Hello everyone! I’m back with some important and useful information for those of you who are currently breastfeeding or plan to do so in the future! This blog post actually came about after a recent occurrence and I felt that this was something that needs to be discussed. I am a firm believer that knowledge is power, which is why this bog exists and what I love the most about my job.
Does My Breastfed Baby Need An Iron Supplement?
The answer to this question, more often than not is – no. It was once believed that because there is not an abundance of iron found in the mother’s milk that the baby must not be getting enough, therefore an iron supplement was administered. But with recent and more advanced research we have actually found that mother’s milk is the best source of iron for your little one (or not so little one if you’re nursing a toddler). Yes, it is true that human milk does have very small amounts of iron in it, but it is more easily absorbed than from any other source. With that said, the unnecessary supplementation of iron has decreased tremendously.
According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, an infant who is being breastfed or is consuming iron fortified formula do not require extra iron, but infants younger than 12 months who only drink cow’s milk are more likely to have an iron deficiency.
Reasons My Baby May Need Iron Supplementation
There are some exceptions as stated in The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding for why your baby may require some extra iron. One – if your baby’s umbilical cord was cut early, causing anemia in the infant, two- the infant was started on solid foods prematurely, causing their iron stores to drop, and three- if your baby was born premature. None of these are definite reasons for needing an iron supplement and should first be checked through a blood test to truly know if it is necessary.
Too Much Iron
Although iron is a necessity to our bodies, it can also be overdone. Although it is a rare occurrence today, iron poisoning can occur if too much iron is ingested. Unless an iron supplement is being given unnecessarily, too much is being administered, or your child is eating vitamins like they’re candy then you should have no reason to worry. Iron poisoning is an easily treatable problem, but if it becomes severe before being caught then some of the symptoms include, but are not limited to:
- Diarrhea
- Liver Damage
- Nausea
- Dehydration
- Fever
- Pale
- Convulsions
Ways To Prevent Iron Deficiency
Dr. Sears offers 8 ways that you can prevent iron deficiency in your infant.
- Breastfeed your baby as long as possible.
- Use iron-fortified formula.
- Delay cow’s milk feeding for infants; limit it for toddlers.
- Combine foods wisely.
- Try prune juice as a regular beverage.
- Cook in iron pots.
- Bake with iron-rich grains.
Some or none of these may work for you. Make your decisions based upon your own and your child’s needs and abilities. No one knows your child the way that you do.
You should also know that you cannot increase the amount of iron in your milk by increasing your iron intake because it does not transfer into the milk, therefore in order to increase your baby’s iron intake he or she must ingest it directly, whether through iron-rich foods or a vitamin with iron.
Iron Rich Foods
- Apricots
- Chicken, Turkey, Fish, and Other Meats
- Dried Beans, Lentils, and Soybeans
- Eggs
- Liver
- Molasses
- Oatmeal
- Peanut Butter
- Prune Juice
- Raisins & Prunes
- Spinach, Kale, and Other Leafy Greens
Happy breastfeeding! :)
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article sponsered by Northern Michigan certified lactation consulting and Mother Hubbards Country Cupboard
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