What About Babies Who Have LOW Iron Levels?

For those babies who do need iron supplementation (hemoglobin levels have been checked and are too low), it's important to make sure that the solids that baby eats are high in iron and vitamin C.

In addition, the combination of yellow dock and dandelion root tinctures are said to be great (and non-constipating) for raising iron levels.

One nutritionist I know of has recommended that if this is the first time that you've gotten a reading "below normal" (if it is truly below normal - see below) then talk with your doctor about trying FIRST to correct it with diet, then after a few months have a re-test. If it's still low at that point, then iron supplements may be warranted.

Keep in mind that if your baby has been ill recently, his iron levels may be temporarily low due to the illness.

Normal iron levels
Age	Hemoglobin concentration (grams per deciliter)	Hematocrit (Hct) %	[measures iron stores] Serum Ferritin (micrograms per liter)
newborn	13.5-24	42-68	-not available-
One week	10-20	31-67	-not available-
1-2 months	10-18	28-55	-not available-
2-6 months	9.5-14	28-42	-not available-
6-12 months	10.5-14 (12 average)	33-42 (37 average)	15 is minimum (30 average)
1-2 years	11.0-13	32.9-41	(30 average)
2-5 years	11.1-13	34-40	-not available-
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommendations to Prevent and Control Iron Deficiency in the United States. MMWR 1998;47(No. RR-3). Hemoglobin, Hematocrit from www.medicinenet.com Family Practice notebook.com. Hemoglobin. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 16th edition. Behrman, Kliegman and Arvin; 2000: p. 1462

A 2003 study by Domellof et al looked at the diagnostic criteria for iron deficiency/iron deficiency anemia in infants, and (from studying 263 exclusively breastfed infants in Honduras and Sweden) determined the following values to suggest the presence of iron deficiency in infants:

Iron Deficiency / Iron Deficiency Anemia in Infants
Age	Hemoglobin concentration (grams per deciliter)	Serum Ferritin (micrograms per liter) [measures iron stores]
4-6 months	<>	<>
6 months	-	<>
9 months	<>	<>
Source: Domellof M, Dewey KG, Lonnerdal B, Cohen RJ, Hernell O. The diagnostic criteria for iron deficiency in infants should be reevaluated. J Nutr. 2002 Dec;132(12):3680-6.

Read about how one mother helped her infant overcome iron deficient anemia without using iron supplements, HERE.

All of the above information came from Kellymom.com - HERE.