Fatigue and weakness are perhaps the clearest indications that you may be deficient in iron.
The problem is that it's hard to know if low iron levels make you feel this way, or is this just the normal fatigue that a new mother experiences and a new caregiver? You may also be limp because of it baby blues , or the many challenges in caring for a newborn child.
It may be easier to spot other symptoms of iron deficiency, such as a fast or irregular heartbeat, or inability to breathe. You may also look paler than usual.
Other symptoms that appear less frequently during iron deficiency include:
- Want to eat unusual foods like crunchy vegetables
- The taste of food changes
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- The tongue hurts
- Headache
- Itchy rash
If your iron levels are low, you may also be more prone to infections, such as coughs and colds.
The body needs iron to produce hemoglobin, which stores and carries oxygen in red blood cells. Eating iron rich foods will help the body do this. There are two kinds of iron-rich foods:
- Red meat, fish, and chicken contain hem iron, which the body can use easily
- Whole grains, dried fruit, cereals, and leafy greens contain non-hem iron, which is harder for the body to absorb
Vitamin C helps the body absorb non-hem iron in food. Drinking orange juice or eating vitamin C-rich foods and vegetables like broccoli, bell peppers, or kiwi fruit at meal times will help.
Spinach is not actually a good source of iron because it contains oxalates, which make iron absorption difficult. Other leafy greens such as cabbage, broad-leaved beets, watercress, and broccoli are preferable.
Avoid drinking tea and coffee with meals because they contain polyphenols, which make it difficult to absorb iron from food. Antacid drugs that relieve heartburn also prevent the body from absorbing iron from the food you eat.
If you are breastfeeding, you can take vitamin supplements that contain iron. Take good care of yourself, and try to rest during the day, while the baby is sleeping.
If you suspect that you are deficient in iron, tell your doctor about this problem. Low iron levels can affect mood and bond with your baby. You may be irritable and sensitive, and be more prone to postpartum depression. Fatigue can also make it more difficult for you to breastfeed.
You may not have a blood test after giving birth if you did not have a C-section, lost a lot of blood during childbirth, or have other problems, such as dizziness. So, tell your doctor, midwife, or nurse if you think you are deficient in iron so they can do a blood test.
If you are diagnosed with anemia due to iron deficiency after delivery, you will be given iron tablets to get rid of the problem.
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