Did you do the iron/anemia test?

[CookAMH]

Our ND offered it but I declined, but I'm not sure how to decide to do it or not. DS growth slowed a good bit from being 95% to 25% in weight from birth to 12 mo. The ND said babies can be anemic but you would never guess. She said some moms just start giving Floradix anyway, and don't take the test.

He has about a teaspoon of molasses a day which I started to get extra iron.

[tzs]

not yet but we have a wbv next week and i definately want it. i do have concerns that she's getting enough iron...i know i don;t

[staceychev]

We did it in conjunction with the lead test for our first daughter. So glad I did because her iron was good but her lead levels were high enough that she needed to be hospitalized.

The reason the tests are often done together is that lead poisoning is often (though not always, as in my daughter's case) linked to anemia.

[texaspeach]

we did recently, at 9 months. I wanted to go ahead and do some allergy testing. the blood draw was pretty bad but it was a venous draw (needed for the rast), if they had done a toe stick like they have done in the past it would have been much easier. we live in an older apt so I felt it prudent to do the lead test. I'm pretty sure ds is anemic. he doesn't eat much food, which I hear is pretty common for allergic/intolerant kiddos.

btw on a standard chart ds also went from the 95th %tile at birth to the 30th for weight at 9 months, and he's in the 7th for height. I think it's pretty normal for their weight to slow a lot as they get more mobile

[Jayray]

We did it. It didn't bother me and I want to know the lead results because we live in an older apartment building.

It really was no big deal. They pricked DS' finger and I don't think he even felt it. He just didn't like the nurse manipulating his finger after the prick. And he didn't like the gauze and bandaid on his finger afterward.

[SaoirseC]

I would, and I'd get the lead test as well.

[MangoMommy]

I got it done too, it was a finger prick and she didn't notice either. She did try sucking on the bandaid afterwards though LOL.

[EdnaMarie]

I did for WIC. Neither of my kids noticed. Using iron cookware (not enameled) has been proven to eliminate anemia in a large proportion of anemic children.

http://healthlibrary.epnet.com/GetCo...chunkiid=14683

If you find you are only mildly anemic, you could buy an iron pan and dutch oven and start cooking in them, two meals a day. We do that and even though we rarely eat red meat and my pre-schooler does not eat nearly the veggies she should, we all have good numbers. I can't imagine that with molasses you will end up anemic but anyway.

[sunnygir1]

Originally Posted by texaspeach

the blood draw was pretty bad but it was a venous draw (needed for the rast), if they had done a toe stick like they have done in the past it would have been much easier.

I had exactly the opposite experience with my dd. They did a finger stick for the lead draw, and it was awful because they had to squeeze and squeeze her little hand to get enough blood for the lead test. I always make them draw it from a vein unless it's just a drop, like for the hemoglobin test.

I had my dd tested, and her iron was low. I basically started giving her only iron rich foods paired with vitamin C rich foods, and gave her Floradix and liquid chlorophyll. Having low iron is a bummer, and makes you feel really bad. I'm not sure why you wouldn't want to know.

I base my decisions about testing partly on what I would do based on the test results. If the test is inaccurate, or you would take no action based on the results, then by all means, skip it.

[momto4plus4]

I do especially because my 2nd had allergic colitis (bleeding in the colon) and ended up VERY anemic by 6 months. I don't want to chance that again so I am testing all mine, my newest we may test early since I was anemic when I had him. I'd find out just to make sure.
Are you doing iron fortified cereals? That would add to the molasses you're already doing.

[curious&eager]

I've done two tests, one at ped and one at wic. Both times I felt it was good to know because he's just on breastmilk and some solids, but no vitamins or purposeful iron sources. I figure breastmilk in perfect, but it's nice to hear from the test that everything is good. I've always been borderline with anemia, so I like to know that little one is ok. He doesn't cry when they stick him. He doesn't cry during the first shot of vaccines either. Now if he gets stuck twice, he has a definite loud opinion about it.

[maptome]

We did it for the 9 month WBV. I guess the ped does it for EBF babies. I wanted it because I have been anemic in the past, so I don't know if it is hereditary at all. It was a toe stick, no big deal at all.