Who Can Help Me?

I don't understand why you have to stop breastfeeding... why not try iron enriched baby foods and supplements for him as well as for you first to see if it helps the anemia? Breastfed babies grow differently than formula fed babies. I don't trust Dr.'s who say to stop breastfeeding unless there is a major problem and other solutions have been tried first.

Hi,
I have a few ideas.
1. Pump your breast milk and mix it with the formula. Gradually decrease the amount of breast milk.

2. The powdered formula and the canned formula taste different. Which one do you use? Try the oppisite of what you are using now.

3. At 10 months old he should be able to drink from a sippy cup. Offer the formula in one of those.

4. Dilute the formula with water and gradually decrease the amount of water.

Hope this helps
D.

Eggs are the best way for someone to get more iron. Then spinach and other green leafy veggies. I was anemic when I was pregnant and had to watch my iron intake. Now I take my prenatal vitamins to keep my iron levels up for my son (who still breastfeeds @ 18 months) and make sure he gets iron fortified foods.

I know that it's frustrating feeding a picky eater and you feel like you're wasting food most of the time. But just keep trying, you'll find something! I found that my son prefered to eat only what I was eating at first and didn't want baby food at all. I stopped making food for him and just made sure that we ate together at regular times in the day. While his food intake isn't varied enough for him to get all his vitamins/minerals, I use breastfeeding to supplement so he doesn't have to go on a multi-vitamin at his age.

Is it that you aren't able to breastfeed anymore, or do you think he's anemic due to your breastmilk? He'll get a certain amount of iron from breastmilk (and lots of other important vitamins) and if he's not eating much, I wouldn't stop unless you just have no time to do it anymore. Iron is the reason they say children need to start on the baby cereal (iron fortified) when they're 5-6 months old.

Anyway! I hate to hear that breastfeeding is the cause of the problem when it's that he's not getting the iron he needs from needing to eat food.

Perserverance and patience is all you can do :)

Hi M.,
I hear you, you need to stop breast feeding him. Why we don't know? I had the same problem my baby she did not like formula and did not like the baby cereal and would not take a bottle. What did I do? I started to feed her table food what we ate she ate I would just smach it and she would eat at the same time we did babies normaly will eat if they see us eat that is how they learn by watching us. I also gave her a cup witch she perfered to a bottle. I would pump and give it to her in the cup or perferable Dad and would leave the room. At 9 1/2 months I started her on 2% low fat milk with the nutritional shake mix.Witch has all the protin vitamins and mineral she needed and I would als give her Kindermint a liquid multivitamin. I know I am giving my baby the best nutrition avalable. If intrested give me a call ###-###-#### My Baby Clarissa just turned 1 year Sunday and is heathy and happy. I do keep brestfeeding at night and in the morning only becasue I like that special time with her. I hope I could help all the other moms had great ideas and I hope your baby gets better with the anemia.

God Bless
D.

Can you continue to breastfeed him and give him some iron (very small amt) supplement? I don't see why you have to stop breastfeeding so early on. I know people that went to almost a year and a half. I personally couldn't breastfeed, because he just WOULDN'T. So I gave him formula. Could you pump, add formula and use the tubes that go right into their mouths that you have right at your nipple?

M. Dawson

Wow. That is wierd. I've heard of babies that go on just breastmilk until a year but never that they just didnt want to eat! I agree with what the other women where saying to get him to eat. But if the child will not eat at all then its better for him to have the abundance of breast milk, right? The vitamin he is missing is not going to sundenly be perfect even if you went cold turkey on the bfing. Breast milk contains so much that the iron would be your last worry. I would look into seeing a Nutritionist or Dietian, maybe pumping and adding iron supplement drops to your milk. As fas as you, unless your anemic the iron supplements wont do much good for you. Except constipation.

Anyway it does sound complex. I personally dont think taking away his only source of food is going to help though.

Hi, M.. I have to agree with the idea that you need to be tested for anemia yourself. If your baby isn't getting enough iron, something odd is going on here. Definitely get him going with a multivitamin supplement that contains iron. Your pediatrician should have prescribed this for you. Call them back and let them know you want this. The doctor should be able to just call it into your pharmacy.

Meanwhile, as I said, you need to get your own blood tested for anemia. Most likely your iron stores were drained during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

If vitamins for you and your son doesn't clear up the anemia, I would get both of you tested for lead. I doubt this is the issue, but occasionally homes have materials in them that contain lead. And lead absorption into the body can block iron absorption from food and vitamins.

Also, with his anemia problem, it might be good to get your son drinking a little fruit juice, once or twice per day. Generally white grape juice, then apple juice. The vitamin C will help his body absorb the iron better.

You can dilute the fruit juice: half water/half juice. To make it easier to digest.

Dear M.,

Yes, you do need to make sure that he gets more than breast milk. we had the same problem with mh great grand daughter, and she is still having an iron problem after all of these years - she is 4 now. So get with it for teaching him to take the formula from a bottle. You are a very good, intelligent woman and mother and you can figure out a way to do it. The other mommies probably will be able to tell you what to do. I can't. I can only tell you that it is very important. C. N.

Have you tried just supplementing his iron intake thru the food you feed him, and by taking iron supplements yourself. ALso, your doctor can prescribe him iron. At this point I would be giving him watered down juice or water in a sippie cup, and STAY AWAY FROM BOTTLES. If he doesn't need them now there is no need to get him attached to them. You should just need to nurse him morning and night.

Try mixing rice cereal with breast milk. It has the iron he need and by mixing it with breast milk, he'll be familiar with the taste.

I don't understand why you need to stop breastfeeding. Formula smells bad and I'm sure it tastes bad too. Give him iron fortified cereal such as rice mixed with some good tasting bananas and your breastmilk for the liquid, I understand you said he doesn't like other foods, but he needs to start on solids somhow and making it sweet works best. Also seeing as I'm not a professional I wold contact your local LaLeche league for breastfeeding advice. Many breastfed babies are anemic and need an iron supplement or better yet iron fortified cereal.
http://www.lalecheleaguescnv.org/

M....
The other moms had really good advice, the only thing I wanted to warn you about was the 4th option from diane. It is a VERY bad idea to dilute formula or make it more concentrated in ANY situation. There is a reason that each formula has specific mixutre guidlines. Diluted formula can cause the baby to not get the right amount that they are supposed to get from the formula, and concentrated can cause serious problems with digention. I just wanted to put that out there for all moms who read the suggestion to also read. I think the best idea would be to mix a little (premade) formula with breatmilk (liek 20-80) to start and then slowly up the amount of formula... good luck. ;o)

Try introducing rice or oatmeal baby cereal mixed with your milk. Both have added iron which will help with the anemia & the taste of your milk may encourage him to try. Also, ask your pediatrician about vitamin/iron drops.
Just be patient but persistent about offering him food - some of the baby food is delicious - Earth's Best fruits & YoBaby yoghurt.

Good luck,

K.

Sounds tough - I'd go to the Healthy Beginnings Center in Palm Springs and work with the nurses up there. They have Lactation Consultants who should be able to advise you. I had different problems, but they were a great help!

P.S. Anyone can help, but ask for Lisa! Good Luck.

what i did was started pumping milk and putting it in the bottle...you could do the same, but water it down even more and just slowly add more and more breast milk until it is all breast milk...then do the same with the formula and breast milk...or you can see if your doctor can give you iron vitamin drops and mix it in with your son's meals or water...they dont take very good, but you could probably disquise it somehow...

Diane B had some great ideas, and was almost verbatim what I was going to suggest. The only thing that I’d add to her advice would be if you really want to continue breast feeding, ask the doctor about a multi-vitamin WITH iron. My pediatrician prescribed one when my baby was only 2 weeks old. Also ask the doc to test YOU for anemia. If you’re not getting enough iron, how could you possibly give enough to your growing baby?

Don’t get me wrong, I TOTALLY understand that he NEEDS to eat and not just live off breast milk at this point. I definitely suggest pumping breast milk and mixing it with some baby cereal if he’s not eating anything. Then try mixing in a little formula as well. BUT, on the other hand, I LOVED breast feeding my son and wasn’t ready to give it up at a year. He nursed to 18 months before I completely pulled the plug on that operation. Now that he’s 2 ½, I’m really starting to miss it. So, if you’re not ready to quit, then see if there are other options. If you ARE ready, ignore everything I’ve said beyond “Diane B had some great ideas, and was almost verbatim what I was going to suggest.” :O)

Hope it helps~ J.

Rather than stopping breastfeeding (which is best!), see if you can get iron-fortified cereals (mix with your breast milk) or check if your pediatrician can give you iron supplements for your baby. I think your doctor may be trying to have you switch because it's the easiest answer. Tell your doctor if breast feeding is still important to you. The AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) actually recommends breast feeding for at least 1 year, but preferably 2 years.