Iron deficiency or just good old pregnancy tiredness?

[expectinglittlebear]

I am 26+4 and am really struggling with tiredness at the moment. Been having broken sleep for a few week (re-positioning and getting up for a wee), and also this week getting insomnia too. But I feel like I have been hit by a truck, and at work struggling to concentrate because I am so tired.

At previous blood tests my haemoglobin has been low, but still within the threshold and therefore have never been prescribed iron tablets. I am getting my 28 week bloods done on the 9th November, so not sure whether to just hold out until then, or speak to the midwife before hand? I just feel so abnormally tired, but as it is my first pregnancy, I don't know if this is just 'normal' for the last part of the second trimester.

Has anyone felt similar and been prescribed iron tablets, or is it just pregnancy making me feel this way?

Just start taking iron yourself. The ones you get prescribed are the worst type anyway so you won't want those.
Everyone is different but in tablet form I find iron bisglycinate to be best. Or if you get constipation even from those, try liquid iron like floradix or spatone.

Iron deficiency is common in pregnancy, I had it and id never had low iron before in my life. As you say it could also just be plain old pregnancy exhaustion too.
Are you taking Pregnacare or similar? I was taking them but I needed to start Active Iron Pregnancy Capsules also, I found them good, never got constipated or anything. I'd probably make a GP appointment to get your bloods checked now if I were you.

I'm 26+4 as well and feel exactly the same as you, for the last week I feel like I've been hit by a bus despite going to bed at 9pm every night. I'm on iron tablets anyway and feel like this though so it doesn't mean you need them. You should have bloods done at your next midwife appointment anyway where they will check.

My Hb levels on my 12 week blood tests came back on the low side of normal. They were 112 and the cut off was 110, so my gynaecologist told me to start taking an iron supplement as iron levels decrease in pregnancy, and so if I didn't do anything, I would likely be anaemic by the end of my pregnancy.

I took 2 sachets of Spatone per day. I felt so much better in myself within a week or two and got my energy back. Was even able to start exercising again, as previously I just didn't have the energy.

Blood results at 28 weeks came back with iron levels of 124, so for me, it was definitely worth taking it.

I have reduced how much I take now, a sachet per day/every other day for maintenance, but still feeling good in myself. Might be worth buying a box?

I would speak to your midwife; my levels were on the lower side but not at the level to prescribe iron tablets but I kept coming over all funny and was exhausted so they prescribed iron tablets and I took them every other day as they played havoc with my digestive system but it did the trick

I got put on ferrous sulphate at my 34 week appointment due to low haemoglobin levels. I was tired but that was because I had restless legs keeping me up all night. The ferrous sulphate seemed to get rid of the restless legs therefore making me sleep = result!