Hi all, gotta keep this short and am typing from a handheld device, so this might not look polished. Had my baby on the 24th--beautiful baby boy. I tried for a homebirth but labored for 26 hours and progressed stalled at 8 cm. for hours and I was in excruciating pain so I transfered to a hospital so I could get a little pain relief. As much as I desperatly wanted a drug free birth, the little bit of drug they gave me ( I forget what it was-not epidural or anything near that strong...it made me feel a little woosy and relaxed for 2 hours) enabled me to deliver in 2 hours. When I first came in they had an OR set up for a c-section, which I refused even though they tried to scare me into it and made me sign refusal forms. I just needed to relax...I had not slept in 48 hours and was too tense. In the end they saw I was right I guess.

They rush the delivery of the placenta in most hospitals and I lost a lot of blood (over 500 ccs or whatver measurement they use, I think) whatever it was my midwife (who stayed with me) said she typically sees half that loss of blood when the placenta is allowed to deliver on its own and especially when the mom is given time to breastfeed right away. I also had an almost ten pound baby. I was raw in the beginning and end of pregnancy but ate too much junk in the middle.

I looked terrible after the birth. Very pale, very sickly. I fainted going to the bathroom. Hospital food didn't help. They tried to accomodate me, but I mostly got cooked vegan food. I could tell my body didn't like the sudden shock in change of diet.

Okay so they checked my hemoglobin 12 hours after birth and said I was at a six ( twelve is normal). They said they do blood transfusions under seven. I said no thanks, which they didn't push me on. They prescribed iron pills. 500 mg a day, approximately. I'm told they can constipate me. I tore, so I don't want to get constipated!!!! I am taking a stool softener.

All that for this: what can I eat at therapuetic levels to remedy my state of being. Can something do a better job of restoring my blood levels than those ferrus sulfate iron pills? I'm sure raw foods high in iron would also not constipate me, but maybe I need the pills. Anything else besides iron containing foods to help? Anyone had major surgery or something and know of healing foods? Thanks.

Hello, Whenever I lose alot of blood through extreme menstrual bleeding and become anemic, I drink Young Coconut Milk. Young Coconut Milk has the same viscosity as blood and can be used for instead of blood for transfusions. I drink 2 Young Coconuts back to back at one sitting and it makes me feel much better. Get enough so that you will be adequately supplied. You might want 6 or more, depending on how depleted you feel. If your energy doesn't rise after drinking 2, continue to drink more the following meal or when you feel weak.

Also, get some Chlorophyll. This is usually made from Alfalfa which has a high level of it. I drink as much as muscle tests strong and then drink more the next day or sitting, etc. The mint flavored tastes nice but it you cannot find it, drink the unflavored. Just put it into some water to dilute it. Yeah, your tongue will become green.

Hope you are feeling better soon and congrats on your newborn. Therese

Coconut milk is an excellent suggestion.

Also, wheatgrass has been successfully used in place of blood transfusions. It is almost identical to human hemoglobin and is a good blood builder. Like most greens, it contains iron. You can buy frozen cubes of wheatgrass at health food stores. You can either drink them thawed as shots or add them to fruit smoothies.

Flax seeds are an excellent way to keep you from becoming constipated. I always add freshly grounded flax seeds to my smoothies.

Congratulations on your beautiful baby boy. I hope you recover quickly so you can enjoy your baby.

Hey music bebe,

Sorry to hear about your ordeal, hope you feel better soon.

Here a list of vegetables high in iron

[www.nutritiondata.com]

Fruits high in iron

[www.nutritiondata.com]

And nuts/seeds high in iron

[www.nutritiondata.com]

Remember that iron absorption is greatly increased by consuming plenty of vitamin c rich foods too.

Best wishes,
J

Drink some green juice. Spinach would be good.

Congratulations ;-)

..beets is probably already covered but here it is again.. [www.whfoods.com]

"Nutritional Profile

Beets are an excellent source of the B vitamin, folate, and a very good source of manganese and potassium. Beets are a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus."

Congrats!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/27/2008 03:47AM by loeve.

I'm not going to repeat what everyone else is saying EXCEPT to say CONGRATULATIONS AND BLESSINGS! Nothing beats motherhood!

My holistic vegetarian OB-GYN recommends women take *Floradix* brand liquid vegetarian iron. It's made from fruits and vegetables and is really, really helpful for energy and fatigue - especially for women who lose a lot of blood during their periods or from childbirth. You can find it at any health food store in the country. It's a very well respected vegetarian supplement that a lot of vegan and raw-vegan women have used when they needed more iron in their diet and/or had gotten somewhat anemic for whatever reason.

Greens and beets are great for blood building but when you actually lose a lot of blood you need to shore up the body reserves rather quickly and with a new baby I think you need relief and healing to come more powerfully, yet still gently.Floradix also makes a gluten free/yeast free version as well, and most women don't find it constipating at all which is why it's so highly recommended by the holistic community.

Regardless of which iron you take, I'd also recommend eating a bowl of stewed prunes ( sun dried prunes soaked in water till super tender and soft and then eaten along with the soak water) everyday to help move things along with your stool softener. Besides tasting great, prunes have great fiber and are known to help aleviate a sluggish bowel slowly yet naturally.Pureeing the soaked prunes and their soak water into a creamy applesauce-like consistancy is good too if you prefer eating them that way.

Flax oil with a high lignan content has also been a great bowel mover for many women too. The oil lubricates and the high fiber content from the lignans moves things along well.

I would recommend taking the vegetarian liquid iron Floradix everyday till things shifted internally, along with at least 8 oz of stewed prunes daily and at least 2-3 TBS daily of high lignan flax feed oil to have as bowel back-up incase things need a wee bit of help on their way out of your colon.

And I'd avoid a high nut diet and a high banana diet which can be constipating for some women as well.


Hope this helps!

PEACE
Choco

Congratulations! I second what everyone else said, especially the chlorophyll from wheatgrass juice or alfalfa or barleygrass, and greens and beets. Actually, juicing the beets with tops and spinach would be very good for you. As for the cooked medicines: I take Floradix and find it works pretty quickly. It's very potent and is a B complex supplement as well. In the past, I have also taken Blackstrap molasses, down the hatch, by the tablespoon, with great success. Tastes like ox blood[don't ask how I know] but that's how you know it's full of iron. Keep us posted on your recovery, and get better soon.

Congratulations on your new baby boy!
Listen to your body and all these sggestions are great. If you can, I bet young coconuts would help.

Good luck!!!

I had limited success using Floridix to boost the iron levels.. also consider Black Cherry juice and Pomegranate juice are both iron rich and less costly.

A new baby.. how wonderful!!

Congratulations on the new baby!

I would ask Jingee any questions you may have related to recovery from birth/pregnancy.

[www.thegardendiet.com]

Thank you all for your well-wishes and advice. I am doing much better. I've taken the iron supplements on and off and eaten lots of prunes and dried apricots. Also lots of greens and LOTS of young coconut water. The coconut water felt really good to drink those first days back from the hospitalk. My color is back in my face, though my inside eyelids are still a bit pale. I am much more mobile and less prone to dissyness though I still have more recovering to do.

Most importantly, baby is doing well! Very healthy and content.