Just found out we are having baby #2 alhamdulillah. Thing is I am extremely tired and exhausted and bloodwork showed that iron levels are down and doctor has recommended some prenatal vitamins that I took for 2 days and have been seriously constipated.
My last pregnancy was a nightmare due to constipation and I have been crying thinking abt it. I just can’t go through that again. Pls recommend ways of increasing iron levels by way of food/drink that will not leave me constipated. I need to increase iron levels to also get my energy levels up.
These are some foods that are rich in iron....along with foods that increase iron, try eating more fiber and ensure you frink atleast 8 glasss of water.....I only included foods that are also rich in fiber so you can kill two birds with one stone.
VegetablesBlack-eyed peas
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Collard and turnip greens
Lima beans
Sweet potatoes
Spinach
Fruits
All berries
Apricots
Dried fruits including prunes, raisins and apricots
Grapes
Grapefruit
Oranges
Plums
Prune juice
Watermelon
Congratulations, MA what good news! If your iron is down please also ask your doc about taking an iron supplement. It made a world of a difference for me in how i feel. Also, drink prune juice every day. If that doesnt work, take over the counter stuff like colace or miralax but consult with your doc first.
btw is it normal not to feel as happy as I was when I was expecting my first. I wanted to have a second and we have been trying since Jr. was a year old but now that I am preggers I am literally scared out of my skin. Is this normal, all the tough times I went through my first is coming back to me, the long horrible labor and the extremely painful breastfeeding phase. I don’t want to be nashukree to Allah so how do I overcome this fear.
I wish there was someone I could talk to, I feel so alone.
awww hugs! You have us to talk to when you need help. Every baby and pregnancy is different. I think khawateen had a long labor with her first and short with her second so there is some hope there. Plus with the first baby you didnt know what you were doing (most likely, typical for first time moms) but now you have the experience. So it should be better there. But its ok to be scared. I was too, i kept wondering if we can be fair to both kids but InshaAllah things will be a bit easier this time around. And most likely your hormones are just blowing everything really big in proportion too. Get some rest and chill if you can!
my doc recommended I take ispaghol first thing in the morning, mix with water let stand for 5-7 mins and drink it. I took it regularly in last 2 months Really helped with constipation
Try apple juice, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and dried apricot to increase your iron level. Oh and oatmeal is also a great source of iron and fiber.
Switch to oatmeal breakfast (not instant one, the quaker rolled oats), wheat Ata (not white kind, the red kind with high fiber content)... use prune juice to wash all that down... liquid in, liquid out.
Congratulations.. I couldnt take iron supplements either during my pregnancy because it would make me sooo constipated that I ended up in the L&D with that..later I was diagnosed as anemic and had to take iron.. long story short, I ended up taking the iron in syrup form.. Floradix Iron available at Whole Foods Market and it clearly states on teh bottle that it doesnt cause constipation.. my iron level went from 8.8 to 9.6 within a month.. try that please!!
Also, for constipation.. eat dried apricots, almonds and fresh pineapple everday couple of times a day.. these are the only three things that have worked for me and trust me I tried everything under the sun when I couldnt go for 8 days!!!
Thanks girls, I am anemic that is why Doc was saying that I need to take folic acid and iron. But to be honest I have been having nightmares of the time gone by (last pregnancy) and the constipation. I just can't make myself take the supplements if they are gonna get me constipated so I thought of going the diet way.
GTG I am gonna try and find that liquid iron and see if that will help.
BTW is folic acid constipating as well?
And another thing I've been thinking my mom didn't take all these supplements and she had us and we were all born without any birth defects. What would be the harm if we were supplement free during our pregnancy?
automne… I hate to admit but I didnt take any pre natals throughout my pregnancy except the floradix when I was diagnosed anemic sometime in second trimester.. since I was very nauseous and throwing up a lot in first trimester, my midwife took me off the pre natals for a week, i took that break and just never went back to them!!! BUT in my second and third trimester, I have had so many issues that sometimes I blamed myself for not taking the pre natals.. my body literally just gave up on me.. I didnt sleep for 14 weeks due to leg cramps and then they had to put me on narcotics for pain relief.. I was diagnosed with gallstones and almost went in pre term labor due to the attack triggering contractions a few times between 30-35 weeks.. I dont know if things would have been different if I was taking my prenatals but I know I didnt and I suffered a lot during my pregnancy.
However, I did try taking folic acid by eating these gummy bears (vegetarian, available at whole foods- I will post a pic for you) but it also meant eating at least 12 of them during the day to get the required amount of folic acid.. sometimes I did, sometimes I didnt!
so yes, on and off during my pregnancy the only prenatal vitamin stuff that I have done is iron syrup starting second trimester and these gummy bears on and off.. BUT I have eaten a lot of fruit.. my snakcs were always carrots, grapes, pears, etc.. so I felt like I was doing okay!!
^ exactly.. And my reply doesn't mean to say that you should skip as well like I did but just wanted to give you a heads up that I truly wish I was taking my pre natals regularly and I may not have suffered so much..but if you are having a hard time right now, at least you must take iron syrup and folic acid!
Not everyone's pregnancy goes by book n things work out just fine.. You have to find alternatives that work for you while keeping your health n babys health in mind...and consult your docas well!
Dont feel scared.... U"ll only be given what u can manage.... I had a horrible delivery the first time and my kid had relux so he vomitted pretty much after every feed....
I dodnt want another kid...but u gotta get smart bout it... It can go both ways.... So i just prayed to god and went ahead with baby 2....she is a blessing mashallah (not that the first one wasnt).....but the whole deal from pregnancy to delivery to the baby herself...ots going really well mashallah times a million....
Ab hogaya... Think positive and hope for the best....
As for the iron supps...take them... I was on tripple iron..imagine that! Prune juice ureself....a full glass everyday... Builds up ure iron too.... And eat brown full wheat bread with lots of butter.... If problem persists...there is an all natural dissolvable granules u van take...go by the bame of movicol... They are awesome! But first ask ure doc....shouldnt be a problem cuz its not med...but still..
congratulations, hon!
