Iron-Rich Foods for Babies: A Parent’s Guide
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Author: Jessica D’Argenio Waller, MS, CNS, LDN
As a parent, being mindful of your child’s nutrition can feel like a full-time job. After all, every feeding journey looks different—and what worked for one kiddo may not work for another. Once your little one starts eating solids, and especially once they’ve weaned from breast milk or formula, you may need to start paying more attention to specific nutrients in their diet, like iron, to ensure their healthy development. Iron plays a vital role in supporting their growing brain and body. But how much iron does your baby need, and what iron-rich baby foods should you introduce into their diet? Here’s what to know.
The role of nutrition in baby’s first year
The importance of nutrition in your baby’s first year of life can’t be overstated. Your little one is a tiny sponge, soaking up everything around them and growing bigger, stronger and learning new skills every day—changing all the time! By supporting your baby’s nutrition needs, you’re setting the stage for their healthy development. But you don’t need a crash course in infant nutrition to do so. Here’s what the first year looks like at a glance when it comes to your baby’s nutrition.
Birth to 6 months
For the first half of their first year, your little love only needs breast milk or formula—or a combination of the two. Your baby’s paediatrician will likely recommend giving them a vitamin D supplement if you’re exclusively breastfeeding or pumping. Also, ask their advice on whether they may benefit from an iron supplement during these early months (preterm babies may need more iron than babies born full-term). But know that nearly all baby formulas are iron-fortified.
At 4 months, the American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) recommends babies who are exclusively breastfed be given an iron supplement, at least until they can start solids with iron-rich foods. That’s because breast milk is naturally low in iron—and the iron stores your baby was born with are becoming depleted at this age as their iron needs increase.
6 to 12 months
Once they hit the 6-month mark, you can start to introduce solid foods into your baby’s diet. Now begins the window of opportunity when their budding palate is wide open to new tastes, flavours and textures. That said, your baby under 12 months old should be getting the majority of their calories from breast milk or formula, but it’s still important for them to get accustomed to eating solids and trying new foods—especially iron-rich foods—as they approach their first birthday.
Remember, focusing on iron-rich foods is important if your baby is exclusively breastfed. Primarily formula-fed babies will likely have their iron needs met for the first 12 months of life, the CDC states, but be sure to ask your paediatrician about your baby’s unique needs.
What does iron do?
Iron is a mineral that is necessary to make a protein called haemoglobin, which helps red blood cells carry oxygen through the body. It is also vital for brain development in infancy and childhood. When iron needs aren’t met, it’s known as iron deficiency, which can progress to iron deficiency anaemia, a condition that causes tiredness and weakness, along with developmental issues and learning difficulties, like trouble concentrating and a short attention span.
How much iron does my baby need?
During pregnancy, babies build up stores of iron in their bodies from their mother’s blood. This reserve of iron will last approximately 6 months, the CDC notes. After that point, babies who are not primarily formula-fed will need an external source of iron, as it’s not passed efficiently through breast milk.
Here are the recommended daily iron levels for each age group:
Age 7-12 months: 11 milligrams (mg)
Age 1-3 years: 7 mg
Age 4-8 years: 10 mg
Age 9-13 years: 8 mg
Age 14-18 years: 11 mg (male); 15 mg (female)
To highlight just how important iron is for infants: you can see that babies under 1 year old need as much iron as teenagers! During times of high growth and development, such as in infancy and puberty, iron needs increase. That’s why it’s key to ensure you’re feeding your little one iron-rich food sources (find suggestions below) to help them meet their nutrient levels for healthy development.
But your baby doesn’t have to get their entire daily recommended intake of iron in one sitting – it can be broken up over a day between meals and snacks.
For reference, here’s how much iron is in some common baby-friendly foods:
- ½ cup cereal = 1.8 mg iron
- 1 ounce cooked ground beef = 0.83 mg iron
- ¼ cup fortified infant oat cereal = 6.8 mg iron
- ½ cup mashed sweet potato = 1.2 mg iron
When iron supplements are necessary
Your doctor will be able to help you determine whether your baby needs an iron supplement at any point in their first year. But it’s helpful to monitor your little one for signs of iron deficiency so that you can bring it up with your doctor and make a change as soon as possible.
