"Slightly Anemic" 14 month old

[GuavaGirl]

We just had a CBC done and doctor said he is anemic, but just slightly.  (It was my idea to have him tested because he seems more tired than normal and maybe a little pale)

The pediatrician's recommendation was to just eat more green veggies and meat.

Do you have any additional advice or thoughts?  He's always been a big meat eater, so it's the green veggies we need to work on.  He likes broccoli but I'm not sure how to do more dark leafy veggies.  Maybe just saute them?  He eats with his hands, so slippery things are kind of hard.  Which things should I be avoiding?  

As a side note, he's always eaten super healthy.  Meat, eggs, starchy veggies, non-starchy veggies, fruits,good fats, almonds(meal), no crap, a few whole grains, occasional cheese, no "baby" food, and now he has ~16 oz of whole milk/day.  We started that at 12 months.  Before that his only milk was breast milk...but I realized that I was actually anemic his whole first year

[Bokonon]

Why do you think he was anemic his whole first year?  Most full-term, healthy breastfed babies are not anemic.

Watermelon is a good source of iron, and who doesn't love watermelon?

[GuavaGirl]

oh, I wrote that I was anemic his whole first year.

He actually is not crazy about watermelon.  The one I got isn't too sweet.  Maybe that's why.

I'm trying to find a good "iron content in foods" chart.  any tips?

[Bokonon]

Originally Posted by GuavaGirl 

oh, I wrote that I was anemic his whole first year.

He actually is not crazy about watermelon.  The one I got isn't too sweet.  Maybe that's why.

I'm trying to find a good "iron content in foods" chart.  any tips?

Ahh...sorry, I missed that.

[CCJWGM]

My full term breast fed meat eating son also tends to be "slightly anemic."  I have embraced cast iron cooking to help remedy it.  I know it may sound silly but cast iron cooking is a great way to add iron in your diet.  It might be obvious but do make sure the cast iron is not enamel coated. :)

[GuavaGirl]

It doesn't sound silly.  I do cook with cast iron.  Not everything, but most things.  I could make more of an effort, though.  I use my corningware and glass dishes for oven stuff, and a big stainless steel pan for big stuff.  Everything else is done in my cast iron.

I read somewhere that the low iron happens during high growth times.  I wonder if the kids that grow faster than average tend to have more iron issues, despite a healthy diet.  Eli's first year he grew an inch every single month.  Maybe that's normal?  He is a 90th percentile kid.

[hildare]

don't forget that foods rich in vitamin c can aid absorption of iron.  calcium and some beans tend to decrease use of iron in the body.  it's important to meal plan knowing that.

here's a medline list and a really good chart (from a .gov too, fwiw)

[dovey]

You might want to be careful with the dairy too.  Cow's milk can cause irritation of the intestines so that iron is not properly absorbed.  I think this only happens in some people, but maybe it's a problem for your little one?

Also, an idea for the dark green leafies (i.e. kale, spinach, mustard greens, collard greens):  boil them or steam them well in a little salted water and oil.  Make sure they're really soft so that they're digestable.  Cool them a little and make them into balls with your fingers.  My daughter loves this, and she also likes drinking the water that they were cooked in as a broth.

Hope that helps. 

[McGucks]

Our 13 m.o. had 8.8 iron at a 9 month visit (he was EBF til 6.5 months, and still gets about 80% of his calories from BM).  We do cast iron, iron-rich foods (well, we offer them--he often throws them), and a vitamin (gasp) maybe three times a week.  One of the iron-rich foods he actually likes is dried apricots.  I soften them in hot water and cut them up very small (the size of a raisin).  That said, they often seem to pass through his system undigested.  40% bran flakes, blackstrap molasses, and beans are three other good ones that he sometimes will get down.  Vitamin C aids in absorption of iron, whole wheat at the same meal supposedly decreases absorption.  Oy.  Ug.  Hey--and thumbs up to you for noticing your LO seemed anemic!  Such an observant mama you must be.  Good luck.

[grethel]

I second blackstrap molasses - it's good in oatmeal or a smoothie. For the leafy greens - both my girls love kale chips. I toss kale with a very little bit of olive oil, a sprinkle of sea salt and a small dash of balsamic vinegar and bake them at 250 for 25 minutes or so, until crispy. It's really easy to scarf down a whole bunch of kale in just a few minutes, and while a little messy the chips are pretty easy for a young toddler to handle.

.

[GuavaGirl]

grethel:  good idea!  I've been meaning to try that.  Which kind of kale works best?

[firewoman]

You can try a super green drink like this: https://www.herbdoc.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=38&cid=13  I use the Superfood Plus powder mixed with water and my 4 year old and 18 month old love it.  It makes me feel better about their wishy washy relationship with green leafies.  Mixing it with juice may make it more palatable for some people but water works just fine over here.  Another thing you could use is Floradix iron and herbs.  Shop online to find the best price.  It tastes like juice and is very easily assimilated (so is the superfood).  Floradix is also non-constipating.  Good luck and know that it is not uncommon for babies this age to have a little anemia.

Just as an aside....my favorite kale is lacinato.

[grethel]

Originally Posted by GuavaGirl 

grethel:  good idea!  I've been meaning to try that.  Which kind of kale works best?

You can use any kind you like. I personally find I get the best results with ordinary super-curly kale... I think the curl in the leaves make them crisp up better. A lot of people do like the lacinato or dino kale too.

I like to bake them on my silpat (silicone oven mat). That and the low temperature keeps them from getting burned. You can use a regular cookie sheet too, lined with parchment paper if you've got it. Just make sure to check on them and maybe turn them over starting at about 20 minutes - like with garlic bread, there's a fine line between nicely crisp and burned. :)  Oh, and tear them into large pieces, removing the center rib, before putting on the oil and salt.

[sunnygir1]

My dd was slightly anemic at that age too.  I tried to give her pretty much only iron- and C-rich foods.  Here are some things I remember:

oatmeal with raw tahini mixed in before serving (sesame seeds are a great source of iron)

beans and lentils

chicken soup with leafy greens (bean, lentil, or chicken/turkey soup is the best way I've found to get my kids to eat greens -- otherwise they are too hard to chew up)

I gave her liquid chlorophyll (apparently has very similar molecular structure to hemoglobin) and herbal iron.  I liked the Floradix herbal iron supplement better than the other I tried.

Her iron level corrected beautifully in a short amount of time, and she has never seemed anemic (or had a blood test) since.

[Knitting Mama]

We're on to using Floradix at this point, after 3 months of iron and vit. c rich foods yielded the exact same lower hemoglobin level at Cecilia's 1 year WBV (she was first tested at 9 months). She loves her Floradix and asks for more after every bit I give her. I give it to her in a dropper because it's easier for her. It takes a few droppers-ful to get the whole dose in, but she doesn't mind!