Not Sure What's Going On

[AutumnDove]

Looking for some ideas/thoughts- sorry it's long..

Back when my baby was born I noticed my iron supplements caused him to cry a lot and sleep poorly. I needed them though, but I stopped taking them and instead started eating cream of wheat and other foods with iron. By his 4 week check up, he was below his birth weight. His poops had changed to green diahrea, and every single diaper was a poopy diaper- all day and all night long. Working with a laction nurse, we ruled out milk issues, latch issues, too much foremilk issues, etc... We noticed when I stopped eating wheat the baby started to gain weight. Not massive amounts, but atleast he was back on the charts

At his 12 month visit the dr. found his iron levels were very slightly lowered. We started iron supplements and right off he started with diahrrea again. I have noticed if he gets iron on day 1, day 1 he cries more, sleeps poorly, eats poorly, and one day 2 he has diahrea. When I skip the iron, he goes back to being fine. We have been feeding him gluten free. I wouldn't think iron drops would have gluten- so I guess I'm wondering if iron can cuase issues like this? I will be talking to his dr. next week at a follow up visit. I had been assuming my iron pills contained gluten, so it all made sense to me, but now that his iron drops are having the same effects, I'm just left wondering if gluten issues are not really the cause. Or I guess maybe the vitamins have gluten?

[Ursa Major]

Hi, and welcome to this board. Poor little guy! It sounds like he may have more than one intolerance. I think you're right in feeding him gluten-free. I am baffled about the iron. Try switching to a different brand to see if it makes a difference.

Mind you, I just remember what happened to me when I was severely anemic a few years ago and was taking iron supplements. They caused me to have severe stomach cramps. Eventually I was in such pain, that I had trouble walking upright, as I was just doubled over in agony. And my iron levels weren't getting better. Eventually I had go get iron injections twice a week to keep my iron levels from plummeting.

You said his iron levels are just slightly too low. Maybe it would be enough to feed him more red meat and maybe liver (ground up) to bring his iron levels up?