Anemia During 3Rd Trimester!

I am in my third as well and my doc ordered me to take an iron supplement due to being slightly low. She said not to worry, all pregnant women are slightly anemic by the time they give birth, it's just part of the flow. Don't worry, you'll be just fine. We are almost there ! :) Also she said not to take the prenatal and the iron together, and do not take the iron with milk as it may cause constipation !

Hi B.!

I was anemic in the second half of my pregnancy. I took the standard CVS iron pills (I can't remember the strength at the moment) and did okay digestive wise. Beets and as others have mentioned red meat helped me a lot. Also fish oil or omega-3's (like the flax oil someone mentioned) can help with constipation as well.
Take care and good luck!

Hi B.,

I was anemic in my last, and my current pregnancy. My midwife suggested Floradix, which is a a liquid supplement. It tastes really good, and it works VERY quickly. Within two days or so, I felt normal. And the best thing about it is that it does not cause constipation. You can buy it at most health food stores. I was skeptical, because any other iron supp I had taken caused tummy issues, but this one really worked. I love it. Take care!

K.

I second the Floradix. It works great! I felt so good once I started taking it and had great iron levels through the end of my pregnancy and after delivery. You can find it at health food stores.

I had issues to. I also took the Slow Fe.

BTW, I ended up having a girl which is why I think I had iron issues.

I myself was borderline anemic and I took iron pills. Needless to say I am still that way but now I just eat regular meals and veggies for iron. There are times that I will go back to the iron pills for one wk. on one wk. off. The only thing I took while on iron pills was a bowel supplement to help me go to the bathroom. It won't hurt the baby and you won't feel that tummy pain because you have to go. Go to your Pharmacist and ask for a mild laxative to help you out. There is nothing worse than feeling that fullness and trying to go and can't. Good luck and congratulations to you and your significant other as well as the little one you have already.

Hi B.,

Minerals are a tricky thing. Even though you are taking iron suppliments, it doesn't mean they are absorbing they way they should be. Most minerals crystallize in the digestive system, are eliminated, and cause free radicals which cause problems....which could be why you are still anemic. Go to the health food store and ask them specifically how they are delivered to the blood stream. If they say sulfonate or gluconate they are terribly bad for you. Doctors don't normally distinguish. They give what they are provided.

If you are interested in a prenatal, with iron, that is guaranteed to absorb and get into the bloodstream without crystallizing, let me know. I'd be glad to help.

God bless,

M.

I had to take slow - FE along with vit C for abortion, and then a fiber pill a day to combat the digestion issues, worked well

Are you vegetarian? If not you should definitely think about incorporating red meat into your diet to help improve your iron stores. You don't need to eat much of it to see a difference. Of course if you're veg that is not an option, and in the meantime think about taking colace or senna to keep things soft & moving. After being vegan pre-pregnancy, vegetarian for the first trimester, and now a full fledged meat eater I can tell you it's much easier to get the iron (as well as other minerals) from small portions of meat a few times a week, and the payoff is more energy and not getting winded & dizzy all the time.

I had a slight iron deficiency during my second pregnancy and was instructed to take Slow FE because it is a little easier on the digestive system.

I'd ask your OB and pharmacist about supplements in addition to all the fiber you're getting in your diet to see if any of them will help with the constipation.

Senna is usually considered natural, but I don't know if it's completely safe during pregnancy. So, I'd ask. Or, try adding Benefiber/FiberSure to your drinks (again, verify before starting).

Good luck!

I was like you with both my babies. So anemic that I had to take extra iron pills only with my prenatals. My iron levels got better but never back to where they were supposed to be. But my babies were fine and so was I. I guess there is only so much you can do. I'm sure you and baby will be fine. It sounds like you are doing all you can.

Hi,
I was anemic too during my second trimester. I was told to take the iron with vitamin C as it helps to deliver it to the blood stream but Calcium actually takes it away and it doesn't get fully absorbed. It doesn't help when you take them, feel bloated bowels and then still be anemic, UGH! I ate a ton of cream of wheat during that period. Also, I was told that flax seed is a natural laxative.

Good luck.
H.

I took something in addition to the iron, was supposed to help it absorb better..I think it was calcium/magnesium? Ask your doctor!

What prenatals are you using? Sounds like they are not the right fit for you. Go for a food based prenatal(they will be more expensive but totally worth it!) I love super nutrition!! Rainbow light is also good. Go to whole foods or a health food store to get them. Also a crucial supplement is Floridex(also at whole foods) iron supplement. This is also a food based supplement that will not cause constipation. These supplements will help, but it is all about your diet. Root veggies like beets(steam
them and drink the liquid too) greens like Swiss chard, kale and spinach. Whole grains like brown rice and quinoa. Also raspberry and nettle leaf tea(or a strong cup of pregnancy tea) will give you added nutrition and help prepare your body for labor. I would not take the iron pills, they will constipated, focus on your diet, the quiality of your prenatals, and defintely floridex formula! Good luck!

Try cooking in cast iron. I've been anemic for 20+ years, and when I switched to cast iron it helped. And as another poster suggested if your not vegan or vegetarian, red meat will most definitely boost your iron levels as well as your energy.

If you're taking pills, you're not absorbing much - they are wreaking havoc on your digestive tract but not getting into your system. So you need liquid nutrition that is based on optimal levels, not minimum levels, and which is designed to get into the cells, not just float around in your stomach and colon. My friend Stephanie took Reliv nutritional supplements during her entire pregnancy. They are safe for pregnant women, preemies, people over 100 years old, and so on. When her child was delivered, the umbilical cord was so thick and healthy that the doctor went to get another physician colleague to come and look at it! My friend B. had such a healthy baby that her OB/GYN said the baby acted like she was 2 months old - even lifted her head on her first day of life. So the Reliv products help the mom and the baby. They've been around for 22 years, have US patents (so they are safe, unique and effective), and you have to buy the first products thru a distributor to ensure that you get support and assistance. I'd be happy to help you and let you talk to other moms.