# Did anyone have a home birth with a HB level of 9.4 or under?



## babyscanart

Hi Ladies,

I am planning a home birth I am 39+2 as had a straightforward labour and delivery with my DD (although I was slightly anemic with her). I had a blood test yesterday as my previous one had shown my HB level to be 8.9 and yesterday I got a call from the MW to say it was now 9.4 which has increased and is really low so she doesnt advise me to have a home birth. 
I have mixed views on this as I dont feel it is low enough to constitute going into hospital and as I had no blood loss, or even a tear with my DD I find the likelyhood of me bleeding alot very minimal. It would be nice to hear honest opinions from MW's other mums etc 

Thank you in advance for your replies
xxx


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## indigo_fairy

I had low iron and still went ahead with my homebirth, although I didn't get it in the end as I had to transfer. My MW was not too bad with the iron issue, think I had too many other things for her to worry about. I did have a big blood loss with both babies and was anemic with both. If you've managed to increase it by that much I imagine you might be able to increase it a bit further by keeping taking extra iron, you might go overdue which gives you a bit more time too. I can't really advise you but you're right that low iron isn't always a reason to not HB :)


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## babyscanart

Thanks for your story, I would have been more inclinded to go in if I had bloss loss with my DD, but as it was so straight forward its hard to see the reasoning and the hospital is only 15 minutes from me so I would imagine as other complications could always arrise that a transfer would just be standard if something didnt end up going to plan at home?
Good thinking about the iron supliments too, I have kept taking them and the midwife did say to start having 2 a day so fingers crossed that will bump it up more too x


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## Samantha675

Look for Floridix, it's a liquid iron supplement that is kore absorbable. Also be sure to take lots of vitamin c with your iron. It really increases the amount of iron absorption. Or You also might try cooking in an iron skillet.


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## Mervs Mum

Floradix or Spatone can be very effective but there is some research out there that shows 8.5-9.5 to be optimal in late pregnancy. On a basic level you have around 40% more blood volume at this point so iron levels will be almost diluted. Mine was around 9 with my home birth and I have had clients at that level too. The thing I did (and clients have sometimes done this too) is to have a 'wait and see' approach to yr third stage. So if you look like yu are losing a little more blood than would be desirable, you can agree to have the syntometrine / managed third stage as while this increases the risk of retained placenta, it can slow bleeding and may avoid you needing to transfer in due to loss. :)


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## sam#3

mine is always about 9 and i have had 2 hb's with no blood loss problems

this time it dropped to 9 again, and for the first time i was really suffering with the anemia.... lack of energy, exhausted, low moods etc so i am taking 600mg in iron tabltes and a spatone a day which i put in a glass of orange juice, and ive been doing this everyday for 2 weeks and cannot describe enough how much things have improved.... my advice would be to take the iron you are offered & take spatone


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## lynnikins

mine is low atm ( dont know the level caus my doctor wouldnt tell me ) but im back on iron it got really low with EJ and wasnt caught in time and i needed a post birth transfusion but im expecting it to drop below 10 as i get to my due date lol i dont seem to hold my HB leves that well


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## tripletsOMG

My MW suggests liquid chlorophyl during pregnancy and after birth. I am taking it and I feel great no signs of anemia and more energy than before. Hope this helps.


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## Midwifemuse

Hi. The reason anaemia is a concern to healthcare providers is not just because it makes you feel rubbish, makes you less tolerant of blood loss and can affect lactation in the early days but also because it affects how well blood clots so can mean that you bleed more but are less able to tolerate blood loss.


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## babyscanart

Thank you, I am awre it can be due to blood loss but had a very straight forward labour with my DD and was anemic with her and have heard lots of contrasting advice on how low is too low and that until it is under 8.5 it is not considered as drastically low. Also I will not be Breast feeding.
Thanks again!


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