Oh NO! 29 weeks and my iron is low!

Pam,
Curious - what are your numbers? When do you test/advise treatment? I so respect you and the way you operate, I'm always curious about the differences between your practice and what I see and hear about here and elsewhere.

Here in AZ - 10/30 is the legal hemoglobin/hematocrit cut of for homebirth (although I suppose if you decline iron testing there is not much you can do). I was 9.4/2? (blanking at the actual crit number) at 26 weeks (tested when I was in hosp with kidney stones), and 10/30 exactly at 30 weeks (retest by urologist at my check-up). Took floridex, alfalfa, nettles, RRL, chroryphly in the meantime.

Almost 34 weeks now and am curious to see where my numbers fall now....I experienced pph last time and was pretty darn weak for my first few days post partum - so I want to have good, strong blood this time around.

J

Michel Odent has some very interesting research - research that's backed up by evidence and its' really surprising.

He says - and I'm beginning to agree - that the women with the lower numbers (including right under 10 for hgb) have better outcomes as far as healthier babies and fewer hemorrhages.

I was always taught that anemia meant under 11, and that there was a risk of postpartum hemorrhage with low hgb. However, I don't think that this is true.

I test, but only treat if the woman feels badly: out of breath easy, light conjunctiva, pale skin, lots of chronic fatigue.

I think that looking at the beginning of pregnancy numbers is more important than mid-pregnancy (I will often skip a mid-preg CBC if her beginning was good). If the mom starts out low, chances are with the increased blood volume (which peaks at 30 weeks), she may feel worse than someone who started out higher. Then again, every woman is different!

Definitely having lower numbers COULD predispose someone to feeling worse after any hemorrhage. However, I am starting to really feel that PPH happens when third stage is messed with and there are too many hands on the mom/baby right after birth.

i've been considered anemic since early on in pregnancy. i keep going back and forth and i figure i'm right on the edge at this point. last time they checked, iwas just under, but that was at a time when even normal pregnancies dip down. i'm getting it checked againon thursday,so we'll see how it's going.

my midwife gave me floradix and also recommended taking 1 tablespoon of blackstrap molasses w/ 250 mg of vitamin c per day. when taking iron supplements,try not to take it with milk since the calcium makes it harder for your body to take in the iron i guess.

so...blackstrap molasses doesn't taste all that great, so i make fruit shakes...
i put in: ice, floradix, blackstrap molasses, orange juice, white grape peach juice,strawberries, bananas, whatever other fruit i have and some protein powder. they come out pretty good and i can't taste the molasses or floradix at all.

~cathy :home:

I'm seconding the black strap molasses (though we would also be fine with your levels....).

Here is my recipe (I stole if from a friend, so it isn't really mine, I guess):

1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses
1-3 tablespoons nondairy creamer (I recommend White Wave French Silk)
1/2 to 1 cup cold water
a couple of ice cubes.

Shake well. Use imagination. If imagination used, tastes like a caramel latte. :LOL

Seriously, it is not too bad, and brings up levels nicely. You have plenty of time to bring your levels up.

How do they test, by the way? A venous sample is almost always several points (as in, tenths) higher than a finger stick.

Good luck!

Lori