Anemia

[Girlfrommars11]

Hi all.

At 34 weeks I was told by midwife my iron was low. She recommended liquid iron suppliment and a multi vitamin. I then had blood repeated at 36 weeks. The doctor called and said I'm now anemic. He's prescribed iron tablets and asked me to have more blood taken to check other vitamin levels.

I'm now a bit stressed out and worried there is somthing wrong with me that's harming the baby. I thought at first that it was just my diet, I'm pescaterian. But how can it have got worse since I started taking the iron supplements? Does anyone know of other reasons for anemia that isn't diet related and how I can try deal with it while I wait for the next lot of blood to come back? For now I'm taking the iron tablets and I've bought iron rich foods for smoothys.

I feel pretty rotten, and have done for weeks but I just put that down to being pregnant and having another baby to look after.

I had my 'booking in' bloods and they came back with low iron and they've given me tablets.

They said its nothing to worry about so don't work yourself up over it.

Have plenty of iron rich foods too!

XXXX

Loads of people get anemic when pregnant.
It's because the baby is taking all it needs to our detriment.

Your baby is fine.

Anemia is common and easily fixed.
I have it throughout all my pregnancies. I eat meat, I still get it. It's just one of those things and the baby doesn't suffer for it - we do!
Easily fixed though.

As someone else said your baby will be fine! If you were severely anemic they would take more drastic measures than telling you to take tablets. There are ways of increasing the effectiveness of the tablets if you are worried though. I had no idea that certain foods can affect the absorption of the tablets - dairy, tea and coffee are some that affect it but you can time taking the tablets around eating and drinking these. Also take them with a glass of orange juice as Vitamin C really helps the absorption. I only found this out through my own research - the midwife didn't tell me!

OK I feel a bit better now. As long as baby is OK. thank you.

Good tip on the oj, I'll make sure I take one with my morning glass and maybe take the evening one with an actual orange.

Hopefully I'll start feeling better in a couple of days. At the moment I have 0 energy.

Anemia is common in the third trimester because your blood volume increase by 50%. Your red blood cells basically get diluted so there's not enough to carry oxygen/iron around the body. I'm 32 weeks and also have anemia and taking 1 iron tablet every day. Be sure to take it on an empty stomach first thing in the morning (orange juice is ok) and wait 1 hr before eating anything containing dairy or caffeine.

The dosage between iron supplements and prescription iron tablets are very different, so you might want to ask your midwife about getting stronger ones. I started out trying to fix my anemia with OTC supplements and diet but it made no difference at all. Was still tired and getting dizzy spells every day. However once I started prescription tablets the symptoms disappeared within days and I feel amazing.

Hope this helps and you get to feel better soon!

I'm 32 weeks, been on iron since about 24 weeks initially despite taking 1-2 tablets it was still dropping, but I've got my levels back up by always taking 2 tablets (my poor guts) and largely dropping black tea. It's very common