Iron deficiency symptoms in babies
- Slow weight gain
- Pale skin
- Appetite changes (eating less than normal)
- Irritability
If your infant is diagnosed with iron deficiency or anaemia, your doctor may recommend an iron supplement. They typically come in a liquid drop you can add to a bottle or place on the nipple when breastfeeding. Because iron supplements can be toxic in high doses, you must work with your child’s paediatrician to determine the safe dosage for their age and weight. But don’t worry, it’s unlikely that your baby will get too much iron from food sources.
Iron-rich foods for babies
There are two different types of iron:
Heme iron: Found in meats and animal products, heme iron is more easily absorbed by the body
Non-heme iron: Comes from plant sources like legumes, vegetables and grains
The bioavailability of non-heme iron can be increased by pairing these foods with other foods high in vitamin C. For example, spinach, a source of non-heme iron, can be paired with strawberries, a source of vitamin C. A squeeze of lemon juice works well, too.
Here are several iron-rich food options for babies:
- Iron-fortified infant cereal, like oatmeal, barley or mixed grains
- Ground beef, chicken or turkey patties
- Canned tuna or salmon blended with plain yogurt
- Soft-cooked lentils mixed with Little Bellies banana puree
- Pureed white beans with zucchini and lemon
- Enriched pasta with tomato sauce
- Mashed, pureed or whole peas
- Oatmeal mixed with creamy nut butter
- Chia seed pudding mixed with Little Bellies apple strawberry smoothie
- Pureed beets with apple and lemon
If you regularly cook in a cast-iron pan, doing so can also contribute a small amount of iron to your family’s diet, research shows.
Finding the balance between snacks and meals
Your little one is growing every day, and as they change, their nutrient needs change slightly, too. That’s why offering a wide range of foods is crucial: A varied diet not only provides essential nutrients but also expands their palate through different tastes and textures, fostering healthy eating habits for the future.
Balancing snacks and main meals is key to ensuring your baby meets their nutrition needs throughout the day. A meal typically consists of multiple food groups and is more substantial, while a snack is usually smaller and may focus on one or two food groups. For example, a meal might include pureed vegetables, soft-cooked meat, and infant cereal, whereas a snack could be mashed banana or smoothie or some Little Bellies’ Organic Pumpkin Round-a-bouts!
Iron-rich snacks are particularly important as babies grow. Here are some age-appropriate suggestions.
6-8 months:
- Iron-fortified infant cereals
- Mashed hard-boiled egg
- Little Bellies purees
9-11 months:
- Little Bellies Organic Sweet Potato Pick-Me Sticks
- Canned tuna mixed with avocado
- Oatmeal mixed with creamy nut butter
12-24 months:
- Pumpkin pancakes
- Chia pudding with fruit topping
- Thinly spread creamy nut butter on whole-grain toast
It’s important to view snacks as complements to regular meals, not replacements. Snacks help bridge nutritional gaps and manage hunger between meals but shouldn’t interfere with your child’s appetite for main meals.
But as always, when it comes to portions and feeding frequency, it’s crucial to follow your baby’s lead. Babies have innate hunger and fullness cues. Signs of hunger may include opening their mouth, leaning forward, or reaching for food. Fullness cues often involve turning away from food, closing their mouth, or pushing food away. By watching for and responding to these cues, you can help your child develop healthy eating patterns.
Nurturing healthy eating habits
We get it: Figuring out your baby’s food journey requires a lot of patience, creativity and flexibility. Here are some final tips to support you along the way:
1. Offer a variety of colours, textures and flavours in your baby’s diet to expand their palate.
2. Be persistent but gentle when introducing new foods. It may take multiple attempts before a baby accepts a new item.
3. Remember that portion sizes for babies and toddlers are much smaller than for adults. Start small and let your child guide you.
4. Gradually transition to family meals, adapting textures and seasoning as needed, to promote inclusive eating habits.
As a parent, you play a big role in fostering positive attitudes toward food for your child. This means modelling healthy eating behaviours; making mealtime a social and enjoyable experience (skip the pressure!); not labelling foods as “good” or “bad”; and involving your little one in age-appropriate food prep and play to spark their interest. But the bottom line? Stay flexible, consult your paediatrician when needed, and try to soak up this sweet stage in your baby’s development.
