A recent study reveals 40 percent of infants and toddlers are lacking in vitamin D. Forty percent? That's nearly half! Now a new analysis of existing research on vitamin D supplementation and diabetes risk reveals vitamin D may prevent type 1 diabetes in some infants.

Turns out infants receiving supplements of the Great Sun Vitamin had a 29 percent lower risk of developing type 1 diabetes than children who had never had supplements. I never knew this, but the American Academy of Pediatricians recommends nursing mothers supplement their breastfed infants -- mama's milk typically does not contain much of this vitamin.

News like this just upsets me. Grrrr -- where was this advice when my six-year-old son and three-year-old daughter were breastfeeding ... for nearly 7 months and 13 months respectively? I never gave them vitamin D. Either I wasn't listening closely or this is new advice from the Baby Academy. I'm especially troubled considering my strong family history of type 1. I feel like I missed out delivering a little added prevention protection to my nursing infants. I missed the Vitamin D Express, if you will.

At least we lived in sunny Florida for my son's first three-plus years and my daughter's first year. We were outside all the time -- sun exposure triggers vitamin D production in the body. Now if you're sitting there with a baby to your boob, give a call to your pediatrician before running out and buying a vitamin D supplement, okay? And remember, your exhaustion will lift. That baby will sleep through the night someday!