low iron levels?

Hi! I just got back from Samuel & Grace's 12 month check-up and all was pretty good. Samuel is 20.1 lb & Grace is 19.4 lb. He is 29 1/2 " and she is 28 1/2".

My concern is though that the dr said they had low iron levels. His was 8 and hers was 10. (normal was 11) She put Samuel on a prescription iron drops and told me to use over the counter with Grace because the pres. can cause stomach irration and she didn't want to do that unless necessary.

Does anyone else have babies using these drops? What effects did you see on their stomach? How long have they been on it?

I go for a re-check next month to see how things are going. They eat a lot of veggies and nurse 4x day still, so I really would have thought that the iron was ok. Guess not.

Thanks for any help!

Kim

 

Hi! I just got back from Samuel & Grace's 12 month check-up and all was pretty good. Samuel is 20.1 lb & Grace is 19.4 lb. He is 29 1/2 " and she is 28 1/2".

My concern is though that the dr said they had low iron levels. His was 8 and hers was 10. (normal was 11) She put Samuel on a prescription iron drops and told me to use over the counter with Grace because the pres. can cause stomach irration and she didn't want to do that unless necessary.

Does anyone else have babies using these drops? What effects did you see on their stomach? How long have they been on it?

I go for a re-check next month to see how things are going. They eat a lot of veggies and nurse 4x day still, so I really would have thought that the iron was ok. Guess not.

Thanks for any help!

Kim

 

Peas have lots of iron in them, Made you could offer them more to get their iron up natuaraly(my girls eat them a lot!). I don't have any experience with the drop(when tested my girls were 14).

 

I'm not sure how the prescription iron differs from the OTC??? I give mine OTC Polyvisol w/iron and we have no problems with that except that the stuff tastes foul and stains horribly (I give vitamins in the bath and chase it with the washcloth to keep their teeth white).

 

my boys both have HUGE appetites and still tested low as well.
We just modified when they get their daily vitamin.
They each have a chewable w/ iron in it, but apparently milk prohibits the absorption of iron, so instead of giving it to them at breakfast, they get it at lunch now.

 

My daughter's iron was low at their 9 month appointment so we started the Polyvisol drops w/iron. It was still low at her 12 month appointment, so the pedi had us switch to Fer In Sol iron drops. They are not prescription, but had to be special ordered by the pharmacist. They taste horrible (IMO), but she takes them straight and doesn't mind. The only problem she has had is that they make her a little constipated, so we give her prunes everyday, along lots of pears, oatmeal, etc. which really helps.

Her iron level was fine at their 15 month appointment.

 

My Presley has low iron levels and was put on the Polyvisol drops. She refuses to take them. I have tried to sneak them into every type of food or drink possible. I do it when she isn't looking and as soon as she gets the first taste, she spits everything out. The pedi then recommended giving her a daily vitamin and increase high iron foods. She takes the vitamin okay but her iron levels are still low. I am interested to see what they are like at her 2 year appt.

I didn't notice much stomach irritation but then again she wasn't on them long. The do cause constipation though.

Goodluck!
Reagan

 

Since you're still nursing, can you beef up the iron levels that YOU'RE eating?

Sorry, never used the drops. All my kids level were where they were supposed to be.

 

hi.. my guys took the iron drops for the 1st 2-3 months after they were born.. we just mixed them in the breast milk. We stopped after a while. At our 1 year check up, their levels were low, and my guys are good eaters! So we started the drops again (per pedi) and we give it to them in their milk in the morning and they dont even notice. They smell horrible, but they dont seem to mind. I haven't seen any side effects. We added more broccoli and spinach to the boys diet, and even more red meat too. I'm not sure if they levels are up yet, we go back for their 15 month and i guess they will check then