Happy Tummies: Iron Rich Foods For Baby

When EJ had his 4 month check up, the doctor said we could start him on solids whenever we were ready.  Well, I wasn’t ready.  I remember starting A on solids right at 4 months and she was definitely not ready, so we stopped and waited until she was closer to 6 months.  That was my plan with EJ.

That was until at a few days away from 5 months old, he lunged at Kellen eating a muffin and about took the whole thing in his little mouth.

So I thought it may be a good time to try some food with him.  And, shocker by his size and all, he loved it!  He barely pushed any of the food out of his mouth and was so excited every time we’d try a new food.  

At his 6 month check up he had blood work done to check his immunity levels (they were previously low, contributing to a chronic fever the first few months if his life), and when the test results came back favorable (his levels were on the rise) we were so happy.  But then his doctor told me that he was slightly anemic.  

I remember his sister being anemic around this age as well, so I knew a few things we needed to do. First, get him on a multivitamin with iron and second, start making sure he’s getting enough iron in his diet.  Iron is crucial at this age to support baby’s brain development, learning ability and overall growth.

Many infants experience anemia.  So as parents it is our job to make sure we are feeding our little ones iron rich foods, especially as babies.  But finding the right foods that are a source of iron and are okay to feed baby can be tricky for some.  So I did a little research myself and found a few favorites.

Here are a few great iron rich foods for baby.

Spinach: Remember Popeye and his spinach? Spinach is a great source of vitamins and minerals, including iron.  And it mixes well with so many other foods.  EJ likes spinach, carrot and apple!

Poultry: Chicken in little bits, or pureed, gets your baby protein and the iron he/she needs to stave off anemia. EJ loves to eat little bits of chicken breast I share with him.

Broccoli: Broccoli provides a ton of Vitamin A and is also another great food rich in iron.  If your baby is a bit older, try steaming broccoli and letting them eat it as finger food.

Eggs: EJ loves scrambled eggs, and I know he’s getting protein, Vitamins A, D and B-12, along with a healthy dose of iron.

Infant Cereals: A great first food for babies, single-grain cereals provide baby with vitamins and minerals to keep them healthy throughout the day.

And that’s where Gerber cereals come in!  2 servings of Gerber Single-Grain Cereal provides baby with 90% of their daily value of iron!  Gerber Single-Grain Cereals are Non-GMO, are made with no artificial colors or ingredients, and their packaging is BPA free.  Plus their VitaBlocks Nutrient Blend has Zinc, Calcium, Vitamins C, E and six B vitamins.  

Gerber has a great variety of single-grain cereals for baby, including rice cereal, oatmeal, whole wheat oatmeal, as well as multi-grain oatmeal.  

It’s so easy for me to grab my Gerber Cereal on my weekly Target shopping trip.  I just head straight for the baby section.  Everything is conveniently located in one place.  And now through November 26th, select Gerber Cereals are 10% off using your Target Cartwheel app!  Who doesn’t like saving money on product we use every day?! 

One thing I love about Gerber Cereals is that I can easily mix them with fruits and vegetables to create different flavor profiles, while still making sure EJ is getting all the nutrition he needs.  And, since I make most of my own baby food, I love to use both the oatmeal and rice cereal to thicken up some of the thinner purees, like apple, pear, spinach and zucchini. 

Don’t forget to pick up your Gerber Cereals at Target using your Cartwheel app now through November 26th! 

For all the moms out there, how do you ensure your baby is getting enough iron in their diet?