Should I be eating something different?

I wasn't sure what to title this thread as. We turned vegetarian about 2 months ago, and about a month ago I got a cold, that turned into a cough, that turned into an ear infection. I went on antibiotics, but my ear is still semi blocked after that dose, and even after a month, I'm still blowing out green/yellow crap out of my nose numerous times a day. I just can't seem to kick this one out of my system.

Also, I'm exhausted. I'm talking the exhausted where I can't even lift my arms and legs for the life of me, I just don't have the energy. We're not sleeping through the night yet, but we get some sleep, sometimes its 4 hours a night, sometimes its 7. DH lets me sleep in for a bit most mornings and gets up with the kids, but I am soooo tired all the time.

Is this because I've given up meat or just because I'm in my third trimester with 3 little kids? I've never felt this exhausted in a pregnancy before, usually I'm pretty good - even at the end of DD2's pregnancy I was tired, but not exhausted ITMS?

We have tossed up the idea of going back to meat for the remainder of my pregnancy just to get some extra iron into me, incase its that - I take Elevit every morning so its not like I'm not taking anything to help myself try and kick this cold.

Going and seeing a doctor is pretty pointless down here, I'd probably have the baby before I had gotten in for an appointment! So has this happened to anyone else during their pregnancy?

You can certainly be a vegetarian while pregnant, but you need to make sure you're taking/eating something that is high in iron. I have low iron all the time, and I eat red meat. During pregnancy, it's a lot worse. Have you had your iron levels tested? I know you said it's hard to get a dr's appointment, but I'd be doing what I can to get one, and to get tested. Then you know for sure if it's your iron levels or not.

I thought we were eating stuff thats pretty high in iron, lots of green vegies etc. I haven't had my iron levels tested since before we changed our diet, and my levels were really good, but haven't had them tested since then.

I guess I can ring up and try to get an appointment within a few weeks time - I might try a new surgery cos the doc at mine is a total tosser and I hate going to him.

Thanks Jodi. Do you think it sounds like low iron from my symptoms? I just told DH that it feels like I'm hungover, you know that taste/sensation you have in your mouth when you are hungover and you're not sure its from all the alcohol or lack of sleep? I have that feeling a lot.

Do you actually "look" pregnant? Cause a sneaky iron level test is to go to the blood bank and get it tested there ...

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Do you actually "look" pregnant? Cause a sneaky iron level test is to go to the blood bank and get it tested there ...

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Bahahahahaha yeah otherwise I've swallowed a watermelon!!! LOL Guess you haven't seen my preggo pics on facebook then.. ROFL

Ok, here is my IMO, I would start to eat to meat, just for pregnancy sake :hug: Also eat it with vitamin C to help abosorbtion. I have a GF who is Vego and had to eat meat for her sake and her pregnancy. She craved it. She was fine to go back to vegetarian once bub was born.
Otherwise I would look into a naturopath or dietitian to help you get the best iron absorbition you can while pregnant.

you may also be exhausted... literally have you ever had chronic fatigue syndrome? or glandular fever?


good way to get extra iron, is take a daily iron supplement but watch for constipation.
also more mushrooms and maybe try steak 1-2 times a week.

eggs are also good.
make sure your fluid levels are good as well so drink extra water.

also B12 may be low as some people feel very tired when their b12 is low.

i had a cold recently too hun and it took ages to clear up, ear was blocked for well over a month after ab's for an almost ruptured drum.. and the coloured snot i had... :o ewww!
having said all that im not pregnant and feel almost as tired as you do, but if i were pregnant and not eating meat id definatly get my iron checked, your midwaife should be able to organise it for you, otherwise try a different iron such as liquid one as it absorbs better, also take it with orange juice and avoid the food that stop you absorbing iron such as dairy and caffine :hug: hope your better soon xxx

Sounds like it could be low iron, eating vegies high in iron doesn't always mean that they absorb as efficiently as an equivalent amount from meat. Do you get a lot of Vit C (that helps iron absorption and could help the cold symptoms too)? What about protein?

Are you having a birth centre birth? Can you see them to get your levels tested? Normally they do blood works at around thirty something weeks, I think...

ETA - if you're taking iron take ferrous fumarate rather than ferrous sulphate (basically organic rather than mineral derived iron) as it is absorbed much more efficiently, hence making it more useful, and also doesn't cause constipation (which is caused by unabsorbed iron). And always take it with Vit C. Herbs of Gold make a good iron supplement.

I would definitely get your iron levels tested. It is very common in pg to be low. I had mine done a few weeks ago and they came back at 8 and should be 11 or more or something - can't remember, but my Dr recommended an iron supplement, Ferrograd C - the vitamin c helps with absorption. Yep, I was feeling yucko, just thought it was because I had entered the 3third tri but it all made sense when she told me my iron results and now i am feeling better. Definitely try and get your iron levels tested, if you can get a bit more energy to get through this last bit of the pregnancy just by taking a tablet then it is worth it.

Get your ears syringed at the doctors... helped clear up a cough/cold/chest thing I had for about 8 weeks...
Just a thought :)

I always get low iron when pg, and my levels aren't so great when not pg. It does sound to me like you're probably iron deficient, but also possibly low on vit b??
I don't think I'd be eating red meat yet because of it, but get a supplement, which would be helpful. I am on ferro grad c(iron with vit c), or fe fol (iron with folate). You could just be exhausted. You do have 3 kids 3 and under. That's tiring. And really even 7hrs sleep most nights, isn't enough rest really (don't worry I know this from experience!). But the weakness and other symptoms aren't normal, get thee to a doctor!!!

Signs of some B vitamin deficiencies:
Vitamin B12 deficiency – this is most common in the elderly, vegans (vitamin B12 is only found in foods of animal origin) and breastfed babies of vegan mothers and is called pernicious anaemia. Symptoms include tiredness and fatigue, lack of appetite and weight loss, apathy and depression, anaemia, smooth tongue and degeneration of peripheral nerves progressing to paralysis.
Folate deficiency – the symptoms include weight loss, tiredness, fatigue and weakness, folate-deficiency anaemia (megaloblastic anaemia) and (during pregnancy) an increased risk of a neural tube defects such as spina bifida for the baby.
Pyridoxine deficiency (B6) – people with excessive alcohol intake, women (especially those on the contraceptive pill), the elderly and people with thyroid disease are at particular risk of deficiency. Symptoms include insomnia, depression, anaemia, smooth tongue and cracked corners of the mouth, irritability, muscle twitching, convulsions, confusion and dermatitis.
Thiamin deficiency – is generally found in countries where the dietary staple is white rice. Deficiencies in the Western world are generally caused by excessive alcohol intake and a very poor diet. Symptoms include confusion and irritability, poor arm or leg (or both) coordination, lethargy, fatigue and muscle weakness.
Nuts, eggs, seeds and legumes (dried beans and lentils) and foods derived from them, such as tofu and hommos, are good sources of protein. You will need one to two serves per day.

Iron deficiency anaemia – Symptoms include looking very pale, breathlessness and fatigue. Reduced immune function and impaired growth and cognition can also be symptoms.
Vegetarians who exclude all animal products from their diet may need almost twice as much dietary iron each day as non-vegetarians. Sources include dark green leafy vegetables – such as spinach or bok choy– and raisins, nuts, seeds, beans, peas, breads and pastas, cereals; especially wholegrain cereals, iron-enriched breakfast cereals and wholemeal breads, Milo and Ovaltine. While eggs, nuts, seeds and legumes also contain iron, it is not as easily absorbed by the body as the iron contained in meat, so vegetarians also need to eat other iron-enriched foods.
Vitamin C increases iron absorption, so eat more brightly coloured fruits and vegetables.
Cut back on the amount of tea and coffee you drink, especially around mealtimes, since the tannins in tea and coffee bind to the iron and interfere with absorption.

Definately go to the doctor though. Even if you get a supplement before you go and can't get to see the doc for a week or two. Could you get a referral from your next antenatal appt?
HTH Melly. Take care of yourself babe. You have 3 1/2 kidlets needing you. If you're not healthy, it makes things twice as hard for you. :hug:

Also The iron in dark green leafy veg is disipated and used by the body faster as it's easier to digest. If you do eat a lot of green leafy veg try having some say with lunch and dinner. I was vego whilst pregnant with DD and I found just having a handful of baby spinach leaves on my sandwich for lunch seemed to top me up and stop a mega low in energy. Nuts and seeds are good to nibble on for snack for protein and such. If you eat yoghurt you can get something called I think SLS (having prego brain in this heat) in the health food section. You can sprinkle it on yoghurt for brekky, put it in a smoothie etc and it's a great source of protein which is important for cell renewel and repair. If you're sick and protein levels are inadequate then it might take longer to get the cold out of your system.

HTH and I hope you feel better soon

I'd get an iron supplement and see if you feel better without faffing around with doc appointments. They kick in pretty quickly. From memory you need something with 80mg a day. There's a few out there that call themselves iron supplements that are nowhere near that so check the dosage. I got one that was about 240mg so I only need to remember to take it every few days.


Being low in iron and B12 really knocks you around. I was vego for 8 years but became seriously deficient and had to have injections so they're an option too if you're out of whack.

i get low iron too and if im feeling like you describing i have a huge steak and spinach and tomatoes and i feel a bit better, but im sure you can have a high iron diet without eating meat. or you could get some liquid iron, that might help. hope your feeling better soon.

Hey, Mel, my iron plummeted late in 2nd tri, even though I was taking a pregnancy multi and I eat very consciously. My DH has exactly the same diet as me, and his levels were on the high side, so it was definitely pregnancy that did it. I had to up my B12 and my iron intake, so I took Floradix and a B12 tab at first, but then changed to Fabfol and a B12 sublingual spray.

As for your diet, green leafies are good, but I reckon nothing beats legumes, pulses and beans. I also tried to eat some kind of lentil or bean every day. Having it with Vit C is great advice: potatoes and capsicum are great sources.

i don't think you need to start eating meat again, andi would suggest you have only been vego for a few months, so it's unlikely to be the cause of low iron, itms. that being said, i would get some ferrograd c tablets, i have seen the effects of low iron, especially post-birth, and frankly, they ruined my life for 2 years, i was put on anti-depressants, i have permanant tattoo-like bruises on my arse from horse-needle iron injections every second day, and still suffer anxiety occassionally. this was all caused by aneamia screwing my nervous system. i had been vego for 12 years.

although, since you have been sick for so long, i would also suggest going to the hospital (if dr appt are hard to get), and get tested for glandular etc.
good luck chickie, i know what you're going through and it's absolutely ****-house.

Finally found this thread again! LOL

Ok, I've read everyone's responses, and I've got some iron tablets and have started taking those. I've also gotten meat for two nights this week, just to see if that makes a difference as well, and upped my vegie intake and lentil intake.

So fingers crossed that at least this week I start getting a hold of this cold and getting it to go away!