https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 30 Apr 2026 23:01:48 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-iron-levels#post-2803280 Fri, 09 Feb 2018 15:14:24 +0000 nana87 2803280@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Champagne: I haven't! my ob/gyn told me about Floradix, which is much easier on my stomach than the other generic iron supplements I've tried. I hate oranges and oj, which I know would def help with absorption but I just can't make myself do it! My dr mentioned cereal, which I usually avoid thinking it's just empty carbs but I'll def start eating again now </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-iron-levels#post-2803279 Fri, 09 Feb 2018 15:11:29 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 2803279@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@nana87: have you tried feramax for your iron? Most iron pills make me feel so sick, but these are great. </p> <p>My doctor gave me a print out once that encouraged having orange juice with iron as it helped the body absorb it. </p> <p>There's lots of iron in cereal too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-iron-levels#post-2803274 Fri, 09 Feb 2018 15:00:24 +0000 Pumuckl 2803274@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@nana87: I’m a celiac so usually low on iron and react terrible to iron supplements. What I had read somewhere online was to drink pure, naturally red juices - in particular elderberry juice. I tried that and without taking any other supplements my iron levels rose. So maybe that might be something you could give a try... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-iron-levels#post-2803267 Fri, 09 Feb 2018 14:51:47 +0000 nana87 2803267@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Gah I wrote individual replies to everyone but my comp ate them! :bummed: Thanks for all these ideas!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-iron-levels#post-2803241 Fri, 09 Feb 2018 13:50:11 +0000 thunderstorm 2803241@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You could try the lucky iron fish. It works similarly to the cast iron pan. You just put it in your soup or whatever you like as it cooks. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Iron-Fish-cooking-Standard/dp/B01LX5S5FP" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Iron-Fish-cooking-Standard/dp/B01LX5S5FP</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-iron-levels#post-2803211 Fri, 09 Feb 2018 12:43:42 +0000 DesertDreams88 2803211@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I take my iron daily with vitamin C, and apart from any dairy-based meals since calcium inhibits uptake. So, for me, it works best to take it at 10am halfway between breakfast and lunch. That's my breaktime at work and I keep my pills in my work desk. I also set an alarm as a reminder. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-iron-levels#post-2803200 Fri, 09 Feb 2018 12:13:31 +0000 afc061018 2803200@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@KT326: Thanks so much for sharing that! I'm so happy to hear that it really does help. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-iron-levels#post-2803193 Fri, 09 Feb 2018 11:48:17 +0000 KT326 2803193@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@afc061018: our pediatrician actually recommended cooking with a cast iron pan to help with iron levels! It does help, I’m terrible at remembering to give my kids their vitamins and my oldest sons levels still went up once I switched to only cooking on cast iron. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-iron-levels#post-2803191 Fri, 09 Feb 2018 11:43:19 +0000 afc061018 2803191@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@nana87: This is the recipe I use! It isn't going to be *exactly* the same, but I find it's a good substitute. Nutritional yeast does have a kind of Parmesany saltiness to it imo. </p> <p><a href="https://minimalistbaker.com/how-to-make-vegan-parmesan-cheese/" rel="nofollow">https://minimalistbaker.com/how-to-make-vegan-parmesan-cheese/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-iron-levels#post-2803188 Fri, 09 Feb 2018 11:31:54 +0000 skinnycow 2803188@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@nana87: The B-12 shots really helped me! I was having problems with low energy/dizziness and those symptoms completely went away. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-iron-levels#post-2803186 Fri, 09 Feb 2018 11:28:32 +0000 jennlin821 2803186@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I eat plant-based, and am always on the low end of normal, I also strugged with this in pregnancy. I take supplements, but the two things I started eating during pregnancy was blackstrap molasses and lentils. I can't remember how much iron is in each of those, but I think it helped. </p> <p>I added the molasses to oatmeal and some other things that I can't remember right now ( DD had a rough night, I'm working on my 3rd cup of coffee!) and I started adding lentils to foods I already made. Quinoa salad, bean stew etc, just add them right in. </p> <p>I also started taking B12 during pregnancy, and I found this really helped with my energy and my restless legs. I still take it and notice a huge difference when I don't. (I don't notice a difference when forgetting to take the iron pills) So definitely get this checked out!</p> <p>Hope this helps! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-iron-levels#post-2803184 Fri, 09 Feb 2018 11:21:17 +0000 cake2017 2803184@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Eats veggies-beets! that will help! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-iron-levels#post-2803183 Fri, 09 Feb 2018 11:20:24 +0000 nana87 2803183@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@afc061018: I’ve never had nutritional yeast but I’m def going to try! Love the idea of eating it w pasta, my fave food. I have had a major kale aversion since pregnancy unfortunately, and it was the only dark green I ever really liked</p> <p>@skinnycow: my dr was going to check my b-12 levels too, I wonder if she’ll suggest shots if I can’t up my levels nutritionally </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-iron-levels#post-2803177 Fri, 09 Feb 2018 11:13:57 +0000 skinnycow 2803177@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No advice but I can commiserate. I'm pretty much always anemic and it was worse during pregnancy. I take supplements and eat iron-rich food often but that doesn't seem to be enough. </p> <p>I was given B-12 shots when pregnant and that seemed to help but I didn't continue them post-pregnancy.</p> <p>ETA - I'm not a vegetarian so I eat meat and still struggle. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-iron-levels#post-2803174 Fri, 09 Feb 2018 11:11:27 +0000 afc061018 2803174@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm a low-dairy vegetarian, and I use nutritional yeast and cook with a cast-iron pan a few times a week to help with iron. No idea if the pan actually helps, but I heard about it a while ago and picked it up just in case. I also try to eat a lot of dark greens, esp. kale, which has a good amount of iron I believe. Have you ever made vegan Parmesan cheese from nutritional yeast? It's great sprinkled over pasta! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/low-iron-levels#post-2803165 Fri, 09 Feb 2018 10:45:50 +0000 nana87 2803165@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Does anyone else struggle with low iron levels?</p> <p>I'm a vegetarian and have had borderline anemia since I was a teenager and it was worse during pregnancy both times/I took supplements and was monitored, etc. Lo2 is turning 1 next week though and my levels are still low, despite taking supplements (and dealing with the bad digestive side effects...). Today my dr mentioned adding nutritional yeast to my foods as one idea, and that got me thinking about what other little things I could do. Any other ideas, or anyone else want to commiserate? </p>