Low Iron

steelerbaby29

So my LO had his 6 month check up today and he has low iron. It is very minor but she is recommending I start him on a multi-vitamin drop with iron in it. Since we have started solids she also said I can give him meats if I want and also cereal. I'm not a fan of rice cereal but I am willing to try oatmeal. Just wondering what other moms have done if their LO had low iron and did your pedi recommend a multi-vitamin.

taraleanne

hey

where I live the public health office has instructed us to start with the high iron foods (over traditional veggies and fruit) because apparently iron stores start to go down around 6m.  They actually want us to wait till 7-8 months for veg & fruit! Whenever I've had discussions with people on this board about starting solids, it seems like I'm the only person who has been given this instruction- which is strange cause apparently this is the recommendation of Canadian Pediatric Society, Dieticians of Canada and Health Canada, all the big gov't bodies who apparently work in concert with AAP. ....anyway,  I'm not waiting on the fun fruits and veg but am introducing a combo of high iron and veg and fruit, I alternate every three days.   I don't like rice cereal either but I do oatmeal every morning and another high iron food at least one other time per day (they want us to aim for 3 high iron foods every day)    Here's the list of high iron foods they gave us the thumbs up for at 6m:

-beef, pork, turkey, chicken, lamb, dried peas and beans, fish, infant cereal, lentils, tofu and cooked egg yolk.    

good thing Christmas is around the corner, there will be plenty of turkey around!!   I haven't done meats yet (just lentils peas and cereal) cause I find pureed meats kinda gross... and was hoping to wait till he seems ready for BLW tiny pieces. I might try soon, I'm just nervous about choking but I know lots of moms who have tried tiny pieces of meat with no problem around 6m. 

Anyway, sorry for the long winded post, just thought I'd share with you what I was told about high iron foods and what kinds of options for foods you might want to try. At the "class" I took they spent alot of time talking about how important these foods are. Try lentils.... alone they are pretty yucky but mixed with sweet potato and my son is a big fan!   We also just had our 6m check up but they didn't do blood work so I have no idea if his iron is ok - I hope so! Will just continue giving the high iron foods and aim for 3x a day.

Hope that helps. 

trudibell

Sweet potatoes are easy on baby's stomach and full of iron.  Old fashioned oats are iron rich as well and probably better than fortified rice cereal.

ashleymarie512

We have LO on poly vi sol with iron due to anemia. She's a preemie and had it severely in he NICU to the point of needing a blood transfusion. Dr still suggested keeping her on it. We just put 1ml her her bottle once a day.

diana.filipi

I start giving all of my kids meat when we're having steak as early as 5 months.  Heme-iron (iron from blood) is the easiest for our bodies to absorb.  No cereal in the world can compare.  If I am making NY strip I cut off the long fatty side and let baby hold and suckle that.  If it's London broil I do the same. 

SunnyMuffin

Ive heard this about breastfeeding, that baby's iron stores will deplete around 6 months.  But formula contains iron, so iron deficiency shouldnt be an issue.  Are you nursing?  

Also how did they check your LO's iron?  Mine have never had that done. Was it a finger/heel prick test in the office? 

luvboston

My LO gets ferrous sulfate and nutristart multivitamin with iron
Lots of spinach helped me so I imagine it would help a baby