Is iron supplement required for babies

IlovemyMom · Mar 31, 2012

My baby is 6 months old. Her paed said to give her enfamil poly vi sol vitamin drops. When I asked her if we can give the vitamin drop along with iron supplement she said if you want you can. Experienced moms please advise if you are giving poly vi sol with iron? My baby doesn't take formula. So does she need extra iron through supplement ?

ramyaramani · Mar 31, 2012

If a baby is not prematurely born and is mainly breastfed then iron supplements are not necessary. The required iron can be given in iron rich foods (instead of supplements) after 6 months. My LO was just given plain vitamin drops. I gave her dates from her 7th month. She cleared the Haemoglobin test in her 8th month visit.

You can use regular food items instead of supplements. The following link will provide more details:

Iron and Baby, How much Iron does Baby Need? Is there Iron in Homemade Baby Food? Iron Supplement in Baby Food

IlovemyMom · Mar 31, 2012

Hi ramya,
Thanks for the details. How do you give dates? Which type of dates do we have to use? Do u give it as a drink?

ramyaramani · Apr 1, 2012

I boil dates with 1/4 cup water. I allow it to soften. By this time the water also reduces. I then use the water or lavoring rice cereals / ragi or for anything that needs a sweet flavor. Once your LO Learns how to chew then the boiled dates can be given directly. I use middle east dates. sometimes I also mash soft dates with hand and give it to LO.

beautifulpictur · Apr 1, 2012

Hi IlovemyMom,

My son's pead prescribed polyvisol with Iron when he was 5 months old...we tried but he just wouldn't take it no matter what we mixed it with...maybe its strong smell n taste. Ended up not using it.
As Ramya suggested, its better to use regular iron rich food rather than supplement since ur LO is already 6 months and on solids.

Lekha

IlovemyMom · Apr 2, 2012

@ramya, thanks for the details
@beutifulpictur, thanks ya

Ganthimathi · Apr 2, 2012

If your daughter is exclusively breast fed upto 5/6 months there is no need to start iron drops, unless the doctor says the baby is anaemic. Though iron content is low in breast milk it is better absorbed. This is right time to start proper supplementary food that are rich in iron.

Ganthi

IlovemyMom · Apr 3, 2012

Thanks ganthi, will give her iron rich food.

sarvatha · Apr 9, 2012

Hi, my son was prematurely born and he wa on iron drops and vitamins too its fine, you can give him vitamins and iron drops, one after the other. just see that there is a short interval of like 5 minutes between the two.. i avoide giving iron drops immediately after he has his milk , as he has a tendancy to vomit then ! but this way, its fine !