anemia

[bettyjones]

My full term lo had surgery on day 2 and spent 9 days in the NICU. At her first birthday check up we discovered she is anemic. My ped says he think it is from all the blood draws after surgery b/c it is rare for bf babies to be low in iron. Anyone else have this experience. Also just wondering if she should have been tested sooner. I am sure they tested her before she left the nicu.

[DocsNemesis]

Hmm...well I haven't had any babies have surgery, but I did have one in the NICU from birth to a week old and another who was admitted to the childrens hospital at 5 days old for very severe jaundice. Both had soooo many blood draws. None of mine have been anemic though.

It seems like saying it had to do with a surgery a year prior is a little odd. I could be wrong, but after an entire year, all of the red blood cells taken away during that would've been replaced, several times. I do know however that they won't take blood donations from people who've had blood transfusions for 3 years post, so I guess maybe thats why? I dont know...I guess I'm just going to shoosh and listen to other peoples opinions.

[bettyjones]

Yeah I it seems odd to me too. You know I asked if I should take iron I took the herbal flordix stuff after she was born and my doctor said iron I take will only help my body not the baby she is still bfing. That seemed like a standard doc w/ no nutritional training answer to me. But at the same time I would hate to think it was my diet that caused this. I am a pesco-veg ( i eat no poultry or red meat).

[DangerMom]

Betty, I have very low iron, and my doctor also said that any supplements I take for iron will not go to baby. I then read the same thing in many sources, so I think there is some merit to what your doctor told you. I don't know for sure, but I have read a lot about it and have seen that discussed many times.

[sunflowers]

My dd was a surgery baby. Her first was on her 3rd day of life. She was dx'd with anemia a few months before her 1st bday. Her count was so low, they admitted her to the hospital for testing to be sure it wasn't an internal bleed. Her doctors even accused me of giving her cows milk (she was exclusively BF).

She had a pretty lengthy NICU stay with multiple blood transfusions- the last being less than a dozen day prior to discharge so I do wonder if that had something to do with it.

[sunnygir1]

My dd had low hemoglobin, but not that young. Still, she wasn't on solids yet, and I increased iron in my diet and took Floradix and chlorophyll. Either it worked, or she self-corrected somehow.

I can't imagine that there is no way to correct low iron through breastfeeding since that is what mamas and babies were made to do, but I don't have any articles or anything to point you to.

[mommy2maya]

Originally Posted by sunnygir1

My dd had low hemoglobin, but not that young. Still, she wasn't on solids yet, and I increased iron in my diet and took Floradix and chlorophyll. Either it worked, or she self-corrected somehow.

I can't imagine that there is no way to correct low iron through breastfeeding since that is what mamas and babies were made to do, but I don't have any articles or anything to point you to.

bf doesn't increase iron. Babies are born with enough iron stores to get to about 9-10m without anemia, then are typically introduced to table foods, which will supplement their iron.

My baby was also diagnosed with anemia around 9m, her numbers were really low on the first stick, then she had a second a month later, same low numbers. Then she was sent for a full blood panel, which showed that it wasn't low iron, it was low hemoglobin, anyway, on the full blood panel it said that it couldn't be ruled out that she has alpha thalessemia trait, which causes low hemoglobin but not low iron. Anyway, we discontinued the iron supplements, and she will probably just always have low hemoglobin.

[sunnygir1]

Originally Posted by mommy2maya

bf doesn't increase iron. Babies are born with enough iron stores to get to about 9-10m without anemia, then are typically introduced to table foods, which will supplement their iron.

My baby was also diagnosed with anemia around 9m, her numbers were really low on the first stick, then she had a second a month later, same low numbers. Then she was sent for a full blood panel, which showed that it wasn't low iron, it was low hemoglobin, anyway, on the full blood panel it said that it couldn't be ruled out that she has alpha thalessemia trait, which causes low hemoglobin but not low iron. Anyway, we discontinued the iron supplements, and she will probably just always have low hemoglobin.

Breast milk provides iron.

“Iron deficiency is rarely seen in breastfed babies during the first six months of life. Iron is present in your milk. Although human milk does not contain large amounts of iron, it is very well absorbed. Approximately 50 percent of the iron in mother's milk is absorbed, compared to only a 7 percent absorption from formula, and a 4 percent absorption from infant cereals (Dallman 1986). Since a full-term baby's iron stores begin to diminish around six months of age, solid foods can help to meet your baby's increased need for iron and protein at that time.” Debbi Donovan - Director of ParentsPlace.com and also a Board Certified Lactation Consultant. Parent'sPlace Lactation Consultant (http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/Iron.htm)

# Healthy, full-term babies have enough iron stores in their bodies to last for at least the first six months. The current research indicates that a baby's iron stores should last between six and twelve months, depending upon the baby.

# The iron in breastmilk is better absorbed than that from other sources. The vitamin C and high lactose levels in breastmilk aid in iron absorption.
(http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/iron.html)

[mommy2maya]

sorry, that should have said that increasing iron in the mother won't increase in bm.

[sbrinton]

Is that true of mom is anemic?

My naturopath is having me take extra iron because both baby and I are anemic and it seems to be helping.

[sunnygir1]

Originally Posted by mommy2maya

sorry, that should have said that increasing iron in the mother won't increase in bm.

Do you have sources to cite for that? Increasing other things in the mother's diet affects breast milk.

[sunnygir1]

Originally Posted by sbrinton

Is that true of mom is anemic?

My naturopath is having me take extra iron because both baby and I are anemic and it seems to be helping.

Yep, helped my dd too.

[mommy2maya]

Originally Posted by sunnygir1

Do you have sources to cite for that? Increasing other things in the mother's diet affects breast milk.

Sure!

From Kellymom, which is considered a very reliable breastfeeding information outlet:

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/iron.html

Note: Additional iron intake by the mother will not increase iron levels in breastmilk, even if the mother is anemic. Iron supplements taken by mom may produce constipation in baby. Anemia in the nursing mother has been associated with poor milk supply, however.

[sunnygir1]

Originally Posted by mommy2maya

Sure!

From Kellymom, which is considered a very reliable breastfeeding information outlet:

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/iron.html

Thanks.

[bettyjones]

Next check up I'll see try to get blood work to see if i am anemic too. But I may start on the the floridix- herbal iron supplement to be on the safe side. I was anemic after dd was born but fine by the time of my 6week postpartum apt.

[bettyjones]

In addition, there is evidence that babies whose birth weights are less than 3000 grams - about 6.5 pounds - (whether term or premature) tend to have reduced iron stores at birth and appear to need additional iron earlier.

Thanks for the kellymom link-

My dd was 5lb 11oz so maybe that had something to do with it too.