10 m.o. with low iron

[McGucks]

My son has never had an iron test...our ped said it was fine to wait until his one year old WBV.  However, we went to the Health Dept. for WIC today and they did a heel stick to check (this was the 1st time he's ever had his iron checked).  His iron was 8.8, and the woman said 11 is the minimum.  She said to call the dr., which I am nervous to do since I didn't follow his recommendation for an iron multivitamin months ago (which, of course, now I wish I had).  I assume I should start giving him more iron-rich foods, such as meat (he's only had it a few times), more beans, etc. and I know to cook in iron cookware for him.  I feel terrible and wonder if he will sustain any damage from having been anemic (I guess that an 8.8 means he's anemic?).  I have always had low iron, myself, too.  He has always been super healthy and has literally never been sick.  A friend I talked to today said increasing his iron should help him sleep at night better...don't think I should get my hopes up there.  Also, LO has always been a paper eater and the WIC lady said it could be pica (!) from the low iron.  He doesn't like solids too much and has always been EBF (til 6.5 months); he eats some solids but just isn't a big fan.  Please give me some feedback.  Thank you so much!

[sosurreal09]

I have a cast iron skillet. I cook in it at least once a day. Does he like eggs?

Do you give him a multi? Do you take a multi?

Don't beat yourself up about the iron supp. I never gave it to my DD and my friend did give it to hers but it made her so constipated and upset all the time she stopped giving it.

[Knitting Mama]

We're in the same boat, mama. At her 9 month WBV Cecilia came back with a hemoglobin count of 9.8, and normal is 11-14. So, like your baby, not ridiculously, terribly anemic, but anemic nonetheless.

We've been doing lots of iron rich foods with vitamin C too, as vitamin C aids the body's absorption of iron. Try to avoid calcium in the same meal as that can have the opposite effect. A few of Cecilia's favorites are homemade beef stew with beans, lentils and tomatoes (lots of iron and vitamin C!), and sweet potatoes which have both iron and vitamin C. I also give her as much spinach as she'll eat. I didn't want to do tons of meat myself, but I would rather she eat meat than have to take an iron supplement.

If it turns out that her anemia isn't getting better at her 12 month WBV, we will probably turn to the supplement.

[Buzzer Beater]

Okay, really dumb questions. How do they decide what "normal" is? It just seems to me that so many ebf babes I hear about are having "low" iron. What are the symptoms and problems associated with low iron? I don't think I will test as there's nothing at all we can do about it foodwise (she doesn't eat), and I don't want to give a supplement. Off to eat some spinach and oranges!

[McGucks]

Originally Posted by Buzzer Beater 

Off to eat some spinach and oranges!

No idea how the thresholds are obtained.  And just FYI--the LLL book says that eating iron does not result in higher iron levels in BM, which is a bummer.  Thanks for writing back, though--hopefully someone will write in with info. about symptoms/problems associated with low iron.
 

[elluin]

My daughter had "normal" iron levels at her check, so maybe this will help. She has not had any traditional iron-fortified foods or meats and is mostly breastfed at almost 11 months. She only eats about a teaspoon to tablespoon of solids 2-3 times a day, but they are iron rich foods, I think her main sources are:
• steamed spinach (sometimes I mix it with grains or diced fruits)
• blackstrap molasses (I mix it with a grain like millet or rice), this is very rich in iron
• lentils
• other greens
• brewer's yeast, we use one that is grown on beets and has a great nutty flavor sprinkled on fruits or veggies (I started this after her iron test though)

[Knitting Mama]

Originally Posted by caedenmomma 

No idea how the thresholds are obtained.  And just FYI--the LLL book says that eating iron does not result in higher iron levels in BM, which is a bummer.  Thanks for writing back, though--hopefully someone will write in with info. about symptoms/problems associated with low iron.

 

Correct, the mom can't add extra iron in her breastmilk through food.

Here is a link with some information on what you can expect with anemia in kids. Here is an iron-rich foods list. My doctor specifically mentioned issues with brain development, so obviously it's important to me to work on her iron intake!

[BirthIsAwesome]

my baby's pediatrician also recommended an iron supp and vit. D supp and I declined both. Because of that I will be focusing on iron-rich and vit. C rich foods almost exclusively when I start him on solids. I also expose him naked to 10 minutes of sun through the window per day, for the vit. D. I plan on starting with avacado, sweet potato, spinach/kale/collards, lentils, egg yolks, blueberries, and bell peppers. Once I've offered him all the ingredients individually and there are no side effects, I would like to make him a spinach/blueberry/banana smoothie daily...and if the only solids he eats in a day is a teaspoon or so of smoothie, that's fine with me. I'm not going to force the food, but I'll make sure any food he does eat is iron-rich. I will let the doc check his iron at 9mos., if it is low I will amp up the iron-rich food...and if it has not improved by 12mos. then I will start floradix. Haha, I must sound nuts doing so much pre-planning, but whenever I decline a doctors advice I like to have a game plan in place of how to accomplish the same end :)

Baby Smoothie:

1 cup fresh, raw spinach/kale/collards---tightly packed

1/4 banana

1/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Dash of healthy oil: olive, hemp, flaxseed. OR a raw egg yolk from my neighbor's pastured chickens. 

Blend till smooth. Add some breastmilk or water if needed to make it smoothie-texture. This makes about 1/2-3/4 cup of smoothie, because the spinach reduces so much when blended. I'll probably start with spoon feeding him the smoothie and then as he gets more proficient at swallowing thicker textures I'll put it into a straw baby cup. 

[Knitting Mama]

I don't remember who posted it, but someone recently posted articles confirming that sunning a baby through a window does not help with vitamin D production. You need to be outside in the sun for it to work.

[BirthIsAwesome]

Thanks Cecilia's Mama! I had no idea...when I told my ped what I was doing he said that was great. I'll look around for that article, very good to know :)

[Knitting Mama]

Here's one:

"UVB radiation does not penetrate glass, so exposure to sunshine indoors through a window does not produce vitamin D [Holick MF. Photobiology of vitamin D. In: Feldman D, Pike JW, Glorieux FH, eds. Vitamin D, Second Edition, Volume I. Burlington, MA: Elsevier, 2005.]."

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind/

[BirthIsAwesome]

Hey ladies, I wanted to share with you this high-iron soup recipe. It would be great to feed babies or pregnant mamas (or anyone) to overcome anemia!

Super-Iron Soup:

One small carrot, sliced and steamed 

1/2 cup cooked lentils

One small red potato, steamed

1 raw garlic clove, minced

1 cup raw spinach, chopped finely

2-3 chicken livers, baked, fat/drippings reserved

Some chicken stock

1 shake salt

1/4 tsp. each oregano, basil, and parsley

Blend livers with reserved fat/drippings, spices, garlic, and potato until very smooth. Add chicken stock until it is the texture you prefer in a soup. Break up the soft carrot into very small chunks and add carrot, lentils, and spinach to the blended mixture. Heat to just warm on the stovetop and serve with a drizzle of olive oil and more spices if necessary (for adults). This makes approximately 1.5-2 cups of soup...so one small serving for an adult but plenty to freeze for a baby.