Significantly low iron - worried - would love meal suggestions

[theprincessthepea]

I’ve just found out I have significantly low iron. I’m waiting to find out how low my iron levels are burning I’ll have to start taking iron tablets.

I’ve bought some spinach, kale, I have lots of dried beans to turn into meals and will start increasing my meat intake. I would love meal suggestions.

Also can I turn this around at 29 weeks?? 🙁

Just the tablets will be fine, although I found Spatone much more tolerable (mixed into a drink with apple juice).

If it's really low they'll do a transfusion which is fine, so you really don't need to worry.

Vitamin C helps absorption so take your pills with a glass of OJ.

You've got plenty of time to build up your levels so don't worry!

I took my iron tablets with orange juice as suggested by the consultant. I upped my consumption of red meat and green veg and started eating bran flakes and sultanas as they’re good for iron and folic acid xx

Tablets take a few months to actually have an impact though. In not sure I'd you can ask for and have an iron infusion instead while pregnant, but perhaps ask. That way it's 2-3 weeks turnaround.

But yes boost with green veg and vitamin c to support absorption. Don't have milk or dairy products at the same time as it blocks absorption. Leave an hour before consuming anything dairy.

Sorry for typos!

Thanks for the tips. I will be taking these on.

Does anyone take the vitamin C and Zinc tablets that you can resolve in water/juice.

I wasn’t too sure about them and stopped during the pregnancy as I wasn’t sure if it was “pregnancy friendly”.

If you can't get on with iron tablets or spatone (1 sachet gave me 3 days of bad indigestion and pain), I recommend Wild Nutrition irons capsules, they are food based and don't destroy your stomach. Buy a huge bag of spinach and blend it with some sweets fruits every day, good for iron and for overall well-being :) good luck !

I struggled with low iron in both pregnancies and spatone and dietary changes never touched it.

In my second pregnancy I really wanted it sorted and they prescribed me the 200mg iron sulphate, it finally started rising after about a month on the supplements and then was a good healthy level by the birth. Two tablets every other day.

It made my poo a bit gross but it was worth it... I was so anaemic when my dc1 was born, it gave me horrific almost-suicidal postpartum depression which I've totally escaped this time. The midwives agree that the difference this time is my good iron levels

Do you know what your levels were? If it's really low they will offer an infusion which is a fast way of boosting your levels back up, so don't worry too much!

Dried apricots and dark chocolate are also good for iron, and a bit nicer than kale!

Second the suggestion to take with a fruit juice and avoid dairy.

If you can't get on with the tablets (they can make you constipated or upset your stomach) then there is a liquid iron called Sytron which is gentler on the stomach. Your GP can prescribe it instead of the tablets

In our trust the cut off for infusion is 80 g/dL if asymptomatic or 85 if symptomatic, so really really low. But at 29 weeks it gives you plenty of time to try the tablets/diet changes first ☺️

I had low iron. Not dangerously low but around the cut off mine was 35 or something iirc which was a grey area.

12m months of iron supplements and steak once a week it was at 100 and something. It’s a long term game….

also don’t eat dairy with your iron food source not sure if true but apparently it’s not good for absorption…

Are you taking those stomach acid tankers? I think that lowered mine

@Oodlesofdoodlescockapoodles mine are 98 h/b so just below the threshold! I feel that diet can help at this point- as long as if doesn’t drop.

@babysensoryclass Im not sure what the acid tankers are?

Sorry. Acid reducer tablets - Omeprazole

@babysensoryclass no I’m not taking those. I haven’t been offered anything like that / told I need it.

I always had low iron-especially during pregnancy.
For meal ideas: kidney beans (for example chill beans); lentils (lentil pie); chickpeas (chickpea and cauliflower curry); anything with spinach and Brussels sprouts.
For breakfast, make your own porridge- I usually add blueberries and mulberries (mulberries are very high in iron).
If you like hummus, try to make your own - make it with loads of tahini.

Dried fruit, pistachios, pumpkin seeds are all very good snacks too.
I am a vegetarian so I was worried without meat it will be difficult to keep my iron levels. But with a good diet and vitamin (I use Active Iron pregnancy plus) I never had a problem during pregnancy.