AD The amazing connection between mother and child begins even before birth and provides your baby with many of the vitamins and minerals necessary for good health. This connection continues even after birth, especially if you decide to breastfeed your tiny person. However, sometimes the process calls for additional steps, particularly with iron, essential for many areas of child development. In some situations, iron drops for babies will provide just what your newborn needs.
Infants Under 6 Months
The good news is that your newborn gets much of his or her iron from your body and your breast milk. While formula-fed babies receive iron-rich milk, breast-fed babies typically only get enough iron up to four months after birth. Beyond that, though, the child might require a nutritional boost in the form of iron hydroxide polysaccharide complex, a form often recommended by paediatricians.
All of this has important consequences for your child, as iron helps the lungs disperse oxygen throughout your baby’s body and it also aids in muscle development. A lack of iron in young children can manifest in many ways. All parents should know the following symptoms of iron deficiency in babies:
• Decreased appetite
• Pale complexion
• Rapid breathing
• Lethargy
• Cold hands and feet
• Frequent infections
For tiny babies, you want to make sure anything you give them supports healthy growth and development and does not introduce any harmful elements to the newborn. Consulting with your paediatrician makes sense and can provide you with the best options for your situation.
The best iron supplement for your baby will likely include a good-tasting remedy that will please the taste buds of your newborn. You also want the correct dosage to sit well in the tummy and not cause any irritation. Products that don’t contain any artificial flavours or colours or preservatives show the most promise. You also want a simple no-fuss no-muss process for administering the supplement to your baby.
Infants Over 6 Months
As your baby grows and you get to know his or her personality better, the need for iron will also evolve. Most infants over 6 months of age and not yet a year call for about 11mg of iron every day. After six months, you can begin to introduce solid foods into the diet and many of these will contain iron. For example, foods such as spinach, green beans and fortified cereals can naturally supplement iron.
Since iron is such an essential element for growing minds and bodies, you should continue to consult with your child’s doctor about this mineral. This is also an important time for deepening your connection with this amazing young person and looking at a bonding parents guide can offer some good ideas.
New mothers and caregivers should know that emotional bonding helps the newborn develop a positive outlook on life. It can be just as important as getting enough vitamins and minerals. One effective action involves skin-to-skin contact, which deepens the connection between adult and child. All of this helps the young person grow and develop a little more each day.
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