We're skipping rice cereal and going straight to purees when A hits six months (hoping to make our own purees, alongside breastfeeding).
If you skipped cereal, how did you make sure baby got enough iron? My mum thinks it might be an issue...
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We have continued to bf on demand which provides iron more easily absorbed. At 1 year P is a little low BUT we have also had alot of diet restrictions that likely attribute.... she's low but not "deficient".
Most babies have reserves that don't deplete until 6ish months, but even then it's not like all of a sudden it "runs out".
ETA: Unless your lo is low there really isn't any reason to worry AND many times it can be remedied with diet.
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Iron drops!
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Lots of veggies have really high iron content! Spinach, sweet potatoes, lentils... plus lots more. I plan on just feeding her lots of veggies that have high iron, and eat them myself so that she can get it through my milk as well.
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@runsyellowlites: I read that she should be okay until six months, but we're almost at that point so don't want her to get low (she's EBF but not the biggest eater in the world)
@sloaneandpuffy: I wondered about those.. did you use those? Did they affect your LO's tummy at all? I just ask because I remember the iron in my prenatals making my morning sickness even worse!
@Arden: That's a really good point, I might make sweet potato one of her first foods!
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We breastfed, gave her meats sometime (though it wasn't everyday), and high iron mushed veggies and beans. She had her iron tested and was fine, but I've always had high iron so not sure if that makes a difference.
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@travelgirl1: P has always nursed well but she didn't have solids until almost 10 months! She just didn't care for them. I would think in the case of your lo being a good eater of solid veggies I really wouldn't worry.
Kellymom has a good post on iron & bf babies.......
http://kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/iron/ETA: P was also only 6lb 1oz when born at 41+5 weeks gestation so she would be more "at risk" for being low.
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@travelgirl1: I also have really high iron myself (as a vegetarian, that doesn't eat any "fortified" foods), so I imagine that will also help her get more out of my breast milk for longer.
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@runsyellowlites: Oh perfect, thanks so much!
I never realised skipping rice cereal was so controversial but have seen a lot of eye rolling over it from my family. Ah well!
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Sweet potato is easy to mix into a lot of purees; as is spinach. One of my LO's favorite puree mixes was Greek yogurt, spinach and raspberries.
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Thanks for this thread. Planning on skipping rice cereal ourselves!
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My doc said as long as I BF on demand it'll be fine...if anything I will have an iron deficiency. He'll take everything I have and leave me none!
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I think it depends on your family history. My bro is anemic and I was on iron supplements all pregnancy so I shouldn't be surprised that she was low at the 9 month check up. In lieu of supplements we opted to try and increase her levels via diet.
Iron in foods are divided into 2 groups, easily absorbed and less easily absorbed. Meats such as lean pork, turkey, dark chicken meat, shrimps, scallops, eggs etc are in the easily absorbed group. Veggies such as kale, broccoli are actually in the less easily absorbed group. As are beans, tofu, hummus.
Vitamin c also helps the absorption of iron.We'll see at her 1 yr if diet was enough!
Eta: thinking back I probably should've continued the iron supplements myself for her benefit!
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@Mrs. Sketchbook: Ha ha, DH just said a similar thing. Maybe I'll start taking an iron supplement or something.....
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@regberadaisy: That's interesting, because I'm vegetarian and don't take supplements, and my iron levels are fantastic. So they must be absorbed at least reasonably well...
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@Arden: haha I'm sure just like cholesterol your genetic make up probably has something to do with the levels you start out with. If that makes sense.
I looked into it when we found out M had low iron levels bc we want to avoid giving her supplements. -
@regberadaisy: I'm sure that plays into it, but in high school I was actually anemic (had to go on liquid supplements), so I started paying attention to getting plenty of beans, greens, etc and have great levels now. So I don't think I'm genetically "safe". I do make sure to add vit. C though - I eat my greens with lemon juice, etc.
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Spinach, beets, yams, and beans. I made sure to choose foods that were high in iron.
Oops, totally forgot about vitamin c helping with the absorption!
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@travelgirl1: my boy didn't have any problems although I admit I didn't give them to him every single day. About to start giving them to my little girl so we'll see! The pedi told me if she has trouble to split the one dose into two doses a day
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@Arden: that's good to know that you are able to maintain great levels as a vegetarian! I worry about her levels and offer iron rich foods at each meal but she's been picking out the meats a lot! Blegh.
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Sorry...random...what's the deal with rice cereal? I've just started researching solids. Is there a reason to skip rice cereal? Or just personal preference?
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@twoofeverything: Here are some threads about it - http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anyone-not-doing-rice-cereal#post-278644
http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/article-about-rice-cereal-as-a-first-food#post-396240
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Sweet potato! A ton:)
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@Arden: Thank you!
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@travelgirl1: yes! It is best just to keep with the prenatals. Of course I am not. Bad me!
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