Hurrah my unsupportive midwife found another issue...FFS

[BabiesEverywhere]

In my last midwife appointment, she managed to take blood off me for an iron test as I "looked pale" I told her I am always low in iron, feel fine and iron tablets bung me up.

So this morning I get a phone call to go to the doctors to pick up iron tablets as my iron is low. Not that it is that low it is 3.75 when it should be between 3.8 and 5.8.

What is the betting that this is another 'reason' I can't have a sodding homebirth, the fact that I am permenantly low in iron...arrgghh

So off to the shop to get some Spatone, not that it will do anything for me, because I have a natural low level of iron in my system but if I am lucky it will boost my levels up temporaily by 0.05

Message withdrawn

Arragh, that old chestnut

Not to make light of a serious subject! Really, very predictable though as a common (attempted) block to homebirth! (FWIW, everyone who's sought a homebirth that I know has had the Hb debate thrown their way, including myself first time round. Now (#4) I just snarl and they keep their distance )

I've seen some of your threads BabiesEverywhere it's sad to read of women having to jump through hoops.

homebirth.org again, unsurprisingly, have a good page on this subject.

try floradix instead of spatone, gets into your system really quick.

Try getting some carob powder from a wholefood shop and have a bit with breakfast cereal and a teaspoon added to some yoghurt etc - managed to get my levels up 3x quicker than the drs expected based on iron pills - and I'm vege too.

Take note of your iron levels. had low iron in 1st and this pregnancy.

I bleed about 7 hours after birth with DD1 and couldn't even get up to go to loo or look after her as would faint.

Not a funny situation to be in and crapping it the same thing will happen this time, though not feeling as unenergetic or faint, so iron levels must be better.

Even though you regularly have low iron, please take the spartone and guiness also helps (pure iron). You'll not regret it when you can walk after labour!

Ah, right the lady on the ohone got my levels wrong

I am still just under recommended levels, I have a level of 10.3 when it should be 10.5 or above.

Vitamin C helps the absorption of iron so try having eggs for breakfast (high in iron) accompanied by a glass of juice (vit C)

I know alcohol is not really permitted, but my midwife had a lady who had 1/2 pint guiness and her iron level shot up, it really works.

Though my midwife wasn't permitting it, she suggested it to me. I'd try that and then tell your MW to re-take your bloods.

I am taking spatone with orange juice and blood will be retaken next week. Fingers crossed that will be enough.

when I asked gp about spatone (as so many on mn recommend it) she said "not while you're on iron tablets". My iron level last time (after taking iron tablets twice a day for two weeks) was 4.8... how could one possibly overdose?
Babieseverywhere - are you taking the iron tablets and spatone and oj at same time? thinking about giving that a go as well...

I asked my doctor could I take Spatone and OJ instead of the iron tablets. As I knew from past experiences that the iron tablets will cause me problems.

dried apricots did it for me, i ate masses of them. i often get a bit low on iron and i just scoff a couple of bags over a week or so and feel much better. didnt do anything different in last pg so must have been them. would rather eat apricots than take tablets any day. good luck with mw

Dark chocolate is also meant to be high in iron - I was recommended dark chocolate coated raisins (although couldn't find them, so settled for the chocolate by itself ).

Fingers crossed for you.