Iron supplements for bf baby?

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My baby is currently 3 months and I am exclusively bf. I plan to continue this until 6 months and will start weaning around then.

Anyway, during a visit to the baby clinic yesterday, my doctor advised that exclusively bf babies under 6 months should be given an iron supplement, as studies had showed that bf babies don't get enough iron from breastmilk. So he advised me to give baby iron supplements until I start weaning.

When I researched this on the internet, it seems that it's actually potentially a bit risky to give iron supplements.

Does anyone have any experience of this?

I have never heard this before. I suspect it to be crap.

BM does contain 'less' iron than formula but thats because its in a more bio-available form. That might be what he is on about, but its still crap to suggest that means supplementation is necessary.

Did he tell you which studies these were?

Breastmilk is the perfect food for babies. it is made specifically for them. there's no need for suppliments.

I'm sure someone will be along wiht more knowledge though.

HTH.

Does your doc come from outside the UK?

This is not policy or guidance in the UK and never has been - it is not necessary, and there are risks associated with it.

I actually think your doctor's remarks should be reported to whoever is the breastfeeding lead in your PCT (there will be someone - it's a rule from the DH). These suggestions are off putting to women who breastfeed, and potentially undermining to infant health.

In other words, the iron in BM is absorbed by your baby in the correct way and at the correct levels. BM is the perfect food and I can't see why the hell people try and suggest it is in any way deficient.

Thanks all

tiktok - no, the doctor is from here. I found it very odd, and to be honest left the surgery feeling like I'd failed DS by potentially not giving him what he needs.

I've decided not to give the supplements and to ensure that I'm taking enough iron myself

I was reading something that said babies need a lot less equivalent iron to adults. I'll see if I can find it out.

I was told to give iron because I have a premature baby, most of their stores are put down in the last few weeks of pregnancy so when they're born early they don't get those stores so they like to supplement them. To be honest I'm not even that convinced premature babies need them, they may not get it from pregnancy but there is still enough in BM.

i strongly suspect its a bit like the vitamin k for newborns argument - i.e. if there's no vitamin k in breast milk, perhaps that suggests that babies don't need vitamin k. would imagine same for iron.

breastmilk has less iron than formula but this is because the iron in formula milk is very hard for the baby to absorb so they need to put more in. Recent study showed that full term babies who were exclusively breastfed for 6 months were no more likely to iron defecient evem if their mothers were aneamic
see here

Thanks witch, that article is very useful

Can i just ask, my baby is currently being weened now 7mths old, he's been fully bf up to 6mths. He still has 2-3 breast feeds per day, although he doesn't feed for long!

He has water too, i wonder does he need anything else? vitamins wise?

serant - best to start a new thread on this, then you will get more responses.