12 month lab results

jnickers98

We got DDs lab results back from her 12 month check up.  Her iron is slightly low.  I think that's probably due to the transition from formula to WCM?  Does anyone have any recommendations to increase iron in toddler friendly foods?

Huahine

Grill steak or lamb and feed it to them in thinly sliced pieces.  If your LO won't chew meat, let grilled meat rest on a cutting board for a few minutes then spoon the juices into their mouth. Or if that's a little too Twilight for you, meatballs and liver pates are easy for LOs to eat and have plenty of iron. 

jnickers98

Luckily DD can chew meat pretty well, so we won't have to get Twilight 

Is iron only in red meat? (sorry if I sound like a nutrition dummy)  I feel like she gets plenty of meat/protein in her diet, but maybe she's not getting enough red meat.  Obviously I'll ask her pediatrician as well, but sometimes a doctor's recommendations don't seem very practical when dealing with an infant/toddler.

emnoahmom

There a lot of different foods to increase iron. Spinach, Kale, beans (kidney, navy ect), seafood, cereals, and such.  You can probably search for foods high in iron online and get an idea of things your dd already likes that are rich in iron that you can offer more of.

shortstuff15

My niece was diagnosed with low iron earlier last year.  Top of the list for iron rich foods was dark chocolate.  But it has to be dark and you'd have to feel comfortable giving your kid chocolate.

jnickers98

dhviel:

My niece was diagnosed with low iron earlier last year.  Top of the list for iron rich foods was dark chocolate.  But it has to be dark and you'd have to feel comfortable giving your kid chocolate.

Hmm, I'm not opposed to DD having chocolate, but I'm thinking it probably shouldn't be her main source of iron. 

kaybe24

I found a recipe online for toddler meatballs and I made them with baby oatmeal which has lots of iron in it instead of bread crumbs.  You also add pureed vegetables.  My son really liked them and they froze really well. 

https://www.parents.com/blogs/high-chair-times/tag/beef-recipes-for-baby/

Niki1665

My little man loves banana/spinach purees. You just take a half a cup of spinach with a whole banana, all uncooked and blend together. So easy and healthy!

shortstuff15

jnickers98:

dhviel:

My niece was diagnosed with low iron earlier last year.  Top of the list for iron rich foods was dark chocolate.  But it has to be dark and you'd have to feel comfortable giving your kid chocolate.

Hmm, I'm not opposed to DD having chocolate, but I'm thinking it probably shouldn't be her main source of iron. 

That was basically what I meant!  Although even a couple bites here and there would probably really boost her iron!  There are plenty of other sources out there as others have shared, it's just that dark chocolate is very iron rich so it would boost it fast.

Broccoli & spinach are probably better bets for consistant iron though!

bigbear

Raisins have a good amount of iron and are really good for you in general.

That was on our pedi's top 5 iron rich foods.

 

jnickers98

kaybe24:

I found a recipe online for toddler meatballs and I made them with baby oatmeal which has lots of iron in it instead of bread crumbs.  You also add pureed vegetables.  My son really liked them and they froze really well. 

https://www.parents.com/blogs/high-chair-times/tag/beef-recipes-for-baby/

This looks like a great recipe.  Did you just swap the cereal for bread crumbs, or did you adjust the amount of cereal?

MrsAMB07

bigbear:

Raisins have a good amount of iron and are really good for you in general.

That was on our pedi's top 5 iron rich foods.

 

Just be careful with raisins because they're a choke food until age 2-3.

We don't eat a lot of red meat, so then neither does DD. We had to switch to the vitamins without iron because of staining on DD's teeth. (It went away once we went to the iron-free) So to be sure she's getting enough iron, we make sure she gets a lot of spinach (and basically any dark green veggie), beans, lentils, wheat germ (loves it in her yogurt or mixed into pancake batter), oatmeal, tofu, even sweet potatoes are a good source. 

bigbear

Mrs.AMB07:

bigbear:

Raisins have a good amount of iron and are really good for you in general.

That was on our pedi's top 5 iron rich foods.

 

Just be careful with raisins because they're a choke food until age 2-3.

We don't eat a lot of red meat, so then neither does DD. We had to switch to the vitamins without iron because of staining on DD's teeth. (It went away once we went to the iron-free) So to be sure she's getting enough iron, we make sure she gets a lot of spinach (and basically any dark green veggie), beans, lentils, wheat germ (loves it in her yogurt or mixed into pancake batter), oatmeal, tofu, even sweet potatoes are a good source. 

 

Hm, weird our pedi never said anything about that. Not that it doesn't make sense though! lol  We of course watch her with everything so we feel she can have those too. She actually doesn't eat plain raisins, she likes them in cinamon raisin bread.