Cube mk2 and WIR

[chickenanne]

... and all the best people are born on Oct 23 (e.g...... ME!), so at least you can be sure the baby will be a good 'un.

Just rest and rest as much as you can, both physically and mentally - i.e. try not to get stressed out by the boredom!

[Lydia]

I too have trouble absorbing iron. Have you tried Spatone (that may be what Clur meant as Boots do sell it but so do other chemists. It's a natural liquid iron supplement which you can either take on its own or put in some fruit juice. It gives the same amount of iron as those horrible tablets but without the unwanted side effects.

 

Boots do it on their 3 for 2 and online too.

 

It certainly works for me anyway. I also find that when I'm anaemic I crave parsley and eat it by the bowlful (I get funny looks though)

 

I have some sachets that I can send you if you want to try some.

 

Good luck

[Valkyrie]

Molasses is good too - if you can stand a large spoonful of sweet sticky stuff (unfortunately for me I love it). If you can't find molasses, black treacle will do.

Otherwise raw beetroot, prunes, tofu, any green veg.

Then game - pigeons, venison.

Fish - sardines, pilchards, mackerel, whitebait, any oily fish.

And all the other members suggestions, although I would lay off the liver - too late for my two, it was only when I was nearly due with DD that the concerns arose regarding that. They turned out OK even though I had stuffed a fair amount of it!

[Steph101]

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

It's spooky how much I seem to have in common with Poet - Sensitive, artistic - and doesn't absorb iron well! I too, have this problem.

All of those foods listed are brilliant, but make sure you don't drink tea or coffee within at least an hour of eating iron rich foods, or taking iron supplements, as they can inhibit absorption. Apricots and dates are good too, as are molasses. The haem type iron from red meat is absorbed more easily than plant based iron, I'm afraid (which is why vegans tend to have a lower ferritin, ie: iron store than meat eaters, which I found to my cost after having a go at veganism last year; felt great though!).

Low iron stores cause lethargy and hair loss, which is how I discovered my inability to absorb iron properly! Supplements that I have tried are Ferrograd C and Florisene; these might be too strong for a pregnant lady. Spatone is more gentle - it's iron rich, welsh spring water, in satchets.

[ajm200]

Thanks everyone. I'll get some minadex or spatone. Sorry I didn't respond earlier as I spend all morning on the maternity ward at the local hospital after a false alarm. Baby had made a half hearted escape attempt overnight but luckily has thought better of it.

 

Lots of tests have shown that the baby is healthy so they kept me in for a few hours then let me go home on the understanding that I had to spend the rest of the day and all day tomorrow in bed.

 

Hopefully getting my iron levels up will be enough to make the rest of this pregnancy completely uneventful.

 

Thanks for all the advice, everyone's so kind.

[Egluntyne]

Look after yourself.

[Steph101]

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

 

Liver can be toxic to pregnant ladies due to the high Vitamin A content.

[Steph101]

Pregnant ladies are expecially vulnerable to low iron stores after giving birth due to blood loss (depending on the type of birth).

Years of menstruation can deplete iron stores in women too.

(Sorry to be so graphic, folks! )

 

Have a good one! Exciting times ahead - get some sleep! You'll need it! (About 18 years worth, if you can).

This is one of the best days of your life!

[Krysia]

Glad you are home with the baby still in place!

 

It could do with more cooking before coming out.

 

Good luck and rest

[frenchtoast]

Hiya,

I was advised to eat lots of Christmas pudding and rich fruit cake! (It was an early March birth!) Give up tea, even decaff, and certainly don't drink tea at same time as iron rich foods like egg yolk; the tannin inhibits iron absorption.. Instead have a big glass of orange juice or similar vit C.

 

Your iron level naturally drops a bit as the baby helps herself*. She'll take enough to see her through to weaning age! I don't want to sound alarmist but I read once that too much iron in supplement form may slow the growth/weight of the baby or not be good for her blood/heart(?) but I can't substantiate this at the moment. I think Google it before you self-medicate?

Perhaps speak to someone at www.foresight-preconception.org.uk? I really recommend them highly. Although aimed at pre- conception, they know everything about nutrition. supplements and pregnancy.

Good luck, don't worry and take lots of rest with your feet up!

 

*or himself?!