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My daughter iron level is at 10. Pediatrician prescribed iron supplement and she will not eat anymore ! Help

Jo - posted on 07/28/2012 ( 5 moms have responded )

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My daughter was just prescribed iron and she just hates any food now! I breastfeed and was told to continue and to feed her three meals (solids) at day. I started cereal at 6 months and veggies/fruit at about 7... She is now 9 months old. After the first few doses of iron ...She hates anything ! Her food won't go pass the lips ! She throws her hands forward ,hits bowl , food is all over the place ... She cries and cries ... Won't even go in the chair some times! She loved her little meal before and I thought she was growing just great! Now I am so scared I don' t know what to do!? I think I traumatized her and I am worry about making the wrong choice . Do I stop the iron and try to get her to eat again or do I keep forcing ! Plus the Internet has scary info n iron supplements with and without ! Any suggestions out there? Is it common? Thanks in advance!

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Celeste - posted on 07/29/2012

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First, was the iron taken by a prick or did they take blood? A finger prick isn't as accurate. Are you feeding her? If you are, maybe try letting her feed herself.. But, otherwise, I wouldn't force it. Breastmilk is to be the main source of nutrition the first year.

You really don't need those iron supplements. Breastmilk has iron in it and it's absorbed better. If your baby will feed herself, you can try giving her some iron rich foods instead of supplements. My twin boys had low iron (they were premature). I did give them the iron supplements but they hated it. So, I gave them iron rich foods and at their next appointment they weren't anemic anymore.

Here's a kellymom link about iron
http://kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/i...

At the bottom of the page, it gives a list of foods that are high in iron.

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Angela - posted on 08/05/2012

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My twins were preemies, they came home from the NICU on iron. I had to pump and put it in a bottle with breast milk. Have you tried doing that, or maybe a bottle of juice if you are open to juice? Smoothies? I really like the idea of iron rich foods, but in my case they were newborns. Black-strap molasses is a really good source, maybe put it in her rice cereal? YOu can also use blackstrap in baking. Also, i make my own brown sugar now, mix blackstrap and granulated sugar! Viola, brown sugar with added nutrients! My boys are 8, and very healthy smart kids. So the iron supplement hasn't ruined them yet ;)...

Anita - posted on 07/31/2012

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Hi Jo,
I love Celeste's reply :) My kids have often tested low (in the 10's) for iron too, and increasing the iron-rich foods has helped their next test come out just fine. I am a fan of eating real food vs. taking supplements as well :) Good job Mamas!!

Thanks Celeste for the kellymom link--that's very helpful!

TAra - posted on 07/30/2012

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If the iron supplement is making her hate food then I would not give it to her......probably making everything have a strong metallic taste. Are you iron deficient as well? If you are nursing you could pump up your iron and pass that along........I did beet juice ...actually beet, apple or beet apple carrot......whatever you can mix with the beet to make it taste good. This really boosted my iron levels quickly and effectively while I was pregnant. If your daughter drinks juice, she may drink the beet apple herself. My 3 year old likes the beet apple carrot blend. It's pretty sweet. Anyway, the beet juice provides the iron without the side effects of the potent supplements and works really well for me and my kids. You can juice at home if you have a juicer or hit your local juice bar and let them do the work.
Good luck!

Jo - posted on 07/29/2012

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Celeste ,
Thank you so much ! It' s exactaly what I will do too ... Stop the supplement and feed her iron rich food . I feel much better now that I know it worked for other families and actually today my baby had already three servings of cereal+ veggie and loved it ! No supplement! I also made her fruit and veggie juice and she is drinking that too :-)
Thanks again

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