Maternal anemia and a breastfed newborn

[2boyzmama]

**Cross posted in my DDC

At Gavin's ped appt yesterday (2 week appt, a few days early, baby is already a pound over birth weight), the ped again expressed concern that I got so anemic. He said that a maternal hemoglobin below 8.3 means insufficient transference of iron to baby, putting Gavin at risk of becoming anemic (I was an 8.0 at discharge). I told him that I've been taking a tablespoon of straight blackstrap molasses every day, plus eating other iron rich foods (red meet, green veggies, fortified cereals, etc). He said that blackstrap molasses isn't very absorbable by my body, so it won't bring my hemoglobin up as fast as I think it will.

Are both of those true??

He said that he wants me to make sure that my OB rechecks my hemoglobin before Gavin's next appt (which will be his two month) because if it's still low, then the ped is going to recommend that we start Gavin on an iron supplement. Of course I'll request that he check Gavin's hemoglobin first, no sense in supplementing if he isn't truely anemic.

But here's the thing...I've always read that babies are born with sufficient iron stores to last approx 6 months, sometimes longer. I was NOT anemic during pregnancy, at 36 weeks I was an 11.8. So either I became anemic in the last month of pregnancy, or I lost a LOT of blood during delivery (I really don't know which it is, my doula said she thought there was more blood than normal, but not a ton either) Either way, Gavin should still have sufficient iron stores, right?? Is this ped just over-reacting?? This same ped got very concerned when Connor wasn't on solids yet at 9 months, but his hemoglobin was fine. So maybe anemia is just his "thing".

[Heba]

Hmm...research has shown that mild to moderate maternal anemia has no effect on iron content of breastmilk - severe anemia does, however. *I am not a doctor* but it is my understanding that 8.3 would (just) be classified as moderate anemia but on the low side. However, as you say, testing your little one's hemoglobin levels would perhaps be a sensible thing to do.

[Jilian]

Have you heard of floradix iron plus herbs? It is a great iron supplement to take if you are anemic because it doesn't cause constipation like most iron supplements do. I personally wouldn't start my baby on an iron supplement unless I had his levels tested and they were low (not just borderline).

[Llyra]

I would have baby tested before I'd ever consider giving a newborn a supplement. But while it is true that baby is born with sufficient iron stores, in cases of severe anemia in the mother during pregnancy, baby's stores might not be adequate. But 8.0 is not severe in any case, and you weren't low during most of the pregnancy. In your position, I would not give supplements, and if they insisted, I would press for baby to be tested, periodically during the first year if they really push you.

I was quite anemic during my twin pregnancy, enough that my OB was VERY insistent on supplementation for me, and nobody ever mentioned iron for my kiddos. I had them tested at 12 months old, too, and they were well within what the peds consider normal.