Does he need the iron supplement or not?

Timothy was born at 26 weeks 5 days so he's a micro preemie. He is 16 weeks adjusted to 3 weeks.He finally came home on 1/5/13 and is on Neosure. It's supposed to be mixed to 24 cal but due to chronic and very painful constipation I went against the pedi and dropped it to 22 cal. The Public Health Nurse comes once a week to weigh him and he's still gaining very well so we are going to tell the pedi tomorrow that he will be staying on 22 cal.

Now, his pedi said we have to give him an iron supplement. His neonatologist said it was stupid (he really said stupid!) for him to be on iron because Neosure is specifically formulated to ensure that Timmy gets enough nutrients-especially iron. He said that all it's going to do is contribute to his already severe gas problem-which it has- and that if he had thought he needed an iron supplement that he would have sent him home on one.

Now, he's no longer seeing his Neonatologist since he was discharged, but I called him for a consultation because Timmy quit breathing on us and I thought the pedi was full of smurf about why it happened. (Turns out he was...)

His pedi insists that he must be kept on the stupid supplement but it causes him a great deal of pain. He will push and push and grunt and groan for 20+ minutes and only a tiny fart will happen.... and it goes on nonstop all day and even when he is sleeping.

I've fixed the constipation but tummy rubs and Simethicone do nothing to help his gas. My question to you preemie parents is this:

Do I listen to the man who saved his life and took care of him for the first 13 weeks he was alive in the NICU or the damned Pediatrician who insists we treat everything about Timmy like a term baby and not the micropreemie that he is? Any advice is greatly appreciated and Thank you to everyone in advance!

In your case, I would listen to the specialist. He would know more then your pedi.

Ugh lissin to the nuro. Also im sure u know this FIND a DIFFERENT dr.... Because he can NOT be treated as a term baby my friends baby is a micro premiee and the dr treats he daughter as such and goes on her corrected age

Quoting Katie {S+S+Z= ♥}:" In your case, I would listen to the specialist. He would know more then your pedi."

This is what I think too! He only gets it every other day any ways so I think I'm going to stop giving it too him. We have to chart how much he eats and on the iron days he's behind by just over 100cc's (just over 3 ounces) every time.

Quoting Click Me Click Me!!!:" Ugh lissin to the nuro. Also im sure u know this FIND a DIFFERENT dr.... Because he can NOT be treated ... [snip!] ... treated as a term baby my friends baby is a micro premiee and the dr treats he daughter as such and goes on her corrected age"

I want to find a different doctor but he's the only one with micro experience withing 100 miles of our house. We'd have to go all the way back to the NICU for the closet one and he has 3 appointments each week-Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. There's no way we could afford the time off of work or the gas money that would require....  

Quoting Mandi Bass:" I want to find a different doctor but he's the only one with micro experience withing 100 miles of our ... [snip!] ... Tuesday, and Wednesday. There's no way we could afford the time off of work or the gas money that would require....  "

sounds like he knows nothing about them... Most of the pedi here have exp with them

Quoting Click Me Click Me!!!:" sounds like he knows nothing about them... Most of the pedi here have exp with them"

Yeah... we think he is completely worthless... I keep track of everything and consult his Neonatologist over the phone once a week and also do a lot of research so I can track where Timmy stands and how he's doing. We pretty much just use the pedi for immunizations, extra weight checks, and prescription refills..... His Neonatologist is very cool about consulting over the phone and giving me instructions for helping Timmy. We also have a standing appointment for the second Wednesday of every month to ensure that he is doing okay and can be seen by someone competent.

I dropped my pedi because he kept telling me that something was wrong with my son because he was so small. He ordered a smurf load of tests, which all came back normal, then he'd order different tests. Then he'd look at his chart at the very end of EVERY visit and say, "Oh yeah, he's a preemie..." if you can't freaking remember that and keep it in mind, then you are not much of a pedi in my book. It'd be one thing if he forgot once, but it was every time. Funny thing is, he never told us to not get a bunch of unnecessary tests after remembering, either. Annoying.


In conclusion, find a pedi that will treat your SON and not a bunch of symptoms.

Quoting Asher's mommy [Expecting :" I dropped my pedi because he kept telling me that something was wrong with my son because he was so small. ... [snip!] ... tests after remembering, either. Annoying. In conclusion, find a pedi that will treat your SON and not a bunch of symptoms."

That would seriously piss me off! Our pedi tried to do this the first 2 visits but I put my foot down and told him not a freaking chance because he'd already had all of those tests done in the NICU. I'm wondering if it would be okay to get rid of him and choose someone without micro experience and just explain all about him to them... Maybe we'd get better results with that? Seeing the Neonatologist once a month and talking to him once a week is great... but a month is a long time if a problem arises that we aren't aware of because or pedi is complete crap.

Quoting Mandi Bass:" Timothy was born at 26 weeks 5 days so he's a micro preemie. He is 16 weeks adjusted to 3 weeks.He finally ... [snip!] ... like a term baby and not the micropreemie that he is? Any advice is greatly appreciated and Thank you to everyone in advance!"

My girls born at 34 weeks were on iron supplements too. First while breastfeeding (obviously), and then when I switched them to formula I was told to keep them on the supplement because preemies do not have the iron stores that full-term babes have. Mine are on Nutramigen though so I don't know how the iron content compares. Anyways, I did find the supplement annoying and now that they are 7 months they just spit it out anyway so I have given up on it!