Iron is so low its risking my chances at a HB

[caiesmommy]

Im 25w and the midwives called saying my hemoglobin is so low as it stands I can't have a HB :(

Im really lost as to why though. My other pregnancies I ate horridly...ds wanted junk dd I couldnt keep ANYTHING down besides white rice. This baby wants lentils,beans,swiss chard,kale and Ive gone back onto eggs. Slip greens and seaweed into smoothies . I take a sisu prenatal and Flovinex. WTF? 

I do have major anemia symptoms as well...ice cravings,restless legs,exhaustion,dizziness and MOODINESS

The midwives have been supportive of me being veg, but they are saying that if I had the baby at this point I would need a transfusion more then likely.

Any advice would be great

[Hesperia]

Is this your first blood test for iron? Your body I making so much extra blood right now, the reading may be off for closer to birth.

You have time to boost it. Are they suggesting supplements, a in pill form?
I'd start drinking strong nettle infusions daily. Take iron with Vit C. And continue to listen to your body.

How do you feel?


Ease exhaust any typos, set from my itouch.

[caiesmommy]

They've suggested I work my way up to 3 300mg iron supplement pills a day. On top of my prenatal. Its a supplement made of bones :( They are quite veg friendly so the fact that shes suggesting these make me realize she is quite serious

Ive been EXHAUSTED this pregnancy. I figured my iron was low but I didnt think this low to the point she commented that shes surprised Im standing and if I dont pump up the iron within 5w I may have to get shots

[SundayCrepes]

How about cooking in cast iron? I don't know how much difference it'll make, but lots of little bits add up.

[PoetryLover]

My iron recently came back low after my hemogram. My Hemoglobin was something like 9.7. It sounds like your levels may be less than mine if they want you on 300 mg of iron supplements a day.  My midwife wants me to take 120 mg a day.

I think you said you were taking Floradix? I hear that is really good. My midwife recommended it to me and I started taking it this morning, 3 doses of 20 ml each, plus a 22 mg iron supplement with each dose, taken with OJ or something high in Vitamin C.

I second cooking in a cast iron skillet. I actually just bought one myself.

The biggest advice I can give you (and you may be aware of this) is not to take your iron supplements with your prenatals. Also, do not take them at the same time you consume something with calcium, as calcium interferes with iron absorption. That was my mistake. So juice should be 100% juice and not calcium fortified. Try not to have anything with calcium within 1/2 - 1 hour of taking an iron supplement.

Another thing I did was bought a lot of iron rich foods, plus foods high in vitamin C, as Vitamin C helps iron absorption.

I'm going to link you to a thread I recently posted in my DDC on this topic. http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/1323958/i-need-to-get-my-iron-up-asap

Good luck!

[planthappymamma]

Are you taking B-12? Also Spirulina is PACKED with all your B vitamins. Put it in your green smoothies.

[ahimsamom]

When I was pregnant, my first iron test was really high, and by the time I had my second test, it had dropped A LOT. I tried to focus on eating high iron foods and snuck them in everywhere. I ate lots of kale, broccoli, dried apricots.

If you aren't against bee products, bee pollen is a motherload of so many essential vitamins and minerals for pregnancy.

I also totally I agree with the nettle suggestion. You can do so many things with nettles. If you have an unsprayed, weedy backyard like mine, or live near a forest, you can easily forage for nettles and just eat them straight off the plant! If you fold the leaves up before you put them in your mouth, they won't sting. There are SO many ways to consume nettles...and lots of youtube videos with tips and ideas!

I love spirullina and take it everyday, but my stomach could not handle it when I was pregnant. It came up almost instantly every time I tried to take it (granted I only use powder, not tablets). Chlorella is great too, I find it a little gentler on my system.

Also, the company vitamin code makes a raw, vegan, food based supplements. The great thing about their supplements is that they are food based, so all the iron is bioavailable (and not made out of bones....ewww!!!).

Good luck mama, I know how it is.

[caiesmommy]

Im taking more floridex. Double dose 3x a day, a b12, 3+cups of nettle tea and my prenatal. The increase in iron is KILLING my stomach though. Ive been getting such bad cramps and nausea.

Ive been eating fairly well though I wish I could handle some more high iron foods but honestly they make me want to wretch. Im doing tons of greens...but the dried fruit I cant go near at all