iron in pregnancy??

[HugsAndKisses]

i feel like i know nothing this time around with my pregnancy...i didnt think two years would let me forget do much but it definately has...so i think ill be on here alot for questions and reassurance for those who remember better:p

im just a bit worried im not getting enough meat into me...ive been so ill so i havent been to the butcher lately...but we do have a staek and we were gonna have it tonight but again i spent most of the day in bed and my meat didnt defrost properly so we had cereal instead....im just wondering does anyone know whats the healthy amount of meat to eat in a week while preg? and also are eggs classed as an iron food too?

[pkbub]

Hi:wave:

I eat red meat (beef or lamb) about 3x per week and some chicken and fish and eggs and some vegetarian meals (with nuts and beans) each week. I have not had a problem with my iron.

You should get your blood levels tested, (as you may still need to supplement iron as many pregnant women don't have enough iron stores) but if you try for a varied diet you'll be better off than trying to eat a big steak every other night:yes: .

The thought of eating very much red meat actually makes me feel:barf: when I'm not even suffering MS!

So, yes, eggs count, so does shrimp, chicken, tuna, canned beans (all different varities) even parsley!!:yes: etc...

[Jeclipse]

If ur worried about ur iron levels.. u should pop into the chemist and pick up a bottle of Ferro Grad C tablets..

they are reccomended whilst pregnant..
helped me keep my iron levels up

all the best to u:hugs:

[Grizabella]

I was going to recommend the Ferro-Grad C too :) Just take one a day - and that way if you are worried you aren't getting enough then it should cover it :) But if you still feel tired, listless breathless etc to a point beyond normal pregnancy then chat to your doc. Means you may need something stronger then diet and iron supps.

Also Sustagen has iron it it if you like that.

[Tea Lady]

The thing with any vitamin supplement is that they will ONLY do you any good if you aren't already getting enough from your diet. If you take more than you need, your body doesn't store it - it eliminates it (ie you may be paying to have very expensive vitamin-rich urine!!).

Someone mentioned that Elevit had been shown to help prevent neural tube defects.... it's actually folate that does that (which Elevit contains). If it were me, I'd take folate (which is cheap and comes in tiny tablets) and then wait until later in the pg to see if a blood test indicated I should take iron. I took iron early on with my last pg (without knowing if I needed to or not) and it made me sick as a dog :barf: Calcium can be a good idea later on as well (for your sake, not the baby's as the baby will take what it needs from you if you're not eating enough).

You're much better off aiming for a varied and healthy diet than relying on a vitamin supplement - vitamins are often present in foods in combination with other substances which make them easier to absorb, which you won't necessarily be getting in a multi-vit tablet.

Good luck :)