Unsecure chicken perches

[ajm200]

Hi Everyone.

 

Not been on here much lately as I'm on doctors orders to get more rest and to my OH that doesn't include PC time. I'm slowly going out of my mind with boredom.

 

It's very hard to rest up whilst looking after a boisterous toddler so they are now threatening me with a long hospital stay until baby number 2 decides to make an appearance - about 12 wks away. I have what I know is an irrational fear of hospitals so the thought of 3 months in one is my idea of a living hell.

 

I'm suffering from dizzy spells brought on by exhaustion and anemia so if i want to avoid hospital I need to get my iron levels back up. I'm taking iron tablets and eating lots of green veg, pulses, nuts, fruit and some red meat but it's not working fast enough to stop the MW and Dr worrying.

 

Anyone got any ideas on what else I can do to increase my iron intake as I suspect that fixing this will sort out most of my problems.

 

thanks

[jess]

It has to be small amounts of guinness?

[Tessa the Duchess]

I was also going to say "Guinness is Good For You" but not sure when you are preggers

 

Tessa

[Couperwife]

do you have a cast iron frying pan (or something similar)?

 

apparently you get a major amount of iron from food this way

 

the only drawback is that the pans weigh a ton

 

but you build great muscles

 

hope you feel better soon

 

cathy

x

[Egluntyne]

Watercress is heaving with iron.

 

If you eat meat, how about some lamb's liver?

[bronze]

Make sure you're drinking your ornage juice or the like so that the vit c can help you absorb the iron.

[Guest]

uh oh, I hesitate to say this because some will think "is there anything she doesn't suffer with! " but i have a problem with my body not being able to store iron, so it doesn't matter how much food i eat with iron in it, my liver (I think it is?) won't store any iron. I used to take 1000mg of iron (in tablet form) a day but it didn't really make much difference.

 

It really affects me once a month (if you understand me) and I feel like death warmed up!

 

good sources of iron are; poached egg (hurray!), liver, meat, beans, nuts, dried fruit, whole grains (such as brown rice), fortified breakfast cereals, and most dark-green leafy vegetables.

 

It's a good idea to eat foods containing vitamin C at the same time as eating sources of iron because this helps with iron absorption. Good sources of vitamin C include peppers, fruit juice, sweet potatoes, oranges and kiwi fruit.

 

Be careful though because if your body CAN store iron, you can actually overdo it and too much iron can be harmful.

 

It would help you to speak to a dietician, your GP should be able to arrange that for you.

 

This might help too

 

http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthissues/irondeficiency/

 

good luck!

 

xxx

[Guest]

I think pregnant women are not supposed to eat liver because of the high vitamin A levels.

[Krysia]

Watercress is heaving with iron.

 

If you eat meat, how about some lamb's liver?

 

Be careful aim200 Liver in pregnancy is a no no in this day and age. they used to recommend it in the olden days but it has high levels of something that is bad for developing babies. (I have just looked it up in my pregnancy book and its the vit A that's bad)

 

Plain chocolate is quite good (If I remember correctly from school days it's actually higher than leafy green veg)

 

Spinach is good too.

 

Ps when are you due? and how old will your toddler be when the ababy arrives?

 

I am Due on the 12 Oct and Ash will be 2 on the 6th Oct, We must be mad!

[Clur]

I had something similar when pregnant with my first and the doctor advised me to take liquid iron supplements as they get into your body quicker. With tablets it takes a while to build up apparently (the midwife had 'forgotten' to tell me I was anaemic ).

 

Can't remember what the stuff was called but they sell it in Boots if that helps?

[Snowy]

Lots of good advice here from everyone, no easy answers though I'm afraid. And sadly the guinness and liver are no no's when preggers these days (although my Mum fed me up with both years ago when I was expecting son no1! ). I can sympathise though - I also got very anaemic with no's 2 and 3 and I felt soooooo exhausted, not good when you already have 1 child to look after, let alone 2! So do try and take it easy (tell hubby stress is bad and you need the PC to ease your stress levels)

Thinking of you! xx

[Goosey Lucy]

Hi,

 

I was told to take the iron supplement tablets with orange juice, it helps the iron to be absorbed.

[ajm200]

Thanks everyone. This baby is due on 23rd October (so in reality any time between 1/10 and 5/11). My son will be 2 on 10/11 so as Krysia says we must be mad!

[Krysia]

But they are worth it aren't they

[ajm200]

Definately

[Rona]

Minadex is a liquid iron supplement mixed with orange juice and I always found it to be a really good and quick pick-anybody-up. I gave it to my children when they were little and had the winter grots and after a couple of days I had to start taking it myself as I couldn't keep up with them

[Nutmeg]

I heard that chocolate is full of iron? Or is that just wishful thinking

 

I was prescribed liquid iron by my Doctor when pregnant; two big bottles of the stuff to drink and it was absolutely FOUL but it definately did the trick.

 

Hope you will soon be feeling better.

[Egluntyne]

It's news to me about the liver thingy. Ah well.

[Jules.]

I had minadex inpregnancy- it really worked for me.

In fact I will but myself a bottle tomorrow ( I'm nearly anaemic, & on iron tablets but not pregnant), I had some dizzy spells a few weeks ago before I was diagnosed.

 

Please try & rest, & don't feel threatened by your M/W into doing what you don't wantr to do, no matter what she says, remember it's your body, your baby & you do what you want to do.

Get your hubby to run arouind for you when he's home, so you can put your feet up

[redhotchick]

I think I'll get some Minadex too. My mum used to buy it for me when I was young. I'm not pregnant, I'm sure I used to really like the taste though!

[Jules.]

It tastes yum, all orangy & syrupy.

[Mrs Webmuppet]

Dried apricots are good too. Plain chocolate is a good source of iron too ( it has to the the good stuff Green & Blacks etc).

[Scary Mary]

Watercress is good, but I never really liked it until I was fed a salad, with watercress, halved chery tomatoes, avocado and a nice wholegrain mustard vinagrette.

 

So, scrummy way to up the iron: watercress salad, some nice fresh wholemeal bread and for pudding, a good few chunks of good dark chocolate, or better still dried apricots dipped in dark chocolate.

 

Oh, and finally a nice siesta type snooze afterwards to let your poor tired body get to work on all the goodies you have just eaten.....

[Yorkshire Pudding]

I was given Minadex in my last pregnancy - definitely worked for me and didn't have the nasty constipation side-effects of the iron tablets.

[LJ's Chooks]

I had to have my iron monitored when i was pregnant too... so i started to eat brocoli every day and it went through the roof....

 

Another tip is a banana every day, the potassium really helps stabilise everything. I had one every day with a ginger biscuit before i got out of bed in the morning and it stops everything from morning sickness and general yuck feeling, tiredness, leg cramps etc. Get hubby to oblige and bring you a cup of tea in bed.... medically it probably doesn't do much, but an extra 5 mins in bed is YUMMY!!!

 

goodluck - i hope things settle. Try and get rest, cos when number 2 arrives you wont get a second to yourself... i have 2 boys 4yrs and 18months and they are both wonderful but just dont stop. Roll on University!!!