Iron and Calcium: The Power Duo

During pregnancy, your iron needs rise by about 1.5 times (from 18 mg to 27 mg a day). Iron is truly important for the increased blood volume and your baby's development. Iron deficiency can present with symptoms like fatigue, pallor, shortness of breath, and dizziness. It's known that a significant proportion of pregnant women worldwide need support in this area.

Among the best iron sources are red meat, chicken, turkey, lentils, spinach, dried apricots, and molasses. To increase absorption of iron from plant sources, consuming it with vitamin C is an excellent strategy — even a small touch like squeezing lemon on spinach can be helpful.

Calcium is very valuable for your baby's bone and tooth development. Getting enough calcium prevents your body from drawing from your own bones. Milk, yogurt, cheese, broccoli, almonds, and sesame are great sources.

An important note: Leaving at least 2 hours between iron and calcium supplements rather than taking them at the same time provides more effective absorption. Constipation can be a common side effect of iron supplements — supporting with plenty of water and high-fiber foods can help with this. Talking to your doctor about both supplements is always best.