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I am 27 weeks pregnant and found out last week I am iron deficient and have anemia. I was relieved to know why I was feeling so tired, but I am now worried about my condition. My midwife has me taking SlowFE once a day (50mg) along with my prenatal vitamin. My question how much is too much iron? My own research on the internet say I can take more than what I am taking...if you had to take supplements how much did you take? My other fear is needing a blood transfusion after delivery. Have any of experieced this and how did it go? One last question...my midwife gave me a list of iron rich foods, do you have suggestions of some quick easy ways to get iron into your diet? I love milk and dairy foods and now found out calcium hinders iron absorbption...i am afraid to eat of drink anything dairy. I feel like I am going nuts here!
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Shea,
You are stressing yourself too much. I also become anemic when I'm pregnant (I'm now on my third pregnancy). Wait for the doctor to increase your iron intake, don't do it yourself (especially not based on the internet). Too much iron can also be harmful. Stop reading too much on the internet, there's a lot of so-called information out there that may scare you. You need the calcium and even more important, the baby does too. So unless you're specifically told to slow up on the calcium, make sure you get what you and your baby need.
My doctor told me to eat an orange or drink orange juice when I take the iron because it helps it get to the blood stream faster.
You'd have to have an extreme case of anemia to need a blood transfusion. Besides (and I'm not an expert on this) but the only blood expelled during delivery is from the uterus, not you. That's blood that was supplied specifically for the baby and doesn't detract from your supply.
Just start eating those iron rich foods and don't let the word anemia scare you. Besides the pills and eating more iron, (again, not an expert), I'm pretty sure there is no other way to get more iron. The body is just doing double work trying to supply for two, when it only had to supply for one.
Congratulations!
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thanks been there for your response. I know I am stressing too much about this...and making myself crazy! that's why I decided to post here to see what kind of help/advice I would get. This is my 4th pregnancy and I have never experienced anemia before so I just want to make sure I am doing the right things to get it under control. I, with my 1st child, "almost" needed a transfusion due too so much loss of blood with a retained placenta..with each delivery since her I am so worried until that placenta slides right out! Luckily it has done just that and there was no reason for concern. But of course I will be thinking of it this time too. I too was told to take my pills with o.j also. My midwife did tell me to only drink milk or have calcium with a snack...not with dinner when my iron intake should be the greatest. There is another "forum" type site that I was on that some of the women had to go into the hospital weekly for IV's of iron. I know I don't need that ( level is at a 10) But by my question about "quick easy ways to get iron" is related to iron rich foods. Any foods that are richer than others that I can eat? Thanks again for your response.
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I'm on SlowFe as well. My doc said, leafy green vegetables like spinach and BEEF. Good Luck!
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