6 weeks pregnant, very pale. Should I start iron supplements?

[evertonmint]

I'm 6+4 with DC3. Always had slightly dodgy iron levels when not pregnant (on the low side) and in both pregnancies have had to supplement later in pregnancy to keep my levels within the normal range. I've got a little bit of nausea but no vomiting and my main pregnancy symptom at the moment is slight dizziness/weakness and lots of tiredness. However for the past week I have been looking increasingly pale. I'm a pale person anyway but the colour has drained from my face and I look more grey-white rather than my usual yellow-toned colour.

Other than this I feel fine - no worse than in my previous pregnancies. I don't have a midwife booking appt for 3 weeks. I'm wondering whether I should start an iron supplement now anyway. Do you think it would be ok to start Floradix/Spatone, or should I wait to see midwife, or book a GP's appt first? I have used Spatone in pregnancy before but later on when my iron levels were on the low side.

Perhaps try some iron rich foods. Red meat and leafy veg etc I'm sure you know what foods are good. Then you can ask your midwife for better advice

I asked about iron supplements in early pregnancy bu was told to avoid them till 15 weeks. Best try iron rich foods till then

I was prescribed iron tablets at 9 weeks by my midwife, have always suffered with low iron levels and they were at 9. I would go and see your gp.

If you get a pregnancy multivitamin they usually have some iron in them. Otherwise red meat & orange juice etc. I tried to be good & keep my iron levels up myself but I've still ended up on iron tablets at 29 weeks. Midwife said I must just be prone to anaemia

Fortunately the menu this week include beef noodles and beef stew! Shall switch to a preg multivitamin rather than just my folic acid/Vit D and work on diet - good point about the orange juice (had forgotten the Vit C thing).

I feel ok really, just look bad. Will make sure to bring it up with midwife and will go to gp before if I get more symptoms.

Thanks!

You can buy a liquid supplement called Feroglobin which is safe to take during pregnancy and they advise upping your dose during pregnancy. I take it normally but have not upped my dose, MW says this is fine and they have just taken bloods to check my haemoglobin levels. xx