Low Iron..

I went to an appointment today, and found out that I have low iron, even though I am taking my prenatal vitamin and my iron supplements 3 times a day. I know I don't eat enough veggies, but I guess I'm not eating the right ones either. I have had a tough time eating lately. Lots of things I should eat, don't agree with my stomach and I am feeling kinda discouraged. I guess that explains why I am so tired all the time. My husband has been complaining that I have been laying around too much and sleeping too much. We had an argument last night about it. :angry: I wish he could understand how it all feels to be pregnant, not just with one but two babies. I never had low results on an iron test with my other children, and so I was never this tired. ARGH! Talk about frustrating! Any suggestions on what to do?

Thanks and I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!

 

I had low iron this pregnancy also.. They told me as long as i am taking the iron to not worry too much... Maybe try taking an extra pill each day? Do a google for high in iron foods...

 

Vegetables won't make much difference to your iron. The best thing is to eat red meat! But certainly supplement, too. Make sure not to take your iron at the same time as your multi-vitamin or your calcium supplement, since calcium can block your body's ability to absorb the iron.

 

QUOTE(Cardinal @ Nov 21 2007, 06:34 PM) [snapback]505223[/snapback]
Vegetables won't make much difference to your iron. The best thing is to eat red meat! But certainly supplement, too. Make sure not to take your iron at the same time as your multi-vitamin or your calcium supplement, since calcium can block your body's ability to absorb the iron.



I can't seem to get enough red meat. I crave it more than any other food. The ladies in the WIC office have said that is probably why my iron level is always so good.

Dianna

 

did you ask your doctor for a simple blood test to test for iron levels? im sorry you have low iron the babies take alot more out of you then a singeton pg

 

Sorry - this must be very frustrating. Any kind of red meat should help if you can stomach it. I crave red meat too - never had iron problems yet. Good luck and I hope DH lets you get the rest you need.

Angela

 

Floradix Iron + Herbs are amazing. Here's a website that has more information as to how well it's absorbed, non-constipating form, etc.

http://www.florahealth.com/flora/home/usa/...ucts/r64771.asp

I asked my OB about taking prenatals with iron and iron and she said it was fine. But the iron in the prenatals are hardly absorbed because there are so many other things in the pill that bind with the iron and inhibit absorption. Make sure any supplement you take is taken alone (with juice high in vitamin C is perfect) and on an empty stomach, 1/2 hour at the least before eating anything. You want to avoid the iron binding with anything. The floradix hasn't hurt my stomach at all. And I am dealing with heartburn and 3rd trimester nausea. Everybody is different though.

You should also make sure you are eating more iron rich foods and in combination with other foods that will encourage absorption.
Although heme foods are best: meats where the iron is already in the form you need it.
Nonheme are good as well, but all around you have to watch what you eat or drink with it or around the same time.

Coffee and Tea, Calcium (dairy products and milk), ANTACIDS, Chocolate, as well as several other foods can inhibit absorption of iron as it binds to it. It's the Tannin in the tea and coffee that bind to the iron. There is a lot of "eat this" like spinach and soybeans claiming it has plenty of iron, but then you will later read even in the same document that soy has some proteins that inhibit absorption, and spinach has calcium in it that inhibits absorption. That's why the best source is your heme, meat sources.

Egg yolks (the whites actually inhibit iron absorption), chicken, turkey (dark meat is the best source), beef, venison, and pork to name a few (ps. pork is just as good as beef, I'm allergic to beef and can't find venison right now so I do eat beef once in a while, but mainly it's pork, fish, turkey and chicken for me). Cereal claims to have all this iron in it, but that only works if you eat it without milk. I'm not good at eating dry cereal...

Turkey with cranberry sauce is a GREAT combination as the cranberries have high vitamin C that will allow the iron in the turkey to be absorbed.

My daughter got severely sick with e.coli and Hemolytic Uremic Syndrom and by the time we went home, her hemoglobin was only 6. So we've had to do a lot of research and work with a lot of these ideas and food combinations to get her levels up. It's been since june and she is still slightly anemic (the booger likes chocolate too much). So we are still working on her. Interestingly enough when I found out mine was 11.5, I started eating more of these combinations even before taking floradix and within a few weeks I went up to 12. But I'm trying to get it high because I absolutely refuse blood transfusion and I don't want to have to deal with this after the babies are born.

Here is a government website on dietary supplements. I hope it helps.

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/iron.asp

 

Tips for Boosting Iron During Twin Pregnancy
Dealing with low iron while expecting twins is incredibly challenging, but there are actionable steps you can take. Key dietary changes, like incorporating red meat (rich in heme iron) and pairing non-heme iron sources (like spinach) with vitamin C (e.g., citrus fruits), can enhance absorption. Avoid coffee/tea with meals, as tannins inhibit iron uptake. Timing supplements 30 minutes before meals (with vitamin C-rich juice) and separating them from calcium or antacids is crucial.


Your fatigue is valid—growing two babies is exhausting! Communicate openly with your husband about how this physically feels different from past pregnancies. For eco-friendly ways to support your health, explore green hosting services for blogs or resources on sustainable pregnancy nutrition.