shows that due to current lifestyles, breastfeeding mothers may not have enough vitamin D in their own bodies to pass to their infants through breastmilk.
（2008年10月16日）国际母乳会鼓励所有的妈妈们要认识到维生素D对于孩子健康的重要性。最近的研究表明，由于现在的生活方式，母乳喂养的妈妈体内可能没有足够的维生素D来通过母乳供给她们的宝宝。
In October 2008, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that infants receive 400 IU a day of vitamin D, beginning in the first few days of life. Children who do not receive enough vitamin D are at risk for rickets and increased risk for infections, autoimmune diseases, cancer, diabetes, and osteoporosis.
2008年10月，美国儿科医师学会推荐婴儿在出生后的几天即开始每天摄入400国际单位的维生素D。孩子如果没有获得足够的维生素D，就会有得佝偻病的危险，也会增加感染、自身免疫病、癌症、糖尿病和骨质疏松症的风险。
Vitamin D is mainly acquired through exposure to sunlight and secondarily through food. Research shows that the adoption of indoor lifestyles and the use of sunscreen have seriously depleted vitamin D in most women. The ability to acquire adequate amounts of vitamin D through sunlight depends on skin color and geographic location. Dark-skinned people can require up to six times the amount of sunlight as light-skinned people. People living near the equator can obtain vitamin D for 12 months of the year while those living in northern and southern climates may only absorb vitamin D for six or fewer months of the year.
维生素D主要是通过晒太阳获得，其次是通过食物。研究表明，长时间待在室内的生活方式以及防晒霜的使用大大地减少了大部分女性体内的维生素D。通过日照获取足够维生素D的能力取决于肤色和地理位置。如要体内产生相同的维生素D，黑皮肤的人需要的光照是白皮肤的人的6倍。由于日照因素，住在赤道附近的人一年12个月都可获得维生素D，而那些住在北方和南方的人一年当中可能只有6个月甚至更短的时间来吸收维生素D。
For many years, La Leche League International has offered the research-based recommendation that exclusively breastfeed babies received all the vitamin D necessary through mother’s milk. Health care professionals now have a better understanding of the function of vitamin D and the amounts required, and the newest research shows this is only true when mothers themselves have enough vitamin D. Statistics indicate that a large percentage of women do not have adequate amounts of vitamin D in their bodies.
一直以来，国际母乳会基于研究得出结论，纯母乳喂养的宝宝们可以通过妈妈的奶水就能获得所需要的维生素D。医学专家们现在更好地理解了维生素D的功效和所需的量，而最新的研究表明只有当妈妈体内有了足够的维生素D，以上观点才是正确的。而统计显示大部分的女性体内并没有足够的维生素D。
La Leche League International acknowledges that breastfeeding mothers who have adequate amounts of vitamin D in their bodies can successfully provide enough vitamin D to their children through breastmilk. It is recommended that pregnant and nursing mothers obtain adequate vitamin D or supplement as necessary. Health care providers may recommend that women who are unsure of their vitamin D status undergo a simple blood test before choosing not to supplement.
国际母乳会认为，母乳喂养的妈妈如果自己体内有足够的维生素D就可以成功地通过母乳为她们的宝宝提供足够的维生素D。我们建议怀孕和哺乳期妇女应该摄入充足的维生素D或其补剂。医护人员可以建议那些不确定自己是否缺维生素D的妇女先去做个简单的血液化验，再决定是否需要补充维生素D。
Parents or health care providers who want more information on rickets, vitamin D in human milk, or other information on breastfeeding issues may call La Leche League International at (847) 519-7730 or visit our Web site at www.llli.org.
孩子的父母或医护人员如果想获得更多关于佝偻病、母乳中的维生素D或者其它关于母乳喂养问题的信息，可以访问我们的英文网站 www.llli.org。