Iron, simply

Iron is one of those quiet nutrients you only notice when you are short of it, and pregnancy and birth both make real demands on your stores. A few simple habits help you hold on to more of what you eat.

Where to find it

• Animal sources, which are well absorbed: red meat, poultry, fish.
• Plant sources: lentils, beans, tofu, dark leafy greens, fortified cereals.
• A daily scattering of seeds and dried fruit.

Two easy habits that double the value

Vitamin C markedly improves how much iron you absorb from plant foods, so a squeeze of lemon over your greens, a glass of orange juice with breakfast, or peppers in your lentils all help. Tannins in tea and coffee do the opposite, binding iron so you absorb less, so it is worth leaving a gap between a cuppa and an iron-rich meal.

It is less about eating more iron, and more about keeping the iron you eat.

Why it matters after birth too

Birth involves blood loss, and low iron is a common, under-recognised reason new mothers feel wiped out, breathless or foggy well beyond the early weeks. If that sounds familiar, it is worth mentioning rather than filing under ordinary tiredness, because it is straightforward to check and to treat.

Do not start iron supplements on your own. If you feel persistently exhausted, breathless or unwell, ask your GP or midwife for a blood test and let them guide any supplementation.