Healthy

At M's 9 month appt, she got weighed, measured, poked, prodded and had her hemoglobin checked.

Note: When the inexperienced nurse says "this won't hurt, babies never cry taking blood from the heel", they're wrong. My child is NOT a crier and definitely had a few tears. Stupid inexperienced nurse!

A few hours after the appt, I got a call from the nurse that M's iron levels were low. They should be no lower than a 10 and she was at an 8.9.

Cue panic fear anger at myself for letting this happen the research. Iron levels can be low due to a variety of things. Namely? A child was just sick and then their iron levels were checked.

Hello? Anyone listening at the doctors office? M had been sick (the sickest she'd been ever, with a fever!) two weeks before her blood was drawn.

Yet now I had to start giving her iron drops. Blah.

I called the doc's office, explaining that M had just been sick and that I was positivethat's why M's levels were low.

The on call nurse told me that if I was still bf'ing, I wouldn't have this issue. I was also told to give the drops and I wasn't feeding my child the right foods, apparently.

Isn't that nice? Lovely, I tell you.

I told the doc I'm not okay with just forcing medicine down my child's throat. So I said I'd give m half the recommended dose and change her diet. (because there is just SO. MUCH. you can change about a 10 month old's diet.

Lo and behold, at M's one month checkup, her iron levels were above a 12!! (take that stupid nurse!)

I started giving her oatmeal with veggies every morning and every meal consisted of high iron foods. (sweet potatoes, turkey, peas, pears, etc.)

M is growing and thriving and is such a happy baby! She still gets half the dose of iron for another two months.

And although I initially felt like I failed M because her iron was low, I know I've done as best I can to keep her healthy. And I'm convinced her low iron was from being sick and not due to lack of proper diet, as the nurse suggested. :) (the doc apologized for the remarks the nurse made!)

I hope you're enjoying your Saturday!

xo