Elliot just had his one year check and when I said that he was vegetarian & bf she went on about being careful about his iron levels as breastmilk doesn't contain much and it's important for this stage of development. she also asked if he eats spinach (which he doesn't really as I don't buy spinach..) but he does have loads of dried apricots and sultanas etc which are also high in iron.

Just googled it and apparently although there are low levels of iron in breastmilk comparatively to other milks the rate of absorption by the baby's digestive system is lots higher so it's fine.

We've got really fantastic drs so I'm a bit annoyed that she raised it as an area for concern with bf'ing. She said something about b'fed babies not getting much iron... Think it's because it's in combination with that stupid cow & gate advert with the big cows milk cup which also really annoys me!!!! I could have taken that to mean I shouldn't be bf'ing?

Might just be over tired..?

Feel a bit better after my rant!!!

x

what a load of unnecessary worry!
glad you had the sense to research for yourself to put mind at ease

Big hon xxx

It's something that seems to constantly come up with iron, I keep worrying about it and trying to figure out how to get more iron into Aisling and then remember the thing about absorbtion but it seems to pop out of my head again 5 minutes later!

You'd think the health professionals would be a bit more clued up though seeing as they're meant to be encouraging us to bf...

Thank god for google!
xxx

I find that it is always best to just do your own research and ignore most of the advice of so-called professionals. I don't know about where you are but I don't think many of the public health nurses in my area are particularly knowledgeable about breast-feeding, weaning, or anything else really.

They really annoy me sometimes, for example, at breast feeding support group last week one of the other mothers was asking about weaning. The nurse said something like "Well the World Health Organization recommends exclusive breast-feeding till 6 months but I think you would be better off starting him on some baby rice" (!!) This just really annoyed me - it was like she thought her opinion was more valid that that of the WHO which is backed up by research! The same nurse is also very quick to recommend formula top-ups, and this is at a breast-feeding support group!

Sorry for hijacking your thread but I really think there is a lot of unreliable advice out there and it just annoys me!

I was told it's absorbed better but there's less than formula. I'm trying to get more vitamin C in him to help with absorption but he eats so little that I've not looked at iron sources yet, just try to get him to eat anything! Glad you had google on your side

Grr! As a fellow veggie with future veggie baby that's made me cross.

I'm not technically veggie - although I've been with veggie-hubby for over 10 years, and I haven't eaten meat at all since I got over morning sickness... I don't get any of this crap talked at me.

It's the biggest area for myths and nonsense from these ppl. Ignore them x

I've also been told that this by professionals and given that they are not selling me vitamins i have no reason to be suspicious. Your iron levels might be great but this won't be the case for everyone. As said in this link your babies iron supplies will start to diminish at 6 months and they will need to replace it from somewhere:

http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/Iron.htm

My health people didn't even know I was raising him veggie but didn't say anything when I told them.