TTM about iron!

YellowLily2013 · March 2014

Other BLW have issues with kiddos having low iron? Is it really as big of deal as pedis say?

Obviously my kid doesn't have as much iron as a formula fed kid. And we don't do rice cereal or other processed foods that are fortified with iron.

I asked the NP if I could just up iron rich foods and she said "no" he should get the vi di sol vitamin plus "cereal" twice daily. I just nodded but don't plan on doing either.

Enlighten me please!!

YellowLily2013 · March 2014

Oh yeah she also said we could start transitioning to solids entirely.... Yeah isn't bm supposed to be their number 1 nutrient source until 1??

Chichigo · March 2014

Not there yet, but I would think natural sources would be best.

Chichigo · March 2014

What did she suggest for milk? I thought cow's milk wasn't recommended before one. And re solids, I've heard "food before one is just for fun."

YellowLily2013 · March 2014

She didn't say anything regarding milk. It was probably understood that I'd continue bfing?

YellowLily2013 · March 2014

I just read on kellymom that <10.0 was when they become deficient. And he's right at 10. The NP said they normally like to see 11 at 9 months.

Eh, I'm going with my gut and keeping with the natural route.

I like the office I go to and the staff is nice. I just don't agree with their medical advice. Ugh.

Chichigo · March 2014

The hospital system we are in has a healthcare app for pediatrics. Its helpful because you can input symptoms and it will tell you if you should call 911, call the doctor after hours, wait until the office opens, or treat at home.

But it also has an advice section and a lot of it is just off (or maybe just doesn't fit my style). For example, it tells you how to wean from breast to formula and off the bottle. But it doesn't offer advice on weaning once baby doesn't need formula. So I feel the same way about the advice.

YellowLily2013 · March 2014

It's so sad our country doesn't support breast feeding more.

YellowLily2013 · March 2014

That app sounds cool, even though the info is not always in line with what your views are.

CLLDLL · March 2014

What? I'd be running as fast as I can to a different provider based solely on the "transitioning to all solids" comment. That's crazy. Even a formula fed baby should get all their nutrition from formula until age one. "food before one is just for fun" After that is when you start transitioning.

As far as the iron thing...read kelly mom's info on it. Yes, BM contains way less iron than formula/rice cereal but it is a different form that is absorbed way better than what they use to fortify rice cereal/formula. So of course they need less.

We chose not to supplement with poly-vi-sol too (that crap is mostly sugar anyway), and at G's one year appointment his iron level was just fine. Since they tested your son at 9 months and he's borderline low, I think I'd just up iron rich foods if I were you. Then re-evaluate at one whether you need to add an iron supplement.

ETA: How are your iron levels? Pregnancy and early PP can reduce your iron stores. If they are reduced baby may not be getting as much from you as he needs.

YellowLily2013 · March 2014

I had issues with my liver... But not sure what my iron levels were. They may have been slightly low?

YellowLily2013 · March 2014

@mapleme I don't know if I can do liver! I'll stick with spinach.

Chichigo · March 2014

YellowLily2013 said:
That app sounds cool, even though the info is not always in line with what your views are.

It is pretty good, especially when on the fence about calling the doctor. As far as the other advice, at least it gives me an idea to accept or reject.

TJ1979 · March 2014

My pedi never once suggested iron supplementation, and we BF and BLW and never did cereal. Also, FYI, strawberries and watermelon are high in iron. As are wheat, beets, and dried fruits like apricots and raisins. All delicious. You can also try LO on smoothies. E loves smoothies, and you can put spinach in them. I have a smoothie every day with spinach and strawberries for the iron, plus whatever else I have on hand. My iron levels have been good my whole pregnancy so far.

YellowLily2013 · March 2014

Awesome @TJ1979‌ ds actually ate plain spinach leaves! There's no sugar coating needed for this kiddo!

huntjul · March 2014

I wouldn't switch pedi practices just for advice like this. There are many, many issues in child care such as nutrition that you're not going to or have to see eye to eye on every one of them. My pedi suggested starting rice cereal at 4 months. I just nodded with no intent to do it. As long as the medical care is sound, I don't mind going my own way sometimes.

YellowLily2013 · March 2014

I asked DH about the food, and he remembers it in the "type of solid food" convo. So instead of stage 2 foods (whatever those are) he can move completely to table foods.

She didn't explicitly talk about milk, but I don't think she actually meant to stop or reduce it.

TJ1979 · March 2014

Well that's a better scenario. I'd be worried about a pediatrician who suggested stopping or reducing breast milk before 1. Or any time before you darn well choose.

musicalsilver · March 2014

My pedi didn't check iron levels at 9 months - but I've been trying to feed LO lots of broccoli (he loves it) and trying to introduce iron-rich foods - spinach and lentils and the like.

I'd definitely be skipping the supplement if I were you - just keep adding iron-rich foods to LO's diet. Let them gnaw on some steak (though I don't know if you do meat)! And continue with the spinach love if LO's into that :-)

YellowLily2013 · March 2014

Ugh. I called to give them a chance to give me advice better suited to my beliefs. And they pretty much said to give him 3 plus meals per day of iron rich foods. (And they still sounded skeptical that it would help.)

He's freaking 9 months old! BM should be his no 1 food. And not solids.

I'm asking a doctor friend. But I'm quickly not liking this place.

nanabanana06 · March 2014

We formula fed. So things are slightly different. However, I know for Cade he was still taking bottles every 2-3 hours during the day and eating 1 maybe 2 meals a day by the time he was a year. Pedi was fine with it. When he reached a year we switched to all food and almond milk. We upped his rich in iron foods then. I'm in the food before 1 is just for fun camp.

Amores0121 · March 2014

@TJ1979 I also drink smoothies with strawberries and spinach since becoming PG, but still having to take iron supplements!

Oh BTW, were you the one who told me about the puree pouches? DD tried the banana, mango and some other fruit and did not like it. Another fail. Poop. Now she has even started swearing off fruits...apparently she now doesn't like strawberries or oranges. Sigh.

TJ1979 · March 2014

@Amores0121 I was about to suggest dried fruits like raisins and apricots for you for the iron, but actually I wonder if she would like them better than fresh? Sounds like she might be going through a picky and rebellious stage. Fun!
Are you eating raisin bran? High in fiber and in iron.

Amores0121 · March 2014

@TJ1979 She used to eat raisins, but won't eat them now unless they are in trail mix. I literally packed 2 baby carrots in her lunch today to see if she will eat them. If she does, I will consider it a success. Sounds pathetic, but I have to try. Tonight I will be making the zucchini brownies, so she will have those for the next 10 days or so. No, I'm not eating raisin bran but I actually have some at home. I will eat it tonight for my snack!

Amores0121 · March 2014

Chickypoo2468 said:

Trail mix can be healthy tho. You're not supposed to eat raisins alone anyway.

Why? B/c of sugar?

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