https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 12 Apr 2026 03:02:15 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anemia-in-pregnancy#post-965856 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 07:21:28 +0000 T-Mom 965856@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: I was a little anemic during pregnancy but was ok with a slowFe every day. DD ended up being anemic as well at her 2 yr visit and they put her on half a flintstone with iron. I think we are both just predisposed to being slightly anemic. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anemia-in-pregnancy#post-965663 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 03:28:25 +0000 FlyingSquirrel 965663@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PointeShoesTutus: Thanks for your advice...though I'm sorry you have to deal with this chronic issue. I just want to respond, having recently been diagnosed with anemia, that liver is not recommended in pregnancy as it also has high concentrations of Vitamin A which can cause birth defects.</p> <p>For anyone else, I've been supplementing with Floradix, which has a much higher rate of absorption. So far I haven't had any of the more common GI issues associated with iron supplements. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anemia-in-pregnancy#post-965544 Fri, 26 Jul 2013 00:31:54 +0000 PointeShoesTutus 965544@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not pregnant, but I am a thalessemia carrier, so I'm chronically anemic. Since iron supplements are toxic to me, I have to get all my extra iron from food. My hematologist told me to try to eat both heme iron rich food (red meats, tuna, liver-blech!) and non-heme iron rich food (green, leafy veggies, etc) together to get the most benefit from them. He also highly recommended cooking with cast iron-something I'd already been doing. I actually found it made the food taste better and made it worth the extra trouble to clean and maintain the pans. </p> <p>Obviously, not sure if some of the heme iron rich foods are safe during pregnancy but I wanted to share since its something I deal with everyday. I'm quite curious how the thalessemia and anemia will affect my future pregnancies given that supplements/infusions are a no-no. Yet another lovey worry to pile on to the seemingly never-ending list of pregnancy worries! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anemia-in-pregnancy#post-965045 Thu, 25 Jul 2013 20:24:15 +0000 travellingbee 965045@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wasn't able to bring mine up with diet and supplements and had to get infusions. Good thing too because I lost a lot of blood in labor and would've been in serious trouble if I hadn't gotten my levels back up. Postpartum, I am back up to snuff with some supplements. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anemia-in-pregnancy#post-963207 Thu, 25 Jul 2013 13:09:17 +0000 Mrs. Oatmeal 963207@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@runsyellowlites: Hmm...I've wanted an excuse to buy some cast iron pans, haha. This might be it!<br /> @regberadaisy: I was tested back at the beginning (around 12 weeks), and was borderline anemic - but I've had a slight iron deficiency for years. The MW said my prenatal should be enough. These results just came in, and I guess my numbers dropped drastically! On top of the supplements she recommended, they're sending me a whole pamphlet on foods that would be okay, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anemia-in-pregnancy#post-963151 Thu, 25 Jul 2013 12:58:26 +0000 runsyellowlites 963151@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: Oh I know y'all did! I really really hope M's numbers have come up!!!! </p> <p>@redsmarties: You could also try cooking in cast iron! My MW included an insert in my pregnancy binder about it!</p> <p>Cooking spaghetti sauce in one simmering for ~3 hrs increases the iron from ~3mg/100g to 85mg/100g (that's a 29 time increase) AND even making scrambled eggs in one (around 3 mins in the pan) will increase the iron from 1.7mg/100g to ~4.1mg/100g.</p> <p>Might definitely be something to consider start doing! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anemia-in-pregnancy#post-962977 Thu, 25 Jul 2013 12:28:44 +0000 regberadaisy 962977@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@runsyellowlites: that's what we did/do but M's kept dropping. :( So she's currently now on the highest for her age/weight. :( I have a feeling if it's not at 10 (currently 6.5) at her 15 month we might be sent to a hematologist. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anemia-in-pregnancy#post-962966 Thu, 25 Jul 2013 12:27:13 +0000 runsyellowlites 962966@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't have personal experience, but a friend of mine was really low &amp; had to bring hers up to have her homebirth! She made it just by the skin of her teeth. Hope you can get yours up!!!</p> <p>As for the kiddos, we only checked P's at her 12 mth WIC visit (it was a point low, but we also had a VERY restricted diet which the nurse figured attributed)... I'm sure they'll check it again at the 18 mth visit (we'll attempt to correct with diet before supplements) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anemia-in-pregnancy#post-962915 Thu, 25 Jul 2013 12:18:54 +0000 regberadaisy 962915@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ms.SK: why not?<br /> I'm so glad her ped tested LO at 9 months. Hers was dangerously low - around a 3 when normal is 13. And if he didn't we wouldn't have found out, upon further testing, she has thalassemia trait. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anemia-in-pregnancy#post-962905 Thu, 25 Jul 2013 12:16:24 +0000 Ms.SK 962905@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had iron infusions when we found there may be an issue. 6 weeks of trips to the infusion center in the hospital.</p> <p>I also won't be getting my kids tested for anemia. The Dr. and I just got into a fight over it. Oh well! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anemia-in-pregnancy#post-962878 Thu, 25 Jul 2013 12:11:17 +0000 regberadaisy 962878@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>On a related note for those that were anemic during pregnancy. Are your babies anemic (9 / 12 month or older)?</p> <p>Just curious if there's any correlation. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anemia-in-pregnancy#post-962845 Thu, 25 Jul 2013 12:02:59 +0000 Pepper 962845@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was slightly anemic, and took an iron supplement from about 20 weeks on. I didn't develop anemia until that point. Iron can cause constipation, so make sure you up your fiber intake! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anemia-in-pregnancy#post-962838 Thu, 25 Jul 2013 11:58:14 +0000 regberadaisy 962838@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Why weren't you tested earlier? I had blood work done in the middle of my pregnancy where they took like 7 vials of blood. That's when they found out I was borderline anemic.<br /> I would Def take the supplements but if they're already quite high I would be afraid of going too crazy on iron rich foods for fear of too much iron? Def ask your midwife / OB. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anemia-in-pregnancy#post-962814 Thu, 25 Jul 2013 11:47:21 +0000 MrsKoala 962814@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had anemia for unknown reasons just before I got pregnant and have been taking iron supplements for six months now. I think since you only have two weeks left that you should be okay with supplements and a small change in diet. In addition to red meats, spinach, beans, and nuts are also good sources of iron. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anemia-in-pregnancy#post-962763 Thu, 25 Jul 2013 11:33:01 +0000 babynumber1 962763@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was anemic from 25 weeks on. I took a supplement and ate lots of iron rich food (think red meat). </p> <p>Mine resolved immediately after birth, so hopefully yours will too </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/anemia-in-pregnancy#post-962731 Thu, 25 Jul 2013 11:24:07 +0000 Mrs. Oatmeal 962731@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm 38 weeks pregnant today, and I just got a call from my midwife saying that I am VERY anemic - both ferritin and hemoglobin levels are really low.<br /> She put me on a heavy duty supplement, but is also requesting that I do a major diet overhaul. With only 2 weeks left til the due date, I'm hoping that I can make enough changes to prevent any complications. </p> <p>Does anyone have experience with this? Any advice? </p>