Before Donating:
- Get a good night's rest the night before donating.
- Eat something light before donating.
- Drink more fluids to replace the volume you will donate. But avoid tea, coffee or other drinks containing caffeine.
- Eat foods rich in iron - red meat, fish, liver, beans, iron-fortified cereals, raisins or prunes.
- Avoid fatty foods such as hamburgers, French fries or ice cream before donating. Tests for infection done on donated blood may be affected by fats - lipids - that appear in the blood a few hours after fatty foods have been consumed.
During Donation:
- Wear clothing with sleeves that can rise slightly above the elbow.
- Relax!
After Donation
- Immediately after donating you can have a sandwich and juice if you feel like it.
- Rehydrate by drinking fluids.
- If you feel dizzy, lie down, preferably with your legs higher, until the feeling goes away.
- In rare cases when slight bleeding still occurs after removal of the bandage, press the spot and hold the arm up for 3-5 minutes.
- If bleeding or bruising occurs under the skin, apply cold compresses to the site within the first 24 hours.
Enjoy the feeling that comes when you realise you may have saved as many as three lives with just one blood donation!