At M's 9 month they tested her hemoglobin and her iron levels are just slightly low. In lieu of giving her supplements we have opted to try and change it by changing her diet. So we have to give her iron rich foods 3x a day. Then she'll be tested again at 12 months.
Is your LO iron deficient? Were you able to change it by diet solely?
pomegranate / 3503 posts
What made your doctor test for that? I don't think our kids have done a blood test in a while. I wonder if my doctor is not being thorough?
cherry / 146 posts
our twins also got their iron levels checked at their 9 month wellness visit this week. one of them had iron levels that were on the lower end of normal so we will be incorporating more iron-rich solids too.
pear / 1812 posts
Both me and one of my sisters are anemic. I am waiting for my insurance to figure out a frustrating mess so I can get my RX for iron suppliments. Even changing my diet never helped me but it never really affected me until I was pregnant. It still doesn't really. I just worry about the baby.. I don't want them to to be affected by my low iron. I also worry that I am going to pass it on to them. And, while I don't usually take suppliments for me, if my sister doesn't, she will get VERY sick. I worry that our baby is going to get it from me but end up like her!
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
@BoogieBea: It was standard at 9 months. I know some other similar age babies their doc's will test at 12 months. It was a simple finger prick. How old is LO?
@Mrs Hedgehog: I was borderline anemic during pregnancy as well. And after my levels kept dropping they put me on supplements. My brother IS anemic so I shouldn't be surprised that M is borderline.
pomegranate / 3503 posts
My daughter is 18 months, son is 3.5 years almost. I will have to ask my doctor about this. Maybe there's something that triggers them to test.
squash / 13199 posts
we were given supplements but we dont take them anymore. I have started to feed her chicken and spinach so I hope that helps
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
@Mrsbells: we were advised iron rich foods 3x a day in lieu of vitamins.
bananas / 9357 posts
@regberadaisy: Did your LO's iron go up with just diet? My son had his 9 month check up yesterday and they said his iron was a little below normal. He suggested iron rich diet and poly vi sol w/ iron supplements. He has to go in one month for another blood test. 
What foods did you incorporate?
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
@mrskc: LO's case is a bit extreme. Upon further testing she is slightly anemic and has thalassemia trait. What are your LO's levels? My ped said around 13 is normal but with thalassemia trait we are only aiming for LO's to get up to around 10.
She got tested again at her 12 month and her levels dropped dangerously low. The ped immediately put her own supplements and we have been going back every 2 weeks since. Her levels were going up and we were optimistic she would be off supplements after her check up yesterday. Unfortunately between yesterday and her last visit 2 weeks ago her levels only went up 1/2 point.
We were quite shaken about that. So she is still on supplements and we're juicing our own OJ and giving that with the supplements bc vitamin C helps with iron absorption. Do NOT give milk with the supplements because milk hinders that.
If you look on the Red Cross site they have a list of iron rich food. Generally speaking meats (dark chicken meat, pork) and fish (salmon, shrimp, etc) are better absorbed than vegetables (kale, broccoli, spinach, dark leafy greens). Prunes, raisins etc are also all great. We are also going to start incorporating green smoothies into her diet which already has a lot of iron rich foods.
So no diet alone was not enough to raise her levels but her case is a bit more extreme than most.
http://www.redcrossblood.org/learn-about-blood/health-and-wellness/iron-rich-foods
Your LO might be young still for some of these.
coconut / 8305 posts
@regberadaisy: Boo! I was hoping for a good update!
Have you considered cooking in cast iron? My MW gave me some info showing some pretty huge increases in iron for things like sauces that were cooked in cast iron pans! I was pretty amazed.
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
@runsyellowlites: we do! But not often bc there's no "healthy" way to go about it. 
coconut / 8305 posts
@regberadaisy: Lol. We eat spaghetti quite regularly so making the pasta sauce would really be the only thing I could think we'd really make in it (the other examples she had I don't normally make).
I do hope that M's levels can come up soon!
bananas / 9357 posts
@regberadaisy: His level was at 10 yesterday. Oh man, I'm so sorry you don't have a good update. Your poor Lo and poor mama. That must be stressful. Thank you for the info. I guess it's good his doc is having a follow up test done in one month. I'm really hoping we can get his iron up. Poor thing will have to have an arm blood draw though.
@runsyellowlites: oh cast iron skillet is a good idea!
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
@mrskc: if you're taking him to a lab go to a pediatric lab if you can. We took her to a regular lab the first time and she got poked twice and they still couldn't find her vessel! We told the pediatrician and he made us go to a pediatric lab bc he really wanted us to get the blood work done asap. The phlebotomist at the pediatric lab got it first try! Poor thing got poked 3x that day.
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