My 7 month old son is 90% breastfed 10% formula. I read that he needs 11mg of iron a day. I also read that it isn‘t in breastmilk, but he hates to eat cereal and I think that is his main source of iron. I have tried mixing it with fruits/veggies, gerber juice, water, and formula/breastmilk, and he still doesn‘t like it. Is there somewhere else he can get iron from?
Most likely, yes. I believe all formulas are fortified with iron, and babies are born with stores of iron that last at least 6 months, and sometimes beyond. Has he ever had his hemoglobin tested? Was it ever low? Is there something else that makes you think it's low? Just because breastmilk doesn't have high amounts of iron in it doesn't mean that he's iron deficient. If you're concerned that he's not getting enough, you can start adding some lean meats to his diet. Some experts actually recommend offering meats as a first food because of the iron and protein content. If he has some teeth, you can try offering very small pieces of meat, or you can puree some yourself. I'm not a big fan of the jarred purees that you buy in stores. I always used very, very small pieces and let them self-feed.
Does your baby have a yellowish tint to his skin? If yes, then he's not getting enough iron. If no, then he's probably doing just fine. :o) Skin tint is the easiest way to know if there is an iron deficiency. My son refused formula completely around 9 months, so I tried supplementing iron with other foods. Didn't work out, so I got him on iron drops. All is well now! If you're still concerned, bring him to the doc and ask them for an iron test. They can do it in minutes.
Most likely, yes. I believe all formulas are fortified with iron, and babies are born with stores of iron that last at least 6 months, and sometimes beyond. Has he ever had his hemoglobin tested? Was it ever low? Is there something else that makes you think it's low? Just because breastmilk doesn't have high amounts of iron in it doesn't mean that he's iron deficient. If you're concerned that he's not getting enough, you can start adding some lean meats to his diet. Some experts actually recommend offering meats as a first food because of the iron and protein content. If he has some teeth, you can try offering very small pieces of meat, or you can puree some yourself. I'm not a big fan of the jarred purees that you buy in stores. I always used very, very small pieces and let them self-feed.
You could try poly-vi-sol baby vitamins or try introducing red meats. They are both a great source of iron.
You could try poly-vi-sol baby vitamins or try introducing red meats. They are both a great source of iron.
Does your baby have a yellowish tint to his skin? If yes, then he's not getting enough iron. If no, then he's probably doing just fine. :o) Skin tint is the easiest way to know if there is an iron deficiency. My son refused formula completely around 9 months, so I tried supplementing iron with other foods. Didn't work out, so I got him on iron drops. All is well now! If you're still concerned, bring him to the doc and ask them for an iron test. They can do it in minutes.
