[MommaColleen]

Emma had a check up yesterday and the ped asked me if I was giving her rice cereal. I told her no, that I was only BF'ing and that we tried rice a few times and she didn't like it.

She then told me I really need to push some cereal because my iron supply is going to be depleted and Emma really needs the iron. She said the alternative is giving Emma iron vitamins but they are "black and yucky and taste horrible".

I never heard of this before. Can't I just take an iron supplement?

[Alejandros Mommy]

Who told you that!? You can increase your own supply by eating iron rich foods...you really don't need to give her anything else. The only thing that Breast milk doesn't have is Vit D.

[MommaColleen]

The pediatrician told me that.

I was so surprised I didn't have time to wrap my mind around the concept enough to ask more questions. What baffled me the most is SHE bf both her kids.

Emma is only 4 1/2 months and I really wanted to exclusively bf a bit longer. IMO, if she doesn’t eat the rice cereal when we tried it that is a sign that she isn't ready for it or she doesn't like it.

[vanaden]

No way!! Giving babies anything else besides bmilk or for before 6 months greatly increases chances for food allergies!
Doctors don't know what there talking about. At my job we struggle with doctors tellign bf moms all kinds of wrong things.
You're bmilk is all your baby needs until 6 months old!!!
What about vitamin drops?
I used to put them in my DD milk when she was little. She always had low iron.

[twinzplus3]

I have yet to give my children any supplements whatsoever. Not a single one of them is anemic, has rickets or anything else. Surprise, surprise they are all healthy as can be. (Vitamin D is recommended although I don't do that either. ) I would encourage you to approach the problem with the pedi scientifically. Does it make sense that if breasmilk were deficient in anything that the species would survive? WHO estimates that if there were a 'moderate' increase infant morbidity would decrease 10 fold. Does that sound like milk that's lacking something? People don't/didn't always have cereal to "boost iron". IF your child happens to be one of the children who for some reason isn't able to absorb iron properly and therefore is anemic. . .go ahead and give vitamin supplements.

Furthermore, the AAP does NOT recommend any solid foods until 6 months. Interestingly, they are behind current research (actually they often are). All of the other major pediatric, health organizations in other countries as well as WHO and UNICEF all recommend delaying solids past 6 months if possible.

Okay. . .stepping off the soap box now.

[pattiewrites]

It sounds like some really outdated information, more something you'd hear from grandma than a doctor! Six months is the minimum recommendation now for solids. We skip rice cereal completely because it has no real nutritional value. I had one baby that refused all solids until 9 months and our ped said it was not a problem. He said that breastfed babies don't need it because breastmilk is complete nutrition and gives them all they need.

[MommaColleen]

OK, good....I felt terrible that I knew nothing of the iron "issue".

I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing as 1) Emma is growing just fine and 2) she seems pretty darn happy on breast milk.

Thanks ladies

[mommartin]

Just wanted to add that I have never given mine iron and they usually exclusively nursed till about nine months and they did just fine.

[angelic_ky]

i actually read this before, not exactly sure where i read it but i think i threw it in the bin when i read it. As long as your iron levels are good then so should your DD (unless she has a issue absorbing iron and then cereal wouldn't help with that anyway)