Iron-rich foods for your baby: signs of low iron, and how much you actually need

Why does iron matter from 6 months?

Iron helps make red blood cells, which carry oxygen around your baby's body. Babies are born with iron stores that last for about the first 6 months. After that, they need iron from food.

What are the signs of low iron?

Without enough iron, a baby can become anaemic. The main signs are tiredness, a poor appetite, and picking up infections more easily than usual, irritability, and pale lips and gums. Some babies also become restless during sleep, or move their legs a lot without settling.

Most babies who eat a varied diet from 6 months get enough iron without any of this. If you notice these signs, or you're not sure, talk to your GP or public health nurse rather than guessing.

How much iron does my baby actually need?

You might see specific number targets for iron online, often quoted in milligrams. The HSE doesn't set an exact number like this. Instead, the advice is simpler. Offer iron-rich foods regularly, and add a food with vitamin C alongside them. This helps your baby absorb the iron.

Good vitamin C foods to pair with a meal include chopped berries, kiwi, orange segments, or peppers.

Which foods are the best sources?

Good sources of iron include:

• red meat, poultry and fish
• well-cooked eggs
• peas, beans and lentils
• iron-fortified baby cereal (look for one with at least 12mg of iron per 100g)
• broccoli and spinach

Meat is a good source, but it doesn't need to be the main one. Plant-based foods like lentils, beans and peas matter too. Their iron isn't absorbed as easily as from meat, but pairing them with a vitamin C food helps close that gap. They also bring other benefits, like fibre and protein, and help your baby get used to a wider variety of foods.

Spinach is a good source too, but it's best offered in small amounts now and then, rather than as a regular daily food.

One food to be careful with is liver. It's very high in iron, but it isn't recommended for babies under 12 months, because of how much vitamin A it contains.

Quick answers: bananas, eggs, and other common questions

Is banana high in iron? Not really. Bananas are often thought of as an iron-rich food, but they're not a strong source. Foods like lentils, eggs, and fortified cereal do far more for your baby's iron intake.

Is 2 eggs a day enough iron? Eggs are a good source, but on their own they're unlikely to cover everything your baby needs. It's best to offer eggs alongside other iron-rich foods through the week. Don't rely on eggs alone.

Can a vegetarian baby get enough iron? Yes, it just takes a little more thought. Tofu and iron-fortified cereal are good additions to the lentils, beans, and peas we already mentioned. If your baby follows a vegan diet, it's worth getting this reviewed with a dietitian. A few other nutrients need extra planning too.

Does baby-led weaning affect iron?

If you're doing baby-led weaning (BLW), your baby eats family foods and finger foods from the start. Iron is worth a little extra thought.

BLW skips iron-fortified purées and cereals early on. That can make it easy to miss out on iron without realising it. This doesn't mean BLW is unsafe. It just means it's worth being a little intentional about it.

If you're doing BLW, try to include an iron-rich food at most meals. Choose something your baby can pick up and eat themselves. Good options are a strip of well-cooked meat, mashed lentils or beans, or a spoonable fortified cereal.

When should I get it checked?

Most babies eating a varied diet get enough iron without any trouble. Talk to your GP or public health nurse if you're worried. Also talk to them if your baby seems unusually tired, isn't interested in feeding, or keeps getting sick.

They can check for iron deficiency and treat it if needed, sometimes with iron drops. There's no need to guess or try to fix it yourself.