Many people struggle during with anemia and getting enough iron in pregnancy. Diet can often be helpful in improving this. Having adequate iron is important for lots of reasons. Women who have low levels of iron are often tired. In addition, very low iron levels can impact your labor and birth and even increase postpartum hemorrhage. Here are some simple tips to up your iron intake.
Get your leafy greens
Foods that are dark green usually have iron in them. Not only do greens help you get iron, but they can also help you absorb nutrients from your protein rich foods. Some great choices are spinach, kale, collard greens, Bok choy, asparagus, broccoli, dark salad greens, and the like. Being sure to eat a salad daily, drink a green smoothie in the morning, or incorporate collard greens into your meatloaf or other meat dishes are easy ways to sneak in these vegetables that you may not be getting.
Combine foods properly
Calcium is known to inhibit iron absorption, so eating your calcium rich foods SEPARATELY from your iron rich foods can help your iron absorption improve. For instance, have the burger without the cheese, take your iron supplement with an acidic drink rather than with milk. On the flip side, vitamin C is known to help iron absorption, so adding some tomatoes to your salad or burger may help improve your absorption.
Overall nutrition
Simply understanding which foods are rich in iron can really improve your ability to make good choices. Red meats, yams, some organ meats, greens (as mentioned above), shellfish, eggs and dried fruit are all rich in iron. Knowing this and choosing to eat and snack accordingly can really improve your overall nutritional intake.
Part of a great birth education begins with proper nutrition throughout your entire pregnancy. You might be surprised what a difference it will make in your health and your birth.
Check out lots of recipe ideas for pregnancy and postpartum & learn more with a Birth Boot Camp online class.
