Meeting Baby’s Iron Needs

At about six months of age your baby needs more iron than breast milk alone can provide. Iron is important for growth and brain development. Continue breastfeeding but start offering your baby iron- rich foods every day.

Iron is a mineral we get from animal foods like meats, poultry and fish and plant foods like enriched pasta or cereals, vegetables, tofu and legumes such as dried beans, peas and lentils. Iron from animal foods is better absorbed by your body than iron from plant foods. To increase the iron absorption from plant foods serve them with foods rich in vitamin C, or with meat, poultry or fish.

Click here to read more about Meeting Baby’s Iron Needs (Dietitians of Canada)