Low hemoglobin in pregnancy

So yesterday we popped to the doctors surgery...it was a very early appointment, but still a lay in (compared to the time I am normally grumpily slapping the radio alarm clock to shut it up for ten more minutes), work having been being kind enough to allow me to come in a bit later so I could hold Flyingpops' hand...It was just a very quick, scheduled appointment, the highlight being the chance to hear the little one's heart beat again (still not bored of that, but Flyingpops is now much less obsessed with the whole thing) the good bit is that doctors and midwives get *proper* foetal dopplers (rather than the bargain one we have at home), which sound much clearer, and (although experience must play a big part) enable one to find the heartbeat in...well...a heartbeat... ;)

She then had a bit of a poke and prod, announced the baby was "a good size", offering Flyingpops a little step to help her hop off the examination table and then turned to the pink notes (the ones you are never supposed to go anywhere without), turned to her notes section and explained that the results of the blood tests (the routine ones Flyingpops had at her last appointment) were back, and Flyingpops hemoglobin levels were low...specifically 10.6 (the normal range for a female being between 12 and 16), we explained that Flyingpops was a veggie, and her rather surprising initial suggestion for something to eat to help remedy the situation was parsley...I mean, parsley is alright as a garnish, but I can't quite picture anyone happily chewing through any great quantity of it without becoming a little depressed...when we pushed a little harder for possible alternatives she conceded to my suggestion that perhaps spinach was a good source (which annoyingly Flyingpops has recently gone off), but just to be on the safe side she sent us away with a prescription for iron tablets, which Flyingpops was ordered to take 3 times a day, warning that they may cause constipation (which didn't go down terribly well - but may provide necessary motivation), just in case the diet proves difficult...

Anyway, when we got home I did a bit of digging on the interwebs, and found a nice list of foods that are high in iron (which should be a big help)...amazingly, and I never would have expected this, a fat, juicy sirloin steak (with real blood in it...mmm!) contains 0.9 milligrams of iron per 100 calories but spinach has an incredible 15.7!! Mind you, thinking about it, there might not be a lot of calories in spinach, could be quite a pile to get through to reach those particles...we'll get there though... ;)