BF at 7months and hardly taking solids - should I worry about LACK OF IRON INTAKE?

[Misspaella]

(ALSO POST IN BF THREAD)

Hi
DS2 is a few days shy of being 7months and fully bf. We started on the solids about 2 weeks ago (combo of finger food and mashed food) but he is just not interested. I am not worried about the calorie content of his diet - I understand that this comes from his bf BUT I am worried about the lack of iron in his diet as he is over 6months. Food just can't be for fun if iron is actually needed by this point. Right?

Do I need to find other ways of getting iron into him if he is not getting it from food? If so how?

I have searched on google; kellymom etc and still rather confused. Giving a supplement of sorts seems to creep up (in Gill R's book as well) as the answer but what kind? And is that really healthy? I always believed if you had to give supplements it meant you weren't having a good enough diet.

Any advice would be great.

TIA

If your baby is fully BF then iron shouldn't be a problem. Breast milk contains iron in a really easily absorbed form so a little goes a long way. Formula contains iron in a much less available form, ferrous sulphate so formula fed babies need iron in their diet sooner. You can taste the iron in formula, its the horrible metallic after taste. I was anaemic when I was preganat and had to take it and it did amazing things to my guts. Iron suppliments can do the same to babies too.

Here is a link:
breastfeeding.suite101.com/article.cfm/irondeficiency anaemia and the nursing baby
PS. the spaces in the link are underscores

My 6 month old DD has just started on one bottle of formula a day at creche. LLL make you feel great don't they!