- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Preemies
bloodwork and iron levels
has anyones pedi requested bloodwork on your baby between 9-12 montsh for iron levels???
the nurse in pedi office is getting me very upset. she keeps demanding blood work on my baby. my baby is doing just fine. almost 20 lbs at 11 mos and has been on the growth chart since 6 mos. I cannot let go all she has been through. Unless your baby has had hoses coming out of every opening and an IV needle sticking out of the top of her head for 3 weeks you cannot imagine how i feel. i know that at some point she will have to have blood work done but i feel like she is too little right now. what she has been through....enough is enough already. i make the rules for my baby not the nurse in the doctors office. my baby has been on neosure since day one. eating 4 meals a day and doing amazing. i am one of these people who believe "if it's not broke dont fix it" and i just dont see the need for the poking and proding. what would you do? the doctor did not seem overly concerned this was only mentioned by the nurse.
This discussion has been closed.
Re: bloodwork and iron levels
we have our primary ped. who did not mention b/w for our 10wk twins (born at 33w4d). then we also go to a lactation clinic associated with the nicu. there is a LC and a ped who sees us there. the ped there ordered b/w. we'd love to get off the neosure (having to fortify breast milk for babies that are doing so well seems unnecessary). having found both girls to be anemic, the ped has ordered an additional iron supplement. apparently, anemia is very common with babies, but only a concern that requires more iron, with preemies.
today they had their 2month shots... that was way worse than the b/w they had done.
Mine ordered some shortly after we came home from the NICU for some lingering issues (thyroid levels, iron levels etc) to make sure they didn't finally normalize.. once they did, she stopped ordering them.
That being said, when Robbie was in the hospital in February, they ran a routine CBC and he was severely anemic and ended up having to get 2 blood transfusions (he was 9 months old) and when I asked why it had happened, they said "sometimes preemies just do this" so maybe she's just being extra cautious?
My Blog
Ditto KellyMichelle.
Most pedi offices have babies get bloodwork done between 9-12 months to check for iron levels. That goes for full term babies too. It is a very standard practice.
Honestly? I would just get it done. It's one stick and with it comes a few tears and the absolute knowledge that everything is (hopefully) okay. Certainly check with the doctor to make sure he/she recommends it first.
Beyond the numerous pokes, prodes, blood transfusions, etc. I used to have to take Olivia in for bloodwork every couple of weeks after she got out of the NICU. I knew the lab techs by name. She doesn't remember any of it and it helped us correct a few issues (and get her off some meds). And I would do it again in a heartbeat.
HTH.