I have noticed over the last few days

That I am a little breathless

I am also feeling tired in the middle of the day

Signs I now recognise as low hb levels

Anaemia

Needing iron

So as I head towards my 25th week of this pregnancy

I am searching for iron rich snacks and meals

And sharing them with you

Pregnant ladies need 50% more iron than non expecting ladies

Here’s why:
The amount of blood in your body increases during pregnancy until you have almost 50 percent more blood than usual.
You need extra iron to make more hemoglobin.
You need extra iron for your growing baby and placenta, especially in the second and third trimesters.
Many women need more because they start their pregnancy with insufficient stores of iron.
Iron-deficiency anemia during pregnancy is associated with preterm delivery, low birth weight, and infant mortality.

Here are some ways to get the iron that you need

Snacks

Half a cup of raisins

Half a cup of dried prunes

Half a cup of dried apricots

A handful of nuts and/or seeds

A couple of squares of dark chocolate

Tahini and wholemeal pitta bread

Liquorice sweets

Two slices of wholemeal toast perhaps with peanut butter or another nut spread

A bowl of bran flakes

Meals

Lasagne with green salad

Chilli beef tacos

Spaghetti bolognese

Wholemeal rice and grilled salmon with salad

Wholemeal broccoli and bacon pasta bake

Vegetarian fajitas with lots of spinach

Pepper and spinach omelette

Supplements

Floradix

Spatone (I love the one with apple!)

Feroglobin Liquid

How do you ensure that you are getting enough iron in your diet?

I would love some more ideas as my meal and snack rotation is feeling quite limited

With 16 weeks to go

Until we meet our Sprinkle of Stardust