How about cooking your food in an iron cast pan

I had a doula client who wasn't able to tolerate iron supplements, but she started taking a spoonful of black strap molasses each day and brought her levels back up.

I've always heard it recommended that in order to boost your iron absorption, you need to take it with Vitamin C. Just be sure not to take your iron along with caffeine or calcium-containing foods, as these tend to block iron.

"Anemia" during the second trimester is often normal, and a good indicator - it shows that blood volume expansion is happening. This is called physiologic anemia of pregnancy. This is one of those things where they tend to urge treatment because something would be abnormal for a non-pregnant individual, even though there is no indication that treatment will improve outcomes.

Also, a number within the reference range isn't low (in theory, anyways - there are some tests where the generally accepted reference range doesn't really reflect reality, but I don't know if ferritin is one of them). It's on the low side of normal, but, considering the above, I'm really not sure it's a cause for concern.

That said, I don't see any harm in dietary intervention (as opposed to flat-out supplementation). Smoothies with spinach and orange juice (for the iron/vit c synergy - you can't really taste the spinach). Cooking in cast iron, especially if you cook tomatoes or other acidic foods. Beef and broccoli. Egg yolks (if you're eating them cooked, eating the whites along with it is fine. But raw you'd want to avoid the whites, as they contain a protein that binds iron. Not that I suggest raw eggs while pregnant, but I know some people do that).

(Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, don't disregard your doctor's advice without further research of your own.)

Eat real food. Liver rocks for iron. Hide it in other food if needed, like ground beef.

Chicken liver paté is great. Liver has Iron, B vitamins, folate and Vitamin A.

http://www.ironrichfood.org/iron-beef-liver/

Just cut back a bit on the CLO, so you don't OD on Vitamin A.

If you really can't hack liver, then the Floradix tablets are good & don't stain your teeth like the liquid.

I took a bottle of Iron Extra by Vitanica prescribed by my naturopath and I had zero adverse reaction -I'm not pregnant, though. And check w/ your doctor before taking any supplements, etc. But if you can hack the real food that's probably a better route.