Still feeling a bit ropey - but it appears I’m in for painful Braxton Hicks from now on (joy!) I have a low blood count and the doctor has prescribed me 600mcg of iron a day (?!) which I think, if nothing else, is enough to guarantee constipation in anyone, let alone a pg. woman who might be more prone to it anyway - guess who had a discussion about iron with the M/W today that went along the lines of, “I will not be taking that much iron in supplements a day.” The b/c is 10.something-or-other, I think if I up my iron intake from iron rich foods and make sure I wash it down with some orange juice (or similar) I should be fine - after all, I am pregnant which does tend to suggest a naturally lower blood count anyway. (I don’t like guiness - before someone else suggests it - in many ways I would rather drink my own wee 
This was posted on the EO list in response to a discussion about creationism vs. evolution - it’s quick to load (which is a bonus when you’re on dial-up like me).
At Thursday’s group we made lanterns:
Which look lovely all lit up.
A picture of the kids.
If anyone didn’t believe me when I said that Nin always helps do the cleaning!
With everything that’s been going on I forgot to mention the Home Ed. Handcrafts Team Blog which a few of us from Muddle Puddle are contributing to.
R. is really keen to get on to the Epic of Gilgamesh (as he got the book, along with others, for his birthday). At the moment we’re reading Wolf Brother, which I would heartedly recommend for children who aren’t too easily upset (or possibly just older children, bearing in mind the boys are 9 and 11). We’re all really enjoying it.
I’ve been busy making soup out of surplus butternut squash and plan to turn what tomatoes are left (whether ripe or no) into tomato relish tomorrow. Also on the cards is piccalilli - maybe of Friday - because it beats anything you can buy in the shop hands down. It looks like we need a bit of a baking session tomorrow to use up some eggs too!
R. has spent the day reading about algae and then staring into next-door’s pond (which has had a heron visiting it), followed by more Norwegian practice (he tried the next CD and got annoyed because the recordings were in sentences, so a bit more challenging). He’s hoping to buy some nice Lyra pencils when I next put in an order for the group.
Anyway, I’d better get on as my belly is a bit achey.
(Slings'n'things)
Sorry to hear it’s going to be a rough time for you. We’ll have to pop over one day and keep you company
Comment by Kirsty — October 18, 2005 @ 7:11 pm
That iron thing, dunno whether I’ve still got all the links, possibly not as they were on a previous machine, but there’s lots of research that says your iron levels *should* dip and that supplements aren’t going to help. To do with creating the extra blood for your passenger, but you knew that, didn’t you? I got lots of info from ukmidwifery, who were very supportive - I was being told I couldn’t have my homebirth because my bloodcount was too low.
Comment by jax — October 18, 2005 @ 7:23 pm
I had a low blood count with all my pregnancies and had to take iron supplements.
I actually have to still take them now due to my Coeliac disease. My blood count was very low at 3.6 so I didn’t really have much choice in the matter and I try and eat lots of broccoli, apricots and even Spinach now and again, especially if it’s sag aloo from the Indian!
No constipation side effects here, but I guess everyone’s different.
I love the lanterns. They’re so pretty lit up
Comment by Emma — October 18, 2005 @ 8:08 pm
That is shockingly low Emma - but 10.whatever-it-is isn’t that bad and I’ve read quite a bit along the same lines as what Jax has mentioned that it should dip a bit. I used to be vegan - so am quite good on the ‘foods for iron’ front, but my diet just recently has been a bit crap (more due to the fact that I can’t muster up the enthusiasm to eat whatever I’ve cooked). Might have to snack on apricots
My grandfather had Coeliac disease and my mother has problems in that direction, I have some sneaking suspicions re. my eldest (although his tests were apparently ok) but that would be more it doesn’t agree with him than anything else.
I love sag aloo :0) Chances are if your blood count is so low that you might not have the side-effects as your body desperately needs the iron.
And Kirsty - just drop me a line if you want to pop round
Comment by dottyspots — October 18, 2005 @ 8:31 pm
Can I join the handcrafts team blog please? I’m just about to take up knitting again (still a beginner though…) and maybe the blog will inspire me to do some so I have something to write about!
Comment by Jules — October 18, 2005 @ 9:13 pm
10s not so bad. i usually prescribe apricots and carob
Comment by HelenJ — October 18, 2005 @ 9:50 pm
Molasses is great. Soak some prunes, apricots and figs in molasses and apple juice. Brazil nuts good too, but seaweed very good indeed.
Nin looks very dedicated, Titch washed the TV with a paintbrush and the pee from her potty recently…..not so helpful.
Comment by Heather — October 19, 2005 @ 10:03 pm
My blood count is much better now after the past 12 months on ferrous sulphate tablets
But it was so low originally my Doctor was shocked I could even manage to get up in the mornings!
Coeliac disease is genetic, but the blood tests can only be accurate if you are consuming gluten products normally. If you omit gluten from your diet and have the test it will show negative, even if you do have Coeliac Disease. Hence the necessity for the gastroscopy and biopsies
I hope your eldest just has an intolerance rather than C.D. Perhaps then he may outgrow it eventually.
Comment by Emma — October 20, 2005 @ 11:50 am
well done Nin maybe your mummy might let you come and help me too
hope things are ok soon.
My mum’s got the opposite prob which is haemochromatosis, which means much more iron than she needs resulting in all manner of things including liver probs. To reduce the iron they are going to have to remove 3 litres of blood from her each second week for three months; poor darling what a thought.
maybe you need to take your tabs along with a good few prunes
Comment by stefndawniy — October 23, 2005 @ 1:12 am
Snap! low blood count here, eating lots of brocoli etc too! Lovely lanterns.
Comment by Amanda — October 24, 2005 @ 6:10 am