At What Age Should Babies Start Receiving Iron Supplements?

When a baby is 3 to 4 months old, its digestive ability is still weak, and the addition of complementary foods is naturally limited. The iron content in the baby's body is still insufficient, so iron deficiency anemia is most likely to occur due to lack of iron elements when the baby is 6 months old. Therefore, mothers should start supplementing the baby with iron-rich foods such as egg yolk, animal blood, liver paste, kelp, black fungus, sesame, mustard greens, laver, celery, etc., 2 to 3 times a week starting from the 5th month. In addition, to help the baby's body absorb iron elements, mothers should encourage the baby to eat more copper-rich foods such as spinach, fish, rice, milk, wheat, etc., to promote the baby's absorption of iron. When mothers are supplementing iron for their babies, they must choose the right method. They should not assume that by giving their babies more iron, they will not develop anemia. For babies who are picky eaters, mothers must intervene in time and not cater to the baby's taste, as this will lead to incomplete nutrition and prevent the baby from growing up healthily. It is recommended that mothers observe their baby's physical condition if they are uncertain about whether their baby is iron-deficient. Babies with iron deficiency may have pale faces and lips with little color, indicating iron-deficiency anemia. In this case, mothers should promptly take their babies to the hospital for treatment to avoid causing harm to the baby.