vitamin supplements for babies

[Cl]

I was told by my GP that my 7 month old looked 'a bit anaemic' and wasn't getting any more iron from my breastmilk and I should give him iron supplements (he doesn't have formula, just breast milk and food - also no dairy until age 1 as we have alots of allergies). He has three meals a day, lots of fruit and veg, but as yet no fish and won't be having meat as we're fish eating veggie. He has lentils every other day. I feel lousy on iron supplements apart from Floradix and don't fel inclined to give him any - but does everyone else do this?

I don't know how you will feel about it but there is a liquid form of vitamin supplement specially for babies & toddlers (can't remember the name, got it from boots had some sort of orange labelling). I gave this to ds when he was younger & was abit picky with his food. If I remember the name & you're interested I'll have a look next time i'm out. not beingvegie you'd have to check the ingredients to see if it's suitable for vegitarians yourself though....

Hi cl, my ds is veggie too (he's 4). He eats lots of eggs, boiled, scrambled and in egg mayonnaise sandwiches so gets some of his iron that way. And dried apricots.

I always give him something high in vitamin c with eggs/iron as it helps with iron absorption. I give him orange juice or Ribena (yeah, I know it's got lots of sugar but I like it too!) or an apple or satsuma with or just after his eggs or whatever.

And well done for getting him keen on lentils! I've never managed it despite trying!

I used to defrost a frozen spinach "pellet" and mix it in to whatever my daughter was eating at that age. She didn't seem to mind.

The liquid supplement is called Minadex.

It's orange flavoured and contains vitamins A & D and Iron. No vit C even though it's supposed to help iron absorption.

Hi, wickedwaterwitch - just a thought I had on getting kids to try lentils, my FIL gave me a recipe for homemade soup using red lentils and although I am not a veggie and add bacon to the soup it cud be adapted for veggies - basically
1 medium leak finely chopped, 1 medium carrot grated and 1 medium onion finely chopped, 2 cups red lentils, 6 stock cubes (I use Ham flavour but vegetable wud be just as good I'm sure) - put in large saucepan filled 3/4 up with water and simmer for 3 hours - can be frozen. DD loves it with bread n butter so does DH. The lentils seem to be the thickener I think. DD though not a veggie is not kean on meat just chicken really so I am happy she takes this. Hope it helps!

Just had my second babe and lots of feeding problems - first had them too - so, given I can't b'feed had to put him on SMA. B type reaction to it - so not as bad as dd - but specialist told me on Fri to change him to pregestimil but to give him vitamins. From the health food shop, vegetarian, for kids, starting him off on 1/4 capsule - ie the powder - once a day for a couple of months - ds is 5 weeks - and then 1/2 for a couple of months and so on. The specialist's opinion is that you can't get enough 'goodness' into a child and that they'll excrete any excess. only weird side effect is that urine is very yellow!

When I was on iron tablets for anaemia I was told to put lemon juice on my veg to help digestion fo the iron. Still hated the iron and how it upset me though!

thanks for all suggestions - think I'll go and get a multivit - I guess to be on the safe side. Does have lots of apricot-y stuff - mixed with apples so that must be good? and the lentils disguised with carrot are still going down well - better than the broccoli anyway...keep the suggestions coming - all appreciated