Lilah had her 9 month check up today, and I was very happy with how it went. I had decided early on that I was not going to give Lilah any type of fortified food. I wanted her to get her vitamins, minerals, and all nutrients purely from food if possible. The way I saw it, I had 2 options: 1. Give her food that had all nutrients & fiber stripped then added back in, in a different form, or 2. Give her food that still had it’s original contents. I chose the latter.

One concern that my doctor had was her iron levels. He told me that since I was nursing that her supplies would steadily deplete after she was born. He said that I really needed to give her some iron-fortified rice cereal to counter that. Well I did a lot of research myself & decided against the rice cereal. I looked into what foods were the highest in iron and how it is best absorbed. My own iron levels are also high which she could continue to get from me through nursing. I am happy to say that today Lilah’s iron levels tested at a very normal level! She is growing, very active, and everything looks healthy.

Some of the foods, which are high in iron, that I make sure to include in her diet very often if not every day are: chia seeds, quinoa, spinach, broccoli, eggs, lima beans, peas, sweet peppers, brown rice, tomato, green beans, kidney beans, beets, cauliflower, etc. She eats and enjoys all those foods. She especially enjoys her green smoothies every morning which are loaded with iron & include a citrus fruit to increase absorption. I am grateful that I don’t have a picky eater on my hands, and I am grateful for amazing, delicious, nutrient dense, real foods.

Tonight we had some friends over to watch BYU’s depressing loss to Utah State. At about halftime I wandered outside with Ruthie and Justin to check out the garden, and in doing so, discovered an enormous zucchini sitting under some leaves.

To illustrate just how big it was, I set it up next to Lilah. I think it freaked her out a little.