Anaemia and BF

[wobblyweeble82]

I'm 32 weeks and the long and short of it is that I'm very anaemic this pregnancy (due an infusion this week). It is my plan to BF DD on her arrival (DS was exclusively BF and want to do the same for DD) but I'm worried whether my milk will be nutritionally up to scratch on the iron front?? Any ideas?

The best thing you can really do is (unless there's a real emergency and this can't be done) to ensure that your baby's cord is left uncut until it stops pulsating. This allows as much blood to pass back to her as possible and builds up her iron stores nicely.

The form of iron in breastmilk is very, very well absorbed by babies, (unlike formula which has to have loads more because most of it passes through the body). This post is really useful. Although it talks about breastmilk v follow on formula milk because that's when people tend to worry more, the principle is the same between infant formula and breastmilk.

You should be fine.

Thanks folks - super reassuring. It just dawned on me earlier that I might not be able to give her everything she needs and I ahd a wee little worry to myself. Interesting post too organic, thanks for that. Going to add in the pulsy part to my birth plan in the hope it can be adhered to.

And loopsy - gawd bless her if the iron affects like it affects me thus far