Vitamin and iron supplements for bub???
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Topic: Vitamin and iron supplements for bub???
Posted By: kiwisj
Subject: Vitamin and iron supplements for bub???
Date Posted: 13 January 2009 at 5:07pm
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I'm not sure whether it's because Callum was prem or it's just "what they do" here in Singapore, but at his last check up the paediatrician gave us a multivitamin (drops) and also an iron supplement because my "iron stores will be low" since Callum was prem.
Has anyone else heard of this? I was under the impression that breastfeeding was a good source of iron for bubs, particularly in the beginning? I've been giving him them but wondering whether it's really necessary? The hospital where I gave birth is very pro-breastfeeding and we had loads of support but sometimes I get the impression that our paediatrician isn't so fussed .. or it could just be she has low expectations because breastfeeding numbers really drop here after the first month. Any clues?? Thanks  ------------- SJ Callum - Dec 2008 Daniel - Oct 2010 |
Replies:
Posted By: FreeSpirit
Date Posted: 13 January 2009 at 5:44pm
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I don't know anything about supplements for bub, but I'd make sure that you take a good multivitamin so you have good quality breast milk. ------------- http://www.babysfirstsite.com"> 
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Posted By: weegee
Date Posted: 13 January 2009 at 5:48pm
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Babies are usually born with good iron stores, but breast milk is actually quite low in iron (although what's there is highly bioavailable), which is why conventional wisdom says babies need more iron once they hit about 6 months (eg in iron-fortified baby rice). I don't know about the prem thing, but maybe prem babies don't get the chance to build up their stores the same way? ------------- 
Mum to JJ, 4 July 2008 & Addie, 28 July 2010 |
Posted By: kiwisj
Date Posted: 13 January 2009 at 5:51pm
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I'm stil taking Blackmores pregnancy and breastfeeding gold. Hmm, that's a point, perhaps I should have mentioned that to the paediatrician! ------------- SJ Callum - Dec 2008 Daniel - Oct 2010 |
Posted By: kiwisj
Date Posted: 13 January 2009 at 5:53pm
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Ah, good point about not being able to store up iron the same way, weegee - Callum missed out on 2 months of storing up iron I guess. Well I will keep giving them to him and see what the doc says next time when I'll try to remember to ask more questions ------------- SJ Callum - Dec 2008 Daniel - Oct 2010 |
Posted By: monster
Date Posted: 13 January 2009 at 7:13pm
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I've heard that iron stores at birth are lower in prem babies than full-term babies. Other factors (e.g. cutting the cord after it has finished pulsating) can increase the amount of iron bubs gets. Don't know about the need for other vitamins though, but have heard that it's common to supplement in some other countries.
Also bubs gets priority for your iron - he will get the iron from your breastmilk, even if it leaves you anaemic (hopefully not!). -------------   
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Posted By: kiwisj
Date Posted: 13 January 2009 at 7:14pm
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Thanks ladies ------------- SJ Callum - Dec 2008 Daniel - Oct 2010 |
Posted By: Troods
Date Posted: 13 January 2009 at 7:40pm
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Hiya.
Emily was prem and was put on the iron and vitamin supplements and had them up until she was established on solids - at around 7 months I no longer needed to give them to her. I was told by the hospital staff here that from about 36 wks gestation, the baby packs on the iron stores ready for birth, and it's these iron stores that get them through to about 6 months when they usually start solids and get their iron from food. There is only a little a bit of iron in breastmilk - enough for full term babies, but not enough for prem babies. I think the paediatrician probably meant Callum's iron stores will be low, not yours. Prem babies need the extra iron and vitamins to help with weight gain and brain development, otherwise they can get very lethargic and slow to gain weight, so it's important that he has the supplements. I know it can be a reall P in the A faffing around to get bub to take the supplements everyday, and it was soooooooo much easier when Emily didn't need them anymore. Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions re: prem stuff, the supplements or anything else. ------------- 
 Missed MC July 2011
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Posted By: yummymummy
Date Posted: 13 January 2009 at 9:37pm
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Emma was a prem and she too was prescribed both the iron and vitamin supplements. As Trudie above said, prem babies need the extra iron and vitamins to help with growth and development ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: kiwisj
Date Posted: 13 January 2009 at 10:02pm
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Thanks heaps guys. LOL TrudandEm, I was actually thinking this afternoon that the paed was probably meaning Callum rather than me .. VERY smart lady but loads of people get their pronouns mixed up here and sometimes it does make conversation a bit funny. The paediatrician obviously knows Callum is a boy but she's always referring to him as "she" .. and then "he" in the next sentence! So possibly just something lost in translation. Anyways, now I don't feel like I'm giving him something he doesn't need so that's cool, thanks for putting my mind at ease ------------- SJ Callum - Dec 2008 Daniel - Oct 2010 |
Posted By: Twinboys2b
Date Posted: 14 January 2009 at 4:19pm
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Just a bit of advice: the iron stains just about everything - especially the carpet if your DH decides to drop it on new carpet!! But if you don't use muslins and your bubs spills it stains all your nice white bub clothes. Also, the other supplement we used was Vitadol C which when mixed with iron goes black & also stains things so best to feed it your babies at diff. times.
------------- 3yr old gorgeous ID twin boys. |
Posted By: Troods
Date Posted: 14 January 2009 at 6:52pm
YES YES YES! I found a bit of lemon juice squeezed onto the stain would sometimes help. Having lots of muslin squares comes in very handy to mop up the drips and spills. I also fed DD the Vit C and iron at different times too to avoid the horrible black/brown concoction it made, but occassionally would mix if I really had to. -------------
Missed MC July 2011
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Twinboys2b wrote